MoneyWeek

Russia is a poor country. Its GDP is just 10% that of the European Union, and there is much speculation about how its low levels of economic activity are translating into the various logistical failures of its war with Ukraine. So you’d think that de

“Buy on the sound of cannons” is a famous investment adage, but it’s not well supported by history, says Stefan Hofrichter of Allianz Global Investors. Yes, a look back at 13 geopolitical crises, starting with the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, shows

Stock indices are a crucial feature of the global financial landscape, says Sydney Maki on Bloomberg. They are “followed on autopilot by trillions of dollars in passive investments, and used as a benchmark for trillions more in active strategies”. Mo

Many developing economies entered 2022 contending with high inflation, slowing growth and stretched public finances because of the pandemic, says The Economist. Then Russia invaded Ukraine. Now they can add soaring commodity prices into the mix: “Lar

On Tuesday, US president Joe Biden banned imports of Russian oil and gas, a move that was matched by a UK announcement to phase out Russian oil imports this year, says James Politi in the Financial Times. The EU “did not follow suit”, instead saying

Trading chaos: A short squeeze in nickel (where traders betting the metal would fall were forced to buy due to the rising price) prompted the London Metal Exchange (LME) to suspend trading, says Ben Martin in The Times. In an “unusual step”, the buyi

Shell pulls out of Russia: Oil giant Shell apologised for buying a cargo of discounted Russian crude and vowed to stop all work in Russia, says BBC News. Around 500 of its petrol stations in the country are to close, and it will cease all aviation fu

Western nations are scrambling to cut exposure to Russian energy (see page 8), and a rapid shift to green energy is looking ever more like a national security issue. Russia’s war on Ukraine “should motivate us to accelerate our transition to a clean

blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog Economically speaking, Russia is a small country, says Paul De Grauwe. Its GDP was just $1,648bn in 2021, according to the IMF – about the same as the combined GDP of Belgium and the Netherlands, or about 10% of the EU. “

The Honeycomb Investment Trust (LSE: HONY) is a fund which invests in debt. It came through the pandemic with an excellent track record in terms of defaults. Until recently it has provided investors with an 8%-plus dividend yield, backed by a broad p

One of the surprising consequences of Covid-19 was an increase in pet ownership, as families spent more time at home and felt that they could look after a new dog or cat. Around 11% of UK households gained a new pet between March 2020 and March 2021,

For years the only way to collect Avios points – the British Airways airmiles scheme – has been with an American Express credit card. The issue with that has always been that many retailers don’t accept Amex. But now you can collect your Avios points

One skill that separates good investors from bad investors – and great investors from those who are merely good – is the ability to understand the role that psychology plays in investing. With markets at least partially driven by fear and greed, bein

Few shares (or shareholders) have endured such a rollercoaster ride as those of online fashion retailer Asos (LSE: ASC). Between 2010 and early 2014, the share price soared tenfold, then fell by about two-thirds. Since then, Asos has seen several oth

This week’s International Women’s Day prompted a slew of announcements from campaign groups supporting female entrepreneurs and small business owners. But while more women than ever before are launching businesses in the UK, the government’s research

In his terrifying heyday, the veteran corporate raider Carl Icahn went by the moniker “King Kong” on Wall Street. He was also known as “The Lone Wolf” and “The Great White Shark”. At 86, the fearless boardroom challenger is still predatory, says the

Oxfordshire is home to several charming market towns that are full of character and history. Perhaps the most distinctive is Witney. It lies on the edge of the Cotswolds, only eight miles from the village of Charlbury, and 12 from Oxford, both of whi

The Water Mill, Shamley Green, Guildford, Surrey. This converted, Grade II-listed water mill retains its original mill machinery and exposed brickwork. It has a bespoke kitchen, open fireplaces and two swimming pools. 5 beds, 5 baths, 2 receps, turbi

Valerio Rivellini, the young Neapolitan designer of the new Evo Yachts V8, is a man who likes to sail, says Alan Harper in Power & Motoryacht magazine. His background is in dinghies and small cruising yachts, and the huge carbon steering wheels on ea

The spring auction season has arrived. Last week saw a flurry of high-profile sales, including the debuts of three modern masterpieces. First up was Pablo Picasso’s La fenêtre ouverte at Christie’s in London. The surrealist piece portraying Picasso’s

The film industry’s most famous awards ceremony, the Oscars, seems to be trapped in a “death spiral”, says Stuart Heritage in The Guardian. Viewers are abandoning the ceremony in record numbers and, following last year’s joke-free “ gushfest held in

Ouch! Our small holdings of Russian stocks are down almost 60% so far this year. But you’re probably wondering: what are we doing investing in Russian stocks in the first place? Ah, dear reader… let us explain. As we’ve seen, the markets move in grea