Ben Judge
Ben studied modern languages at London University's Queen Mary College. After dabbling unhappily in local government finance for a while, he went to work for The Scotsman newspaper in Edinburgh. The launch of the paper's website, scotsman.com, in the early years of the dotcom craze, saw Ben move online to manage the Business and Motors channels before becoming deputy editor with responsibility for all aspects of online production for The Scotsman, Scotland on Sunday and the Edinburgh Evening News websites, along with the papers' Edinburgh Festivals website.
Ben joined MoneyWeek as website editor in 2008, just as the Great Financial Crisis was brewing. He has written extensively for the website and magazine, with a particular emphasis on alternative finance and fintech, including blockchain and bitcoin.
As an early adopter of bitcoin, Ben bought when the price was under $200, but went on to spend it all on foolish fripperies.
Latest articles by Ben Judge
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The charts that matter: tech stocks bounce as Biden throws cash around
Charts In a week when US politicians approved $1.9trn in stimulus spending and tech stocks paused their selloff, we look at what’s happened to the charts that matter most to the global economy.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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The charts that matter: tech-stock sell off gathers pace
Charts US stocks, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq index in particular, took a big tumble this week. We look at how that’s affected the charts that matter most to the global economy.
By Ben Judge Published
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Furlough extension, corporation tax and green investment – the main points of the Budget
News Rishi Sunak delivered his 2021 Budget, with measures to extend coronavirus support, get the economy back on its feet, and some first steps in paying for it al. Here are the main points.
By Ben Judge Published
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The charts that matter: rising bond yields send markets into a tizz
Charts Markets suffered a chaotic week as bond yields continued to climb. We look at how the week’s events have affected the charts that matter most to the global economy.
By Ben Judge Published
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24 February 1981: Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer announce their engagement
Features On this day in 1981, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer made their engagement official in front of the world's press at Buckingham Palace.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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The charts that matter: bond investors feel the pain
Charts In a week when Germany had to start paying to borrow money again, we take a look at how the charts that matter most to the global economy have fared.
By Ben Judge Published
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17 February 1958: CND – the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament – is launched
Features On this day in 1958, as the nuclear arms race hotted up, 5,000 people crammed in to Westminster’s Central Hall to witness the launch of CND, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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11 February 1826: England gets its third university
Features London University – later University College, London – was founded on this day in 1826, becoming in the process England's third university.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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11 February 1990: Nelson Mandela is released from prison
Features On this day in 1990, Nelson Mandela was released from prison after 26 years, as South Africa began the process of dismantling apartheid.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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8 February 1971: Nasdaq begins trading
Features On this day in 1971, America’s “National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations” – or Nasdaq exchange – began trading.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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3 February 1690: America’s first paper money is issued
Features On this day in 1690, the Massachusetts colony began circulating the first paper money on North America, printed to finance England’s war against France.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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3 February 1960: Macmillan’s “wind of change” speech
Features Harold Macmillan gave his famous “wind of change” speech on his visit to Africa on this day in 1960, marking a change in Britain's colonial policy.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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1 February 1884: the first volume of the Oxford English Dictionary is published
Features On this day in 1884, after five years of hard slog, the first volume of the Oxford English Dictionary was published. It contained all the words from A to Ant.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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28 January 1896: The world’s first speeding ticket is issued
Features On this day in 1896, motorist Walter Arnold was caught tearing through Paddock Wood in Kent at a hair-raising 8mph, and so became the first driver in the world to get a speeding ticket.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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27 January 1606: the trial of Guy Fawkes begins
Features On this day in 1606, the trial of Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators began, accused of high treason by trying to blow up the king and parliament.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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21 January 1976: Concorde’s first commercial flight
Features Almost seven years after its maiden flight, and at a total cost of £1.3bn, Concorde finally entered commercial service on this day in 1976.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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15 January 1892: the rules of basketball are published
Features Canadian PE instructor Dr James Naismith, working at a YMCA training school, published the 13 rules of basketball on this day in 1892.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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14 January 2005: Huygens probe lands on Saturn’s moon, Titan
Features On this day in 2005, the ESA’s Huygens probe landed on the frozen surface of Titan, one of Saturn’s moons.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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13 January 1942: Henry Ford patents his plastic car
Features On this day in 1948, Henry Ford was granted a patent for his method of making cars with plastic bodywork.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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8 January 1835: US national debt hits $0
Features By selling land, collecting taxes and cutting public spending, the US national debt was brought down to $0 for the first and only time in the country’s history on this day in 1835.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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8 January 1940: food rationing is introduced in Britain
Features On this day in 1940, the Ministry of Food introduced rationing in the UK to ensure there was enough food to go round during the war.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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7 January 1785: First crossing of the English Channel by air
Features On this day in 1785, French balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American doctor John Jeffries became the first people to cross the English Channel by air.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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7 January 1782: America’s first central bank opens for business
Features On this day in 1782, the Bank of North America, created to help pay for the American war of independence, opened for business.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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2 January 1980: National steelworkers' strike
Features For the first time in over 50 years, Britain’s steelmaking industry saw the start of a national strike on this day in 1980, as unions demanded a 20% pay rise.
By Ben Judge Last updated
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