Member Info for bigsmoke

this is how GS "magic-ed" 8.5% out of thin air, last time.

is when the big boys close out.,

not VM and Metro?

that is not to exclude the possibility of GS or JPM going for VMUK and/or Metro and VMUK:

"The FT reports that JPMorgan is tapping former head of supervision at the FCA, Clive Adamson, to chair the new bank. Adamson recently chaired the risk commitee at Virgin Money until departing last November. "
https://www.finextra.com/newsarticle/35335/jpmorgan-to-launch-digital-bank-in-uk-as-growth-in-sector-slows

we have dwelt on GS a fair bit (and, imho rightly so - i know some have said no way). but worth also keeping in mind the JPM pov - either as direct interest, as a block on GS-Marcus., ..

JP Morgan’s move into UK banks seen as tipping point
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jp-morgan-s-move-into-uk-banks-seen-as-tipping-point-rfp6pbgb6
A new American entrant to Britain’s retail banking market may mark the moment when competition really comes to the UK.
JP Morgan Chase could launch products including mortgages, current accounts and credit cards in Britain. If it does, it will join other new players in the country, ranging from digital start-ups that have sprouted since the financial crisis, to a Wall Street rival — Goldman Sachs — that has created Marcus, an online savings products provider.

other than GS/Marcus-UK (mandated to find home for UK parts of COOP + CEO DJ D-Sol wants remix UK retail banking through corproate partnerships + see yesterday and day before on Des McDaid and hitting the rign-fence limits) - there are other known and potential parties around the table. Such as:

(1) Vernon Hill. Our Emeritus Founder. Retains massive shareholding worth pennies in the pound for what he paid - cash. He has interests in a Stateside twin (My Republic - https://www.myrepublicbank.com/), which is identical in almost everything but name to Metro. Most of his HNWI pals still sitting tight (AFAWK) holding AND praying (e.g. Toll Bros).

(2) J C Bacal - the Columbian banking billionnaire who as accumulated c. 10% . Lives in London (Metro-centric) and might want a local safety deposit box or two. His banking empire has many New York connections.

(3) Bank of Butterfield - with another large MTRO holder (Davies Advisors) backing it and Metro. Our new CEO has a stack of BOB shares and his past has tentative connections with Cerberus Capital, a PE fund interested in buying and selling banks and bought and sold mortgage products to Metro in the past.

(4) JP Morgan. Our new CEO paid lip service to Mr Diamond (hope he has recovered from op) at Feb results. JPM are involved with 10x technology - which has hunted the tech dept from Metro in Sept 2019 onwards and is now close to revealing a hidden UK retail banking project !!!!

(5) LLOY. The CEO sees light. PPI is tailing off. Already named (see Merlot man 2019) but not self-rulled out in terms of scooping up Metro.

(6) PE - James Christopher Flowers and others. All mentioned in press before.

etc.

how come ZC got listed twice ................... :(
lol

thanks Macs. we'll need to find another mission. watching AA??

"If indeed there is no news off the back of the big spike in volumes whats the most plausible theory?"
that cards are still being held.

"Missed the boat - "
there's still the dinghy

aaand?
check again..

going up

turn right through the door ..

welcome aboard.

who re-entered tuppence hap'ney

another high volume day, lol

"here, let me help you cross the road"
"why thank you"
"no problem"
...
"eh, where's my wallet"

jimD - you love the new names (members since June 2020) telling you to cut and run?

124 snapped up

Who are these folk. Go then.