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Lloyds share price performance and the index since the start of January pretty dire, trading in a range - bound market with no relief in sight at present, the only salvation for shareholders now is the widely expected announcement of a new share buyback programme in next months full year financial results release.

Probably weaker than stronger, based on continued margin pressure and tougher sector regulatory outlook forecast for 2024.

For the sake of global stability, China's growing economic and military capabilities need cutting down to size, today China still accounts for almost a fifth of global manufacturing output.

Port Talbot steel making, the final epitaph and death of a once proud world renowned industrial " smokestack " Great Britain.

LTI

Lloyds needs to tread carefully and will undoubtedly continue with their modest progressive dividend policy and share buyback programme, but to what level remains to be seen without attracting the wrath of the Chancellor and possibly triggering new levies and windfall taxes on the UK banking sector.

The guarantee of subsequent large share buyback programmes are certainly not " set in stone " by the bank, especially in light of the latest motor finance scandal and the imminent earwigging by the Chancellor on the need for more restraint on dividends and the high level of share buybacks in favour of more lending to business and households.

Many tough and huge challenges lie ahead for the UK banking sector in 2024 !

Q4 February full year reporting, Gentlemen less buybacks and restraint on your dividend payouts and more lending to Business and Households or face the consequences of extra taxes levied on your banking sector......... more like it !

Record number of Russian flagged Asian bound seaborne traffic passing through the Suez -Canal / Red Sea route carrying heavily discounted crude helping to fuel Putins war machine and the Indian and Chinese Economy.

FTSE 100 currently down 125pts, unnecessary overreaction by markets to today's somewhat suspect UK inflation data release figures.

Rise caused mainly by an increase in tobacco prices....... complete load of tosh !

Lloyds are not alone, UK banking sector share price performance are at a very low ebb with no sign of recovery on the horizon yet, despite low banking sector valuations fundamentals remain fairly strong and resilient, however bear in mind, past performance is not a future guide to future returns especially in the topsy-turvy world of the banking sector.

Nevertheless economic growth and increased productivity remains a priority for the UK economy and will create more and better paid jobs in the future to the benefit of the whole country and will eventually lead to lower taxation rates and better public services for all.

I assume markets are being cautious and pricing in lacklustre earnings and continued weakness forecast on banking sector profit margins and the overall performance of the UK Economy for 2024.

No point in shareholders fretting over spilt milk, expect years of contested litigation and legal wrangling before the issue is finally resolved.

Although Black Horse Finance is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lloyds Banking Group it does has its own board of directors and independent financial accounting, this will leave Lloyds with one or two options on the table to consider if the judicial decision rules against Black Horse Finance.

Let's wait and see, for the final outcome of the official investigation.

May turn out to be nothing more than media speculation and scaremongering to the size and scale of the issue.

Whatever the final outcome and ruling is unlike PPI, motor finance lenders will not take this lying down.

In the meantime, it's business as usual for Lloyds.

Djones

" It appears so " FTSE100 2023 rise of 3.8% is pretty dire compared to US and European indexes, overburdened Government regulation and lack of technology companies are just a couple of reasons putting off overseas investors from investing in UK equities.

Yet another muted intra - day trading performance across the index, investor price momentum sadly lacking in the run - up to February banking sector full year financial reporting results.

LTI

Market still not convinced on Vodafone new CEO transformation plans for the company and full year earnings guidance being maintained. I'm holding a couple of small loss making trading positions on the stock, quite happy at present to hang on for the ride provided there are no potential cuts or a change in policy to the current dividend payout level.

Brixton, a mixture of increased Divi's and Buybacks are certainly no guaranteed recipe for success or a rising share price. Take Vodafone for instance, shares trading at a 27 year low despite £30Bn of share buybacks over the corresponding period and a current dividend yield of almost 11% to boot, and still very little appetite among investors for uptake of the shares.

Maybe the final year 2024, before the much anticipated 1% tax is levied on UK listed company share buybacks by a mission-driven incoming Labour Government.