German GDP figures for 2023 was released yesterday and showed a decrease of economic output for 2023 by -0.3%. Showing that the German economy is struggling with higher interest rates. With that in mind, this morning we had German inflation for December recording a level of 3.7% from 3.2% in November.

In today’s dynamic economic landscape, construction businesses often navigate a complex financial environment. Traditional financing routes, such as bank loans and credit lines, are increasingly complemented by various non-traditional finance options. These alternatives aren’t only reshaping how construction companies manage cash flow and fund projects but offer new avenues for growth and stability.  

Sterling exchange rates closed on Friday net positive for the week after GDP numbers showed that the UK economy rebounded in November- however, the part that perhaps wasn’t reported as much is that over the quarter the economy contracted by 0.2%.

US inflation came in stronger than what was forecasted for December, seeing the inflation rate increase to 3.4% versus 3.1% in November. Even if core inflation dropped from 4% to 3.9%, it was expected to reach a level of 3.8%. This has created more market uncertainty of when the Federal Reserve will start to cut rate and that its initial rate hike might be postponed from March to later in the year.

Affluent expats keen to unlock the opportunities of Portugal’s Golden Visa now have another investment alternative.
Thousands of affluent families and wealthy investors have already taken advantage of the country’s alluring Golden Visa program – a scheme that offers fast-track residency and access to the whole EU Schengen region in exchange for investment in one of Portugal’s qualifying investment funds.

In the ever-evolving landscape of online gambling, Bitcoin casinos have emerged as a unique and influential player.

Heading into a new week, there is important economic releases to keep an eye out for. Monday is fairly ‘soft’ when it comes to data releases, so looking ahead what’s expected and when?

Pound Sterling starts 2024 in the mid-1.15’s against the EUR and mid-1.27’s against the USD, with the main focus this month centered around inflation releases for Europe, United States & The United Kingdom. The markets have prior to Christmas, been fully pricing in Interest Rate cuts for at some point between March & May.