Alex Rankine
Latest articles by Alex Rankine
-
Malaysia’s stockmarket sliding down a slippery slope
News An explosion of Covid-19 cases, strict lockdowns and political gridlock has made this a difficult year for Malaysia. And now, investors are pulling out of Malaysian stockmarkets.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
How can you avoid paying inheritance tax?
Analysis Middle-class families are being trapped by a tax designed for the rich reports Alex Rankine. He explains ways which inheritance tax (IHT) can be avoided.
By Alex Rankine Published
Analysis -
The return of antimicrobial resistance – the silent pandemic
Briefings Before the advent of antibiotics, a small cut could be fatal, and surgery and childbirth were extremely hazardous. Is the rise of antimicrobial resistance sending us back to that era? Alex Rankine reports.
By Alex Rankine Published
Briefings -
US stocks ignore stellar earnings growth
Analysis US companies are posting robust earnings, but the stock market doesn't seem to be factoring in that optimism. Alex Rankine looks at why that is.
By Alex Rankine Published
Analysis -
Australia faces recession
News With Covid gaining a foothold, strict lockdowns in place and low rates of vaccination, Australia looks vulnerable.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
Inflation threatens the US earnings boom
News America's Big Tech companies reported unexpectedly good second-quarter earnings. But investors are worried that the pandemic sales boom will falter as inflation starts to bite.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
Soaring food prices fuel unrest
News Poor harvests and logistical problems have seen food prices soar, fuelling protests from Haiti to South Africa.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
Working from home? Make sure you claim everything you can
Advice People working from home can receive up to £140 a year in tax relief.
By Alex Rankine Published
Advice -
What next for Haiti after its president was assassinated?
Briefings Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has had more than its share of turmoil over the years. Its latest president was assassinated in July. Is a more stable future on the cards?
By Alex Rankine Published
Briefings -
Japanese stocks offer plenty of promise at the right price
Cover Story After decades of disappointment, Japan is packed with opportunities for investors, says Alex Rankine.
By Alex Rankine Published
Cover Story -
Private equity swoops on UK companies
News Private equity firms have struck 13 deals in Britain so far this year worth a total of almost $31bn – more than double the number for the whole of 2020.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
A dark cloud over Chinese stocks
News Shares in Chinese companies have experienced the biggest two-day fall since 2008 amid growing regulatory pressure.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
Why you should treat whole-life insurance policies with extreme caution
Advice Whole-life insurance policies are often marketed to people in their 50s and over. But there are significant drawbacks and you could end up with nothing.
By Alex Rankine Published
Advice -
Will Zoom’s $15bn purchase help it expand?
News The videoconferencing platform became a household name during the pandemic, but it now needs new sources of growth. Alex Rankine reports
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
Gold is poised to glitter again
News It has been a bad year so far for gold investors, but gold’s traditional role as an inflation hedge will serve it well.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
Philip Morris goes “beyond nicotine”
News US tobacco giant Philip Morris International has agreed to pay £1bn for British inhaler specialist Vectura.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
Can Latin America's economies recover from the pandemic?
News Few places have suffered as much from the Covid-19 pandemic as Latin America. A sustained commodity rally could help.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
Oil goes off the boil
News Brent crude prices fell below $70 a barrel this week after Opec members Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates patched up their differences.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
Global stockmarkets pause for breath
News Global markets plunged on Monday as investors feared the Covid-19 Delta variant could derail the recovery.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
Why you should expect higher insurance premiums
Advice Car and home insurance will be more expensive once the country fully re-opens.
By Alex Rankine Published
Advice -
Asia’s “tiger economies” have stopped growling
News Asian shares had their worst week since February last week. And the next few months look set to be bumpy.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
Get set for the next inflation scare
News The “reflation trade” is coming under pressure. But politicians’ ongoing fiscal splurge means that inflation will come eventually.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
Will UK house prices stay high?
News UK house prices dipped by 0.5% in June, according to Halifax. But prices are expected to remain buoyant.
By Alex Rankine Published
News -
The stockmarket’s “Spac” boom is slowing
News The number of special purpose acquisition companies (Spacs) coming to market has slumped after increased regulatory scrutiny and questions over their performance.
By Alex Rankine Published
News