Member Info for nomlungu

Great post- it rings 5-star alarm bells about what the CONservatives seem to want to happen here [opportunities for a few to get stinking rich; surprisingly enough these few like to donate [to the Tories and a few charities like art galleries or opera houses; certainly not helping the poor and disadvantaged].

https://mattstoller.substack.com/p/ponzi-hospitals-and-counterfeit-capitalism

Brings to mind PFI contracts and Medical REITs.

TolerantpersonoffendedbyfactssayfundefectivesayfandefectivewatnahtseasTDSisrealhokeypokeybjorncompliantsankshunsmedicullfrawdmulteebaggaIQtestdepopeventfrytendweakmenagenda2030fiveboblots2offersillyclotdasciencepincushionzombiethinkerpfeckeduppfektupwillfullystupidcompliantconspearaseefactjeanferapeadasighunsbrainfoglatestthinglogicaldude

TolerantpersonoffendedbyfactssayfundefectivesayfandefectivewatnahtseasTDSisrealhokeypokeybjorncompliantsankshunsmedicullfrawdmulteebaggaIQtestdepopeventfrytendweakmenagenda2030fiveboblots2offersillyclotdasciencepincushionzombiethinkerpfeckeduppfektupwillfullystupidcompliantconspearaseefactjeanferapeadasighunsbrainfoglatestthing

what a waste of time and effort

This FT article caught my eye

https://www.ft.com/content/d34dfd79-113c-4ac7-814b-a41086c922fa
https://txtify.it/https://www.ft.com/content/d34dfd79-113c-4ac7-814b-a41086c922fa

Txtify open FT links if the FT link will not open for you. The article is about the rise of the 'petroyuan' and that the renminbi will become convertible into gold. It must make MAFL's Golden Sun investment shine a little brighter. This sentence was of specific interest:

"What’s more, the Chinese have offered up something of a financial safety-net by making the renminbi convertible to gold on the Shanghai and Hong Kong gold exchanges."

Ginger, garlic, cumin and paprika in my carrot and tomato soup for lunch.

FT article worth a read - about oil being sold in 'petroyuan'. This sentence stood out:

"What’s more, the Chinese have offered up something of a financial safety-net by making the renminbi convertible to gold on the Shanghai and Hong Kong gold exchanges."

https://txtify.it/https://www.ft.com/content/d34dfd79-113c-4ac7-814b-a41086c922fa

Today's Supply Lines email from Bloomberg [Logistics Industry Sheds Paperwork in Race to the Digital Frontier] had a nugget that SYME shareholders will like:

"Such advances are fueling an influx of investment in logistics tech startups around the world, at rate of $100 million a day and more than doubling since 2020 the number of unicorns — those valued at $1 billion or more, according to figures compiled by CB Insights."

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-01-04/supply-chain-latest-logistics-players-race-into-the-digital-frontier

With that much fresh capital going into supply chains SYME may have a bigger part to play than I thought...

Discretionary spending is in dire straights. This Vice story is along the same lines:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/m7gnpq/cost-of-living-crisis-british-drinking-culture

People drinking from supermarkets and off-licences instead of pubs and clubs. I had not heard of a "bottomless brunch" before [all you can eat and drink in a couple of hours; often £40 or £50]; probably a carry over from all-inclusive holiday packages.

And too expensive to eat out - Waitrose will sell you a ready seasoned and brined chicken for just over £3. Why would you go out and pay £5 for a chicken sandwich which will probably have been made with even cheaper / inferior quality chicken?

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/waitrose-stock-brined-whole-chicken/488582-400123-400124

At those prices, I get tempted to buy instead of buying a free-range one.

geek porn

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/01/02/residential-thermo-acoustic-heat-pump-produces-water-up-to-80-c/

VAST? The quarterly report did not mention cash, profit or loss. Makes me think that electricity and other costs mean it is running at a loss and devouring cash; placing might be inbound.

Investing Novices Are Calling the Shots for $4 Trillion at US Pensions; Public-employee plans are underfunded, chasing higher returns and underperforming international peers overseen by professionals

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-01-04/us-public-pension-plans-run-by-investing-novices-are-on-the-edge-of-a-crisis?srnd=premium-europe

Interesting article; it goes some way to explaining why some bubbles persist. I have never understood the p/e ratios of Tesla or some of the tech companies. Maybe there were enough people with less understanding than me driving and sustaining the over-valuations in a desperate race to cover deficits. Like a bunch of drunk gamblers doubling down...

Probably worth writing that the most profitable days trading when I was a bookie was New Year's Day, when people's judgement was 'clouded'; a bit like why casinos are so happy to give you free booze.

evi,

People are not catching Apple up... they are suffering because they are over reliant on China. The Chinese Covid stoppages have impacted supplies / sales of the iPhone14 Pro which has a profit margin of nearly 50%. They are having to do a careful dance as they try and friend-shore as India and Vietnam do not have the capacity yet and Chine makes up 20% of total sales.

Get to clever and they lose the Chinese revenue and production. This is a good recent video of their dilemma: "No One Will Be Able To Buy iPhone In 2023, The Biggest Blackmail Will Lead To End Of China Dream":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3NvCwHF_eU

https://www.google.com/finance/quote/TSLA:NASDAQ

$105.27
- 14.54%
-17.91 Today

'Is there anything to NOT be miserable about right now?'

The weather seems fine and I made a few grand today.

TFE,

I doubt that Bill will pass; GOV Ministers will have read that there were no bank robberies in Denmark last year. Why would they insist cash remains an option when it increases costs [courts and jails] and reduces taxes [evasion] and facilitates immoral behaviour [drugs and the sex trade]. All things the CONservatives hate...

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-03/bank-robberies-fall-to-zero-for-first-time-in-cashless-denmark?srnd=premium-europe

evi,

'The NBA Just Banned Off-White Uniforms for the Most Annoying Reason' - the shirts were interfering with the virtual ads!

https://gizmodo.com/digital-ads-nba-milwaukee-bucks-cream-jerseys-1849791166

HARL - watch out for a massive discounted placing?

GOLD - but the $ weakening will erode[some of] the gains?

From Bloomberg's Supply Lines email today - like PMI variations, this is a leading indicator and it looks very bad:

"House of cards | Mills that churn out cardboard are slashing production worldwide, a worrying sign that global trade is slowing down. North American companies that make the raw material for corrugated boxes shut down nearly 1 million tons of capacity in the third quarter and a similar scenario is expected for the fourth quarter, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Ryan Fox said. Prices are falling for the first time since 2020. Investors are watching closely for any harbingers of what is to come as fears mount that many of the world’s biggest economies will tip into recession next year. Paper boxes are present at nearly every step of a good’s journey through the supply chain, which makes paper a key indicator of how economies are faring. The signals are not encouraging."

Smith (DS) (SMDS) up 1/3 in 3 months - I would be selling.

'Bank Robberies Fall to Zero for First Time in Cashless Denmark'

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-03/bank-robberies-fall-to-zero-for-first-time-in-cashless-denmark?srnd=premium-europe

MGS - apologies; I just skim read your post and the numbers seemed higher than I expected. But we both seem to agree that this could be a significant transaction for ZEN, and it's lowly share price.