30 Aug 2017

London Job Losses: Trickle rather than Bleeding

One always had to wonder why Deutsche Bank needs 9000 people in London, or HSBC needs 43000 in the UK. Was that not always padded by quite a bit or over staffing? Given the arrival of Fintech and the plummeting cost of communicating with low-cost centres there was always the prospect of job diversion, especially in support roles. Globalisation also means that other centres such as Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai etc would grow in stature and staff would be relocated closer to customers and markets.
In the opposite direction there are forces that might in the long run strengthen the role as hub and nerve centre coordinating and directing the regional centres. Higher Value-added roles might well be concentrated in the UK - if politics and regulation are creating a business-friendly environment.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/bank-jobs-are-bleeding-out-of-london--and-brexit-hasnt-even-kicked-in-yet.html

Russia To Ban Cryptocurrency Sales To "Ordinary People"

Rightly so, time our often over-reaching regulators wake up to this charade, and please don't call these 'Coins' a 'Currency', they are neither coins nor currencies but should be relegated to the game universe.
Russia Backpedals On Bitcoin - Unveils Plan To Ban Cryptocurrency Sales To "Ordinary People"

29 Aug 2017

London Job Losses - trickling rather than bleeding

One always had to wonder why Deutsche Bank needs 9000 people in London, or HSBC needs 43000 in the UK. Was that not always padded by quite a bit or over staffing? So large banks move dozens or even hundreds of jobs, dispersed in various regional centres? Given the arrival of Fintech and the plummeting cost of communicating with low-cost centres there was always the prospect of job diversion, especially in support roles. Globalization also means that other centres such as Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai etc would grow in stature and staff would be relocated closer to customers and markets.
In the opposite direction there are forces that might in the long run strengthen the role as hub and nerve centre coordinating and directing the regional centres. Higher Value-added roles might well be concentrated in the UK - if politics and regulation are creating a business-friendly environment.
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/bank-jobs-are-bleeding-out-of-london--and-brexit-hasnt-even-kicked-in-yet.html

22 Aug 2017

Bitcoin Hype - Regulators asleep or afraid

Given the thousands of pages of detailed regulation that has been produced in all major industrial countries one has to wonder why the Regulators are keeping stumm about the Bitcoin craze. Claims that thses 'coins' are Digital 'Currencies' are clearly misleading (try selling a 'Digital House', or a 'Digital' Brooklyn Bridge). Neither are they a safe haven, they are digital assets and given the way they are offered and promoted they are investments and as such should be brought under regulatory umbrellas.
(22-Aug-2017)
The price of Bitcoin and Ethereum is slipping but Bitcoin Cash is rising

15 Aug 2017

Bitcoin hype - stop calling it a 'Currency'

Tulips, Tulips anyone, or maybe you want to buy a Bridge? Play the hype but please stop calling Bitcoin a currency. All sorts of stuff served as currency at one time (shells, salt for example) but currency is what is generally accepted in payments at the time. So Gold is no longer a currency, neither are shells or salt.
Bitcoin hits another record high, value has risen over $15 billion in one week alone