INSIGHT

One in six German companies have gone “off-grid”, that is generate their own power. Another 25% are considering joining them (source: German Chamber of Commerce).

As you receive this review we are mid-way through the largest collective democratic act in history.

It was reported in The Economist that one headmaster recently asked a room full of foreign students whether they flew business class to Britain. Only a few hands went up suggesting that they were perhaps not as well-heeled as he had anticipated.

2014 will see a resurgence in Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) – where the public are sold shares in companies floating on the stock exchange. The principal cause for this is that stock markets are relatively high and there is subdued volatility.

“Shale is important for our country. It could bring 74,00 jobs, over £3bn of investment, give us cheaper energy for the future and increase our energy security.

The US seeking a higher return. While capital flowing into economies is usually considered a good thing it is in many way damaging for emerging economies.

In his book “Boomerang” Michael Lewis posed this question:

“The question everyone wants an answer to is: Will Greece default?

Subsistence farming has transformed the lives of hundreds of millions of Chinese people. This process is getting stale in China but will be replicated in other populous nations.

There has been continuing press coverage and heightened interest in the currency alternative known as “Bitcoins”. A Bitcoin is a virtual currency – there are no actual notes or coins.

“Contrariwise,” continued Tweedledee, “if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn’t, it ain’t. That’s logic.”

Lewis Carroll

We entered 2013 with an investment strategy that preferred developed equity markets (particularly UK and US and smaller companies) and an aversion to all sovereign debt and emerging market equity.

It is with head-shaking astonishment that we read of the growing scandal surrounding the Co-operative Group, its management and its disastrous acquisition of the Britannia Building Society.