From The World Of Business: March 2014 Highlights

In this round-up of the most important business news from around the world, we point you to some of the biggest news stories that have had people talking in March.

Women Rise Up Forbes Billionaires List

This year’s Forbes Billionaires List contains more women than ever before, with 172 females making the grade. Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg is among the newcomers, thanks to her shares in the tech giant and seat on the board at Walt Disney Co. Although self-made female billionaires still account for less than two per cent of the list, numbers are on the rise: Oprah Winfrey remains in the rankings, while Bet365 founder Denise Coates also made the grade for the first time.

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Where Now For the Indian Rupee?

India’s currency has been performing strongly over the past couple of weeks, but concerns that the elections beginning next month will not reveal a clear winner have fuelled fears the economy could become much more volatile later in the year. Barclays has gone as far as to suggest that investors take profits just before the results of the vote come in to protect themselves.

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Chinese Languages Flourish in The City Of London

French is still the most commonly spoken foreign language in the City of London, but Mandarin and Cantonese are both becoming much more prominent, according to figures from recruitment firm Astbury Marsden. Since the government announced a deal last year announcing UK institutions could invest in Chinese stocks and bonds directly from London, dealings with Chinese traders and institutions have risen.

New US Federal Reserve Chief’s ‘Blunder’ Spooks Markets

Janet Yellen held her first press conference as new chair of the US Federal Reserve, announcing that the Fed will continue to wind back its asset purchase programme by another $10 billion per month. But she also suggested that the central bank could begin increasing interest rates as early as next spring, much sooner than expected. The move took its toll on stock markets including the Nikkei, Hang Seng, Nasdaq and S&P.

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Osborne’s Announces Budget 2014

Chancellor George Osborne made this year’s Budget Statement, effectively the last of this parliament. It was widely agreed to have been aimed at traditional Conservative voters, focusing on significant reforms to savings and pensions rules. Stocks and cash ISAs will be merged into a single account with a higher limit, while pensioners will no longer need to take out an annuity. The investment allowance for businesses was also doubled, while capital allowances have been extended for another three years.

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What Next For Morrisons? 

Morrisons posted a significant fall in profits on the back of slipping sales in a difficult Christmas period. Ten years after is acquired struggling rival Safeway, the supermarket is facing troubles of its own as it attempts to fend off competition from discount stores such as Aldi and Lidl. Its slowness to enter the online and small convenience store markets is likely to have made a major impact on its market share.

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