Closing post
Time to wrap up,…
Gold has hit a new record high of $2,954 per ounce, as investors flock to safe-haven assets as geopolitical tensions rise.
With relations between the US and Ukraine deteriorating, analysts suggest gold could soon hit the $3k/ounce mark.
Anxiety over the path of peace talks also hit the value of Ukranian government debt today.
From gold to Goldfinger…. James Bond is now in the hands of a billionaire’s business empire.
Amazon has struck a deal with Michael G Wilson, and Barbara Broccoli, the heirs to the legendary film producer Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, to take creative control of the spy franchise.
The agreement will give Amazon “creative control” of the franchise, potentially opening the door to production starting on a long-awaited new film and also to a variety of spin-off TV shows for the Amazon Prime streaming service.
Diamonds aren’t forever for mining giant Anglo American, though – it has slashed the value of its De Beers division by $2.9bn, as it struggles to spin off the unit.
UK bank Lloyds reported a 20% drop in profits this morning, due to an additional £700m provision for possible compensation payments in the motor finance scandal.
This didn’t scare the living daylights off investors, though – Lloyds shares are up over 5% this afternoon.
Major savings providers have pledged to fight any attempts to cut tax breaks on cash Isas, arguing that this is no time for them to die.
And Airbus has brought a quantum of solace to the aerospace sector, by saying it hopes to make 820 planes this year as the world’s biggest aerospace manufacturer attempts to overcome problems in its supply chain.
Amazon’s shares aren’t getting a James Bond bounce – they’re down 1.4% in early trading.
