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Woodford also sold out of HSBA and altho' the shares fell afterwards, they came right back.

..has dropped a lot more than this and no one has said anything. It does that sort of thing. Why so much angst about GSK? It was about this level a couple of years ago. What happened back then?

I don't know what's going to happen even if my 'theory' is right. A bounce seems most probable and that's what's making me hang on in there.

by this share fall. Whilst taking MF's share tip with a pinch of salt I am still waiting for a good explanation for this fall. It's not out there or I can't find it. Conspiracy theory: there's been some work put into this to drive it down as far as possible based on the results announcement, a new CEO(female, too, the Horror!), a change in tack already announced in July, Trump's mouth, Pfizer and Brexit. A ready cocktail for sowing FUD. We heard about so-called 'disaster capitalists' years ago and they exist - e.g. Legatum, a hedge fund greedily eyeing Brexit. It's a tactic and it makes money for those on the inside.

Schroder is sticking to its guns: "Tesco's �3.7bn merger with Booker would be bad for investors, claims major shareholder Schroder" "A spokesman for Schroder said last night: �We have argued that it doesn�t matter how good a strategy is if you pay the wrong price." Tesco's �3.7 billion payment is >20x earnings. http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-5086271/Booker-merger-bad-Tesco-investors-says-shareholder.html It could be said that Lewis, like some desperate football manager, is trying to buy his way out of trouble and an indigestion attack looms. It's hardly the imaginative ground-breaking strategy of the kind that stood Sir Terry Leahy in good stead. Unfortunately Dave Lewis lacks the experience that Leahy was able to draw on.

"British Lawmaker Advises Investors To Take Their Money Out Of The UK" We are talking hard Brexiteer, John Redwood MP here. But he has our interests at heart really because he suggests a hard Brexit investment fund will do the trick. And coincidentally John Redwood just happens to be an investment manager with a range of options for the task. https://www.forbes.com/sites/francescoppola/2017/11/12/british-lawmaker-advises-investors-to-take-their-money-out-of-the-uk/2/#13792f174d45 If only Aldi and Lidl shares were available..

"Several years ago the shares took a beating as the City proclaimed that falling earnings per share, a result of patent expirations, would force the company to slash its shareholder distribution.� This cut never materialised. Instead, management promised to hold the payout at 80p per share until at least 2018.�" Seems the new CEO has recognised the weakness of the 'pipeline' and determined to fix the problem. Pfizer? No reason why they should rule it out if the price is right. They haven't. Have GSK been dozing at the wheel in the past? Perhaps, but if they are about to run out of road I can't see why. Trump? Who can tell.

Bloody weird, innit?

The CEO has said she wants more emphasis on the consumer side on which Dr Barron is more suited than Patrick Vallance. Also Dr Barron is reportedly more in tune with the important US market. Seems reasonable that if you have taken command you can re-arrange the deck chairs.

FT 2 hours ago. "Dr Barron is the latest major appointment the chief executive has made as she looks to stamp her authority on the pharmaceuticals division � her own background is in consumer side � and improve GSK�s lacklustre performance in finding new blockbuster drugs. .. Dr Barron is head of R&D at Calico, a company funded by Google owner Alphabet that uses advanced technologies to increase understanding of lifespan biology. He previously worked at Swiss drugmaker Roche, where he was head of global product development and chief medical officer, responsible for all the products in the combined portfolio of Roche and its subsidiary Genentech. At Genentech, he was senior vice-president for development and chief medical officer. " https://www.ft.com/content/6ba4ec6a-c490-11e7-b2bb-322b2cb39656 Gotta look after that pipeline! Have they been slacking? Be even more interesting to watch trading tomorrow.

"Wonderful Emma, make her a Dame in the NY honours list." Could you tell me what, in her presentation or elsewhere, you'd have done different? A genuine question, I am a novice in these matters. I know I would be completely useless as a CEO! Anyway, this is the last day before tomorrow, be afraid.

Begs the question how would Credit Suisse 'know' the outcome of a process that is confidential? They probably don't and it is the outcome they would like whilst remaining 'bearish' about Tesco. There is no reason given for their expectation; perhaps the logic might be that Tesco's recovery remains very slow, is threatened by Aldi and Lidl (and potentially Amazon) so they need a boost. Or whatever. Educated guesswork by Credit Suisse anyway, whilst broker sentiment remains what it became in late 2013 (hold).

Hotel California..

Have certainly learned a bit about this sector in a short time. Hearing the presentation showed me how complex an area it can be. However, I got the impression that the CEO was being honest about the future and was not going to change the course she set in July in order to remedy the defects she inherited. That's encouraging I believe as it showed her determination not to allow the company to stand still let alone rest on its laurels. In the short term that might trim the dividend - or it might not. Anyone looking for a quick bounce might be disappointed but longer term it's definitely an opportunity to get in while the price is down. Just my opinion, DYOR!

It's revealing to check out the questioners, e.g. Tim Anderson: "Anderson's take on a company's strategy, strengths or weaknesses is often unusually direct and uniquely perceptive. " http://www.fiercebiotech.com/special-report/timothy-anderson-25-most-influential-people-biopharma-today "Big Pharma faces $26.5B in losses this year as next big patent cliff looms, analyst says" http://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/big-pharma-faces-26-5b-patent-loss-threats-year-analyst-says Unfortunately he is not a big fan of GSK, preferring AZN instead.

https://www.gsk.com/media/4174/q3-2017-results-transcript.pdf Overall the impression was given that 2018 would be a kind of hiatus after 2017 restructuring and Q4 product launches with the Pfizer issue to add to the uncertainty. The questions by Tim Anderson and right at the end, Jeff Holford are worth a look. Emma's answer to the latter was perhaps regrettable with hindsight. I think she has been punished for that. It was mentioned that GSK was the sector leader in the DOw Jones sustainability index FWIW.

"CEo and board ned to make a some sort os stamens to assure investors and stop this decline.." I hope they don't as it could look desperate and do the opposite. Things just ain't that bad. The timing and speed of the fall is a shock but a rebound is just a mood swing away. If the results been bad or worse, there had been something dodgy revealed then there would be reason for concern. The results were fine and who is querying them?

I remembered Dido Harding.. Research shows seven FTSE 100 female CEOs of whom 4 might be called outstanding (Emma Walmsley one of the others). Dame Carolyn McCall (ITV after Easy Jet) Alison Cooper (Imperial Tobacco) Veronique Laury (Kingfisher) She is French Moya Green (Royal Mail) She is Canadian Not many I'm sorry to say. And after the situation over the last few days some tough-talking discussions should be happening at GSK.

I remembered Dido Harding.. Research shows seven FTSE 100 female CEOs of whom 4 might be called outstanding (Emma Walmsley one of the others). Dame Carolyn McCall (ITV after Easy Jet) Alison Cooper (Imperial Tobacco) Veronique Laury (Kingfisher) She is French Moya Green (Royal Mail) She is Canadian Not many I'm sorry to say. And after the situation over the last few days some tough-talking discussions should be happening at GSK.

Bought in at what seemed like a bargain price (1438) mainly because of the divi and also because such a meaningless steep fall suggested I could ride the bounce. The latter could still happen if I don't cash in my (diminished) chips. It's been interesting watching a stock hit with the only explanation a few opinion-formers spouting off. (We don't have such power on here!). FWIW, my plan is to hold, take the hit (if there is one) on the 10th and go on holding ufn. As for 25 years (TMF) we scarcely know what's going to happen tomorrow right now.