Life has certainly not been dull these past 2 months!
FINANCIAL ROLLERCOASTERS
I hope you have had your seatbelts fastened
. Since
the beginning of the year we have seen massacres in the
credit markets, banks refusing to finance even first class
clients, slaughter in the hedges (and I don't mean pheasants
or wild boar!) and rumours in the corridors as to which
financial empire will tremble next. Hard to know what to
invest in, n'est ce pas?
THE MIGHTY $ IS NOW THE MINI $
Really sad to see America struggling (though nanny would
have said that you shouldn't have borrowed what you couldn't
pay), and we miss their visits here in Europe. Come back
soon, all is forgiven! Hotel & retail trade is suffering,
the antiques market too, and I fear the weak dollar will
impact on European finance in general and of course China
in particular.
RUSSIA GETTING STRONGER
Interestingly, Russia is hardly touched by the financial
hurricanes, we have the new Power structure which looks
like a stable & well planned tandem, Forbes puts 29
Russian companies in their Global 200 list including Gazprom
N° 19 (N° 44 last year), inward investment still
rising, and Russian visitors in Europe are greeted with
joy by the hotel & luxury goods owners - Russians are
generally the last of the big spenders.
RUSSIAN SURPRISES
But beware of surprises: For example, Russia's enforcement
bodies charged in absentia Britain's William Browder, highly
respected CEO of Hermitage Capital Management, on counts
of large-scale tax evasion (with threatened imprisonment
of up to six years), apparently founded on offshore planning
vehicles used to hold Russian stock. Since most reputable
law firms and accountancy/audit outfits suggest tax-friendly
jurisdictions for purchasing and holding international assets,
perhaps we should be investing in Russian prisons?
FRANCE GETTING GLAMOUROUS
Our new French micro-President has surprised his voters
by his sudden separation and divorce from his much-toted
wife last year, and his equally sudden marriage to his much-toted
trophy top model this year. Plus not all his public is keen
on the bling bling Raybans and Rolexes, so his pop rating
has plunged in France. Will his recent visit to the UK with
everso demure and chicly discreet Carla perhaps put him
back onstream? In the meantime, let's hope the much promised
French reforms are slipping through whilst we study Carla's
fashion sense.
SPRING IN ITALY LOOKS PROMISING FOR SOLAR PANEL FUNDING
There are serious offers to finance the Solar Panel project
in Italy in spite of the credit crunch, so we are monitoring
carefully and keeping fingers crossed. We are very keen
on renewable energy and the positive environmental impact,
and so it seems are plenty of financial institutions. And
I can't wait to be invited to visit the installations all
over Italy, a country I love!
FINANCE FOR ST PETERSBURG STOCK EXCHANGE & BANK BUILDING
– new projects from major Russian constructor. We have a
raft of new construction projects from a major St Petersburg
constructor including the business centre to house the proposed
St Petersburg Stock Exchange and banks. We are out in the
marketplace next week with these exciting projects looking
for strategic investors.
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