The odds of a September interest rate cut are skyrocketing, according to Wall Street. The U.S. Federal Reserve lowered the federal funds rate (overnight interest rate) three times between September and December last year, reversing some of its aggressive hikes from 2022 and 2023. The rate cuts were justified because inflation — as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — cooled from its 2022 levels, when it hit a 40-year high of 8%. The Fed has held interest rates steady this year, but with the CPI now a stone’s-throw away from its annualized target of 2%, and the jobs…
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Image source: Getty Images Arguably, there’s no more bullish sign for a stock than the company’s CEO buying it with his or her own money. And that’s exactly what’s been happening with a couple of UK shares recently. When directors start buying their own stocks, it usually means they think it’s heading higher. And these are the people who should be in the best position to judge. Vistry One recent example of insider buying that stands out is at Vistry (LSE:VTY). Earlier this week, CEO Greg Fitzgerald bought 84,068 shares at 5.9p each. That’s a total investment of £496,261 –…
Image source: Getty Images The best time to buy stocks is often when they trade at unusually low valuations. But investors still need to be careful to take a proper look at the underlying business. For example, shares in Pinterest (NYSE:PINS) currently trade at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 14 and I think the firm has some good growth prospects. But I’m not in a rush to buy this one. Growth Pinterest currently generates $1.52 in revenues per user, which translates into around 7.6c in operating income. But I think there’s scope for this to increase significantly in the future.…
Standard Chartered has entered into an exclusive agreement to sell millions of carbon credits tied to rainforest protection efforts in the Brazilian state of Acre. The move marks a significant step in the bank’s ambitions to expand its carbon markets business while helping to build much-needed credibility in a sector that is still finding its footing. Over the next five years, Standard Chartered will handle the sale of forest-based carbon credits generated in Acre. According to the bank, this is one of the first instances where a global financial institution is collaborating directly with a sub-national government to promote forest…
Image source: Getty Images The Lloyds (LSE: LLOY) share price is on fire. It’s up 47% over one year and 88% over two. Happily, I bought Lloyds shares a couple of years ago and I’m thrilled with how they’ve done. Yet during this time, Lloyds has been under the shadow of the motor finance mis-selling scandal. It has more exposure than any other FTSE 100 bank, thanks to its Black Horse car loans division. With some predicting the total cost to the industry could hit £44bn, investors feared Lloyds might face a PPI-style deluge of claims. It only set aside around £1.2bn. But the…
Image source: Getty Images Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR) shares recently hit another all-time high, soaring above 1,100p (£11). This easily makes Rolls the best-performing FTSE 100 stock over two (+427%), three (+1,210%), and five years (+1,152%). As someone who first invested at a much lower price in 2023, I’m obviously over the moon. But this now begs the question, should I crystallise gains and move onto pastures new? Here’s how I’m thinking about things. Growth engine When assessing my growth stocks, I first ask whether the engine’s still purring. If it is, the business would ideally be firing on all cylinders,…
Carbon Compared New platform helps companies source quality carbon credits without expensive consultants Aggregates verified credits with transparent ratings, prices, and project details Designed for enterprises seeking faster, lower‑cost climate action Carbon Compared has launched a free, online carbon credit comparison website aimed at helping companies identify and purchase high‑integrity carbon credits with confidence. Launched last month, the platform enables users to compare verified credits from leading providers side‑by‑side, filtering by project type, location, price per tonne, co‑benefits, and independent ratings. The goal is to make credit selection faster, cheaper, and more transparent for organisations of all sizes. Closing the…
AscendEX, a dominant player in the crypto exchange ecosystem, has officially collaborated with MetaCarbon, the earliest reward-driven carbon management forum. The partnership attempts to leverage the potential of decentralized finance (DeFi), artificial intelligence (AI), and Web3 technologies to bolster reward-led carbon management. As per the platform’s announcement on X, the joint development promotes eco-friendly behavior among consumers. Thus, this could lead to decreasing energy consumption and form a transparent and direct connection between individual endeavors and worldwide environmental impact. 🤝We’re thrilled to announce our partnership with @MetaCarbon_Mist#MetaCarbon is the world’s first reward-based carbon management platform, integrating Web3, AI, and DeFi…
Image source: Getty Images Who doesn’t dream of earning £1,000 a month while doing absolutely nothing? That’s the beauty of passive income, and one of the most popular ways to achieve it here in the UK is through a Stocks and Shares ISA. With its generous £20,000 annual tax-free allowance, it leaves Cash ISAs in the dust for long-term wealth building. Over the last decade, Stocks and Shares ISAs have delivered average annual returns of 9.6%. At that rate, a portfolio worth £125,000 could deliver £12,000 a year, or £1,000 a month — completely tax-free. Please note that tax treatment…
Eight to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions come from food wasted somewhere along its journey from farm to table. When that organic waste ends up in a landfill, it emits methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, as it slowly decomposes. Food banks can help prevent food waste from occurring, by rescuing unsold food from grocers and retailers and redistributing it to families and individuals in need. Now, a small number of food banks around the world have recently started tracking their operations and quantifying how many emissions they’re avoiding — with the goal of using that data to better aid…