Editor's note

At the time of writing, the UK is well within its newly appointed Freedom Day, 19 July 2021, where restrictions are lifted. Apart from the ones that aren’t.

While restrictions are supposed to be lifted in the UK, except for Scotland, many restrictions are still in place or at least recommended. Public transport still heavily enforces wearing a mask. Staff at nationwide chains, including Tesco, are still wearing masks.

Health secretary Sajid Javid, who caught Covid-19 recently and decided not to self-isolate until he did decide to self-isolate (nothing to do with public pressure I’m sure), has said the new changes could lead to 100,000 new cases a day. This seemed like madness but is quickly turning into an underestimation. It would be like predicting the eruption of Vesuvius at Pompeii to be nothing but a casual light show. Bring a jacket, it might get a bit cold in the evening.

However, the financial markets look to be restricting as well on Freedom Day. According to the Times, “the FTSE 100 reached a two-month low this morning as it fell 132 points, or 1.9 per cent, to 6,876.07. The more UK-focused FTSE 250 extended its losing streak as it retreated 393.96 points, or 1.8 per cent, to 22,073.04 — its lowest since April”.

In this issue, we look at inflation in the US, something causing worry.

Something that could ease any investor and their portfolio is a look at wine. PBI speaks with Bordeaux Index about a stable investment.

Furthermore, the new CEO of Edmond de Rothschild Group is in the hotseat. The magazine examines his plans for the future for the firm, how to hold onto the talent in the bank, and how to intrigue clients, both old and new.