Hi there,

Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, is a public holiday in the UK. The term "Good" in this context can be traced back to Old English, where it could also mean "holy" or "pious." Similarly, the Bible is sometimes referred to as "The Good Book."

Finance Friday will return next week. In the meantime, here's a fascinating new book to check out. I recommend the book for Advanced learners and above and for those interested in the financial markets.

What I’m reading: The Trading Game by Gary Stevenson

This is the story of an ex-Citibank trader. Gary grew up in a very poor part of East London. Although he was expelled from school, Gary managed to get into the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE). In his second year, he won a job as a trader at Citibank in a card game. Yes, in a card game! At that time (2007), Citibank used a mathematics-based card game to find potential traders.

Gary claims that he very quickly became Citibank’s most profitable trader receiving seven-figure bonuses. Gary’s trading involved betting on the fact that he believed that the recovery from the 2008 financial crisis would be slow and, therefore, interest rates would remain low.

Trading took a toll on Gary’s mental health and he retired in 2014, aged just 27. In the six years he worked for the bank he earned enough money never to have to work again. He now dedicates his time to talking about his concerns for the growing divide between the rich and poor and he campaigns for a wealth tax for the ultra wealthy.

Gary has his own YouTube channel:

www.youtube.com/c/GarysEconomics

Do you have any Business English questions?

Please email me and I will do my best to answer them in future newsletters.

Until Tuesday - Happy Easter! 🐣 

Iain.

www.communicateenglish.com

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