Greta Thunburg was right – there was a lot of blah, blah, blah at COP26, but also positive steps. The perception remains of rising climate risks, and that’s fuelling an increasingly de-growth extreme climate change populist agenda – which could prove even more disastrous than rising temperatures!

How much safer is the state global diplomacy today than in 1914? And, how the demise of GE illustrates the inevitabilities of corporate evolution, and the threat of mispriced capital.

Market expectations are all over the place as participants factor in what a new Fed appointment might mean in terms of lower for longer rates and more accommodative policy – but it all feels increasingly hollow. Momentum is not infinite!

Short porridge this morning as I’m angry and in a rush. As the UK  government flounders in yet another storm of sleaze and corruption accusations, its venality and crass opportunism appears to be spreading through the economy, and is likely to hold back the recovery of personal and business travel.

The Olympics is a great example of the UK's Soft Power

The Fed finally begun its cautious taper and the market did not immediately self-destruct… but the consequences of 14 years of central bank experimentation, regulatory overkill and the “processification’ of markets will have consequences… they may be bleak…

Last night’s US local elections threw out some interesting signals as to where gridlock, polarisation and the apparent decay of American Democracy are headed next. Its maybe not all as bad as we fear, but the outlook remains risky!

Barclays is the UK’s only remaining big player in investment banking, but what does the sudden departure of yet another CEO mean for the firm? Will it ever get it right? Successful banks showing dull, boring and predictable results often prove fine investments, but Barclays currently fails these tests.

It’s easy to be cynical about next week’s COP26 Gabfest, but we could all be winners if global leaders successfully optimise for a cleaner decarbonised environment and a global growth economy based on new clean technologies, but we need time for the transition from fossil fuels. If we fail to do so, the alternatives are bleak.

Its UK Budget day and we pretty much know what to expect – but what’s the big plan? Now you’re asking… It’s time for a bold reinvention of the UK, but Sunak is more likely to prove a traditional conservative..