Oil prices hold steady despite Biden announcement
Oil prices have returned to their recent range despite the announcement from president Biden that the United States would be releasing some of its strategic petroleum reserves, a move which was meant to cool oil prices after many expressed concerns for the serious effects they are having on consumers and ultimately, the post pandemic economic recovery. While OPEC maintains its narrative and continues to expect a fall in demand towards the end of the year, the US along with a group of other countries are attempting to ease the pressure by tapping into their strategic reserves. As stated in the past, this move was unlikely to have a long term effect on prices since it would not be able to make a significant impact on total demand, and after a brief pullback which saw prices drop by around 4,5%, the move was reversed. Furthermore, we are seeing a faster than expected recovery in oil prices as Brent is trading above $80 once again and WTI hovers in the $78 range, this may worry markets once again as governments begin to run out of options to control the ongoing situation on the oil market.
VirginMoney annual report paints optimistic picture
Annual results from Virgin money continued to offer investors reassurance as they outlined the growing strength of the company which managed to increase its market share while reducing costs and ensuring expansion of the brand. The report also highlighted the ongoing effort to continue investing in different sectors of the business while also aiming to return to a sustainable dividend in the medium term and keeping up with technological advances. Despite some questions relating to the logistics and practical implementation of strategies, today’s report could be seen as an overall positive and may reaffirm confidence in the board as it managed to deliver on many of its promises and could continue to do so moving forward.