Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Northern Rock sell-off nets extra £538m for taxpayers

The UK will make an additional £538m from the sale of failed lender Northern Rock after a new agreement with Richard Branson's Virgin Money, UKFI has said.

UKFI, the body managing the government's stakes in bailed-out banks, said Virgin had bought £465m of Northern Rock's mortgage assets.

It had also agreed to pay an extra £73m in cash for Northern Rock.

UKFI said the original deal for £747m, agreed in January, did not reflect the true value of Northern Rock's assets.

Also that still represents a loss on the £1.4bn pumped into the lender by the government.

I think many of the problems would be resolved if the debt between countries would be swapped.

Most countries have debt to each other. If there was a mechanisum to exchange their bedt, they wold be ok, some debt free. The world would be then less complicated.

I think the banks and organisations like MOODY, FITH etc won't like this to happen as everyoone would be able to asses the situation, no manipulation!

Hi Ahoj,

Agreed it would sort of make sense for all the debt held between governments, IE tax payers.
The problem is that most of that debt is held at differing levels of interest, which allowing for inflationary interest debt measures, would be extremely difficult to level out.
Also of course, much of the world debt is held by institutions, with a very minute percentage held by individuals, both the institutions and individuals buying through the bond markets.
Also just think what the banks would say, as debt levelling would not make them any commission or transaction money, although they would probably make a fortune on 'advice'.
Not that I give a fig about bankers, but as we well know, banks losses are reflected in our everyday world, especially regarding pensions.

So although a great idea in principal, it would not work in practise.

Fully agree the manipulation comment!

That was brilliant , very , very funny.

Boris is really a very clever man and for a politician honest and straight talking.

Birds of a Feather or Close Confidants?

I wonder if they will get David Cameron and Osborne to vouch for them as character witnesses.

(Problem is that their testimonies aren't worth much.)

But is does sound as if Rebecca has been coached by Dave;

“Mrs Brooks, who is also a former chief executive of the paper's publisher News International, faces three charges relating to the alleged accessing of phones belonging to Milly and former Fire Brigades Union boss Andrew Gilchrist, CPS legal adviser Alison Levitt QC said in a statement.

In a statement, Mrs Brooks said: "I am not guilty of these charges. I did not authorise, nor was I aware of, phone hacking under my editorship."”



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18961228

24 July 2012 Last updated at 14:41

Phone hacking: Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson face charges

Alison Levitt QC: "This statement is made in the interests of transparency and accountability"

Eight people, including Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson, will face a total of 19 charges relating to phone hacking, the Crown Prosecution Service has said.

Seems to be a few names missing!

I don't understand why American sell their shares in the morning and buy back in the afternoon?

Clearly we follow them, so we buy in the mornings and sell when US sell their shares in the first couple of hours of their opening?


Any clever idea why this is the case?

Because they wake up with a hangover and don't like the look of the world, until they top up again.

Aldwickk,

I like Boris, but he has 3 main failings that will deny him the chance of political greatness.
Yes, you said it, he is clever, honest and straight talking.

Ahoj,

Just lately the Americans and ourselves appear to be selling in the mornings and in the afternoons.
I think the markets are heading for an 'Armageddon' moment, which as we all know will eventually result in a great chance to bargain buy back in.
I think the bottom is some way off yet, but who knows just how low it will get and when.
Crystal balls anyone!

There is not many competition in some industries. So, some companies will grow as long as the governments support their countries.

More Church Bulletins:

Weight20Watchers will meet at 7pm at the first Presbyterian Church. Please use large door at the side entrance.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18977084

Now will they sack Osborne?


BREAKING NEWS:



UK GDP shrank by 0.7% between April and June, ONS says



UK economy continues to contractboarded up shop

The UK economy is still in recession, official figures show, after the economy shrank by a much-larger-than-expected 0.7% between April and June.

We are still better off then most of Europe , thank's to not joining the Euro zone

But if we were in Euro, we wouldn't let then to get into this mess. That would be better for the world.

Anyway, our NHS is providing free service to everyone who entersthe though, they just need to come to the UK to get free treatment.

Ahoj,

But if we were in Euro, we wouldn't let then to get into this mess.

Perhaps, reworded may mean we could have help them avoid some of the economic problems and the decline of British economy.

Also, may have given the various governments the bottle to to restrain the Financial Services which were overall as responsible for the chaos we have had.

The necessary reforms won't happen with a gutless government in hock to them.

It will be interesting to see Moody's next ratings.

Borrowing rates are high and with a down rating by them or decline may increase.

The problem was that the great schemer Osborne was hoping to be able to pump money into the economy just in time for the next election and give a false impression.

It could be seen as a scam which has backfired.

well explained Fred. Agreed.

I think they will end up spending on infrastructure to tigger growth. Companies will gain as no new competitor enters the market, but economies will continue suffering for long time.

It is good to see that Theresa May is on the ball at last.

http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2012/07/13/home-secretary-admits-illegal-chips-may-infiltrate-olympics/


Home Secretary admits illegal chips may infiltrate Olympics


Home Secretary Theresa May today admitted that she had grave doubts about G4S’s ability to keep non-McDonald’s potato products from entering the Olympic Park during the Games.

That's certainly not as bad as buying adult films using tax payers' money though!

Ahoj,

If the present coalition had spent a little more on the infrastructure when they took power, which was the positioning of some Lib/Dems and a few tories and many outside observers, probably we would not have had a recession.

What is happening is what many call biscuit time economics without any foresight and long term planning.

Also, cutting income tax and raising VAT was crazy, the latter does little for the economy in the way it was done, while the latter depresses it.

I noted when in France over 18 months ago, that money was being ploughed into the infrastructure in an attempt to lower their unemployment and hopefully enable them to"operate" more efficiently in any upturn.