Money Talks

Investors are dumping shares in big technology companies in a broad rout that started on Wall Street, and has continued in Asian markets. The selloff was triggered by the release of the details of the US Federal Reserve's latest meeting, which took place last month. In the document, monetary officials signalled they may raise interest rates earlier than expected this year, to tame inflation.

Loreen Gilbert is the CEO of wealth management firm WealthWise in Dalls, Texas. She says investors are optimistic that the reopening of economies will boost corporate profits this year, but an aggressive Federal Reserve can spoil the party.

#GlobalMarket #TechFirms #FederalReserve

- Huarong shares plunge 55% as trading resumes

- China Mobile shares surge in Shanghai debut

- Toyota overtakes GM as top-selling carmaker in US

#ChinaHuarong #ChinaMobile #Toyota

Gas prices in Europe have risen 30% in one day due to declining supplies, as the weather gets colder.

AJ Bell investment director, Russ Mould, joined us from London.

#Europe #NaturalGas #EnergyPrices

Pets are, as they say, man's best friend. And treating them to the best toys, clothing and food has become a multi-billion dollar global industry. That's why one company in Taiwan believes it has the purrfect recipe for success.

#PetFood #Silkworm #Taiwan

Winnie-the-Pooh is now part of the public domain in the US. Copyright for the character and most of his pals expired at the start of the year. It could be a blockbuster opportunity for authors, filmmakers, and other creators who grew up with the franchise and have waited decades to enter the Hundred Acre Wood.

Jennifer Jenkins is the director of the Center for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

#WinnieThePooh #PoohCopyright #PoohFranchise

Twenty years ago this month, the first euro banknotes and coins found their way into European wallets. The launch of the single currency, meant one central bank was now responsible for the monetary policy of hundreds of millions of the continent's citizens. Although the euro has established itself as the second strongest in the world since, it still has its ups and downs.

#Euro #ECB #EuroAnniversary

OPEC and its allies are sticking with their plan to increase oil output in February, amid pressure from the US to increase production, despite a spike in global COVID-19 cases.

Independent oil industry analyst, Neil Atkinson, joined us from Paris.

#OPEC #OilSupply #OilOutput

Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of blood testing start-up, Theranos, that once seemed to promise the impossible - has been found guilty of four charges of fraud. The charismatic young executive had been hailed as a visionary who would revolutionise health care, gaining almost a-billion dollars from high-profile investors. It's a stunning downfall of the former tech darling, who now faces up to 20 years in prison.

Scott Lucas is a professor of international politics at the University of Birmingham in the UK. He explains why the Elizabeth Holmes trial was so captivating to the public.

#ElizabethHolmes #Theranos #HolmesTrial

- China's factory activity returns to growth in December

- AT&T, Verizon agree to two-week delay of 5G roll-out

- Warner Music buys David Bowie's songwriting catalogue

#ChinaManufacturing #5GWireless #DavidBowie

Apple has become the first company in history to briefly reach a valuation of three trillion dollars. It's just the latest milestone for the gadget maker, which has seen its stock rise 200 percent since the beginning of the pandemic. The company's sales have surged as lockdowns fuelled demand for its products, led by its top moneymaker, the iPhone.

AvaTrade chief market analyst, Naeem Aslam joined us from London.

#Apple #AppleValue #IPhone