Asset Management
Exclusive: Private bankers need a 'Hippocratic oath', says Kleinwort CEO
Private bankers need an industry-wide 'Hippocratic oath' to ensure uniform standards of knowledge and behaviour, Robert Taylor, the CEO of Kleinwort Benson Private Bank, said today. 'As long as there's nothing that binds us as an industry, our clients are going to take a long time trust us again after 2008,' he said.
WSJ: UBS shows first profit, but still bleeding wealth
ZURICH (Dow Jones)--UBS AG (UBS) Tuesday reported its first net profit in five quarters, but continued to suffer heavy withdrawals from wealthy clients, showing that the Swiss bank has yet to regain trust it lost during the financial crisis and from a bruising battle with U.S. tax authorities.
Bonus Bonanza
People are sick and tired of playing poor, so it's time to start spending again - although nobody wants to talk about it.
Scorpio: Equities bouncing back
Equities, reviled since the crash of September 2008 and the first months of the global recession, have made a strong comeback since, according to a new survey from Scorpio Partnership.
Reuters: OECD approves of using stolen data
PARIS, Jan 19 (Reuters) - The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, at the forefront of a crackdown on tax evasion, won't object to governments using stolen bank data to track down tax cheats in offshore centres.
NYT: Goldmans fesses up to trading ahead
For years, Wall Street whispered that Goldman Sachs profited handsomely by trading ahead of — or even against — its own clients. On Tuesday, a Goldman executive made an unusual admission that, in some cases, the rumors were true.
Spear's Indices return, updated and innovative
'Are you on the Spear's list?' is the question being asked around the offices of leading wealth managers in London, as Spear’s prepares to publish its 2010 High Net Worth (HNW) Wealth Manager Index.
Merrill Lynch: 2010 recovery finely balanced
Yesterday morning Merrill Lynch laid out its vision for 2010 - cyclical equities like oil & gas companies and industrials, BRIC currencies and emerging market equities were at the heart of it - but warned that the global recovery could yet falter if the fiscal stimulus were not correctly exited.
US Special: There's No 'I' in Private Banker
Just how will private bankers Stateside win back the confidence of their clients? The answer lies in good old-fashioned teamwork, says Penelope Bennett
Lords of Finance
Too many financial history books lack pace, often mired by an overly scholastic approach. Liaquat Ahamed’s magisterial study is not only a compelling exception, but also perfectly-timed as we find ourselves living again in the shadows of a major financial crisis.
Unbillable Hours
Our specialists solve your HNW problems (gratis!)
Q
I am growing increasingly worried about the effect of inflation on my portfolio, following the recent announcement that the CPI has risen sharply to 3.5%. What is the likelihood of significant inflation in the coming year and what strategies should I put in place to plan for this?
A
Firstly, it is important to note that inflation and deflation can co-exist within an economy. The CPI only indicates the net inflation/deflation. However, investors need to know what parts of the economy are inflating and what parts are deflating as this decides whether there is net wealth creation or net wealth destruction.
Spear's Wire
The Hedgehog
Spear's Spiky Undercover Agent Dishes the Gossip
