Member Info for Gunsup

ATISHA

Norway will hit back. It is also part of NATO.

Exercise Tamber Shield kick off in next few weeks.

Uk and Norway have a close military alliance.

DT

Israel dream is pulling USA into a conflict with Iran imo... Israel carries a lot of influence in America.

Yechiel Leiter stirring this boiling pot only yesterday...

Up the ladder.

Just as they saw the Middle East and Afghanistan in the end as a waste of money?

Trouble is with the USA . Very good at provoking or starting a conflict. But they no good at finishing one even if it that means pulling out leaving allies high and dry..

Maybe best if they learn to tidy up before vacating the scene.....

USA spent nothing like what they claim either... They also used this conflict to battle test weapons and degrade the Russians capabilities and boost arms sale in Europe.

DT

The pipeline was imo the work of the USA.

Keep an eye on the Qatar Syria pipeline. Will be a gamechanger for Europe and Turkey... Certainly this one back on the drawing board...

https://www.turkiyetoday.com/business/qatar-syria-turkiye-gas-pipeline-project-is-it-possible-after-assads-fall-90981/

Upthe ladder.

Good points ..

But... Ask yourself this. Why is China become so dominant economically?

It doesn't engage in wars to get its oil and minerals. It use economic incentives... Belt and road is the one example. As soon as Evs started going mainstream it sourced its lithium through companies like Gengfang.. Oil price drops the buy more..

Its not rocket science. USA on the other hand have used gunboat diplomacy for so long it has become the norm and even that has moved up a gear, leaving a trail of destruction and misery... Trump is now like King Canute trying to stem the flow of goods from China, Mexico and Canada with tariffs and threats.. Not the traits of a global leader.. So what will happen with this one? Imo now playing directly into the hands of the Chinese and other developing economies.

Re the minerals in Ukraine... Well lets take the step back

Afghanistan ... is rich in resources like copper, gold, oil, natural gas, uranium, bauxite, coal, iron ore, rare earths, lithium, chromium, lead, zinc, gemstones, talc, sulphur, travertine, gypsum and marble. It has been once describe as the Saudi Arabia of Lithium. so who get those now...?

Stagecoach..

Respect that is a good point....

For sure though a backlash is under way.....

"petrol giant Haltbakk Bunkers said it would no longer sell fuel to US forces in Norway following the way Zelensky was treated as it declared: “No fuel to Americans.” The Norwegian firm posted on social media: “"We have today been witnesses to the biggest s***how ever presented "live on tv" by the current American president and his vice president.

Huge credit to the president of Ukraine restraining himself and for keeping calm even though USA put on a backstabbing tv show. It made us sick. Short and sweet. As a result, we have decided to immediate STOP as fuel provider to American forces in Norway and their ships calling Norwegian ports"...

Pretty good description this one of what we saw...

Now what the Mexican and Canadian Govts going to do to stop the USA driving them into a recession...

Trump has intentionally or unintentionally stirred up a hornets nest... Made in The USA as a brand could easily be their Gerald Ratner moment...

Hardup.

As Mr Kissinger is quoted...

“America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests”

― Henry Kissinger

If ever there was a more public show of this that interview was it... Certainly not go into a meeting with him without a back stab protector on..

See how today go with Mr Zelensky as he arrived in UK a short while ago to meet Mr Starmer...

LTI

Is correct....

Bros is no change in tax thresholds from last year.....

https://www.taxathand.com/article/35782/United-Kingdom/2025/UK-individual-tax-rates-and-thresholds-202425-and-202526

I note that HP going to relocate 90% of production out of Chin and Us leaning on its largest trading partner to also impose tariff on China.. going to get interesting...

DT

Is a good post that one for sure.

One other factor. Physical gold... Why so much being shipped ? That is when they can find it to do so...🤣🤣? Why USA going to audit its gold stocks , first time in 50yrs. Who are the buyers? Are we heading back to some sort of Bretton Woods take 2?

Bloom

For sure that is the case. China worked this out a while back. During Covid when oil was being almost given away. What China do ? Added a huge amount of extra storage capacity and filled it....Institute energy research noted.....

" China is taking advantage of the low oil prices resulting from the demand destruction from the coronavirus lockdowns by building storage capacity and importing crude oil.

China, the world’s second largest oil consumer, has already pumped an extra 310-600 million barrels of oil into storage this year"....

Cheaper gas be good no doubt but what we see this week with energy price cap.? Cost up 6.4%

Ant

Tax system disincentivize the hard work and aspiration. Benefit system encourage laziness and culture of entitlement.

Something go to give....

Bloom

Respect

War ending is good no doubt ... but the chatter is to increase defence spending by a considerable margin.. ... Where this cheaper energy to come from?

lets see who first to get back in bed with Russia.. My bet USA and its businesses.

DT

The markets move in mysterious ways.

Banks stocks. ....... We have inbound ..Negative economic headwinds, interest rates falling etc generally perceived as bad for banks but what has happened. ? opposite as regard the Stock price... Maybe just being seen as a rock to cling onto in a fast flowing river heading for a water fall....

TBH ....Investment strategy....May as well spin a wheel and throw a dart or two...

Anthony.

Respect.

For sure lord King is correct but not just for the defence... The UK continues to live well beyond its means. The problem we have is that the successive Govts have seen your income and that of millions of SMEs as a cash cow to be sliced and diced as they wish. Dreaming up the increasingly number of the flag ship of convenience to do so. Soon the basic state pension will be within nibbling distance of the out of control tax monster.... Whilst those with a hand on its leash devise ever complex ways to avoid its jaws.. If in any doubts about this one just wait for the brown envelope to crash onto your door mat.

How we stop it? Who knows but the state cannot be allowed to simply go on increasingly plundering people hard earned money.

Has Starmer lost his mind?...

All is well and good to rebuild our armed forces but in doing this we must rebuild our industry first.. This huge advantage Russia has in being able to out produce the West in munitions at a much cheaper cost should have been lesson number one. No good if you cannot quickly replenish stocks and hardware..

Someone really need to think this through and beside this thing the cost will be mindboggling.

LTI

Ditto

Morning Bros..

Lloyds landing on another ladder to start the day....

Ll

numpties who just talk about world events they have no control over..

World events we have no control over for sure is the case but how we invest around those events is what matters..

Trumps election and Covid are two examples. both present opportunities... Look for them..

The dominance of the West is coming to a painful end... Never forget the 7 p's.

Anthony

Respect

"Being in the EU was not perfect"..

For sure that was the case. The EU was tying itself itself in the red tape and regulation.. Industry after industry thrown into the chipper.

BRICS managing quite nicely outside the EU.

If we need to join a club make sure its not one that pulls down the trouser and give us a good spanking. The cost of being a member of the EU was eye watering.. For what? Lesson learned with that one and move on..

LTI from you list of risers one obvious omission. PoG... If you don't know about this one you know nothing about money. As I say this the hot topic at the moment and how much is real and how much is paper is soon to be revealed.

Skier1

Respect but I say this

China is a success story..... If we like this or not that is the case and having market access is vital. If in doubt ask a German car making business.

Ukraine war in its last phases. USA and Russia to sort out the spoils. Europe needs to start working to re establish trade links with Russia.

Israel still calling the shots in the Middle East. Trump needs to revise foreign policy to stop this ..