Jerry_Atrick

My ride on is in the shop getting its service, a new alternator and a microswitch.. just out of warranty, too

Nope.. The worlds press has lost interest as theres a war in the Middle East and Trump has gone batpoop crazy... Oh, and the Republicans, who when I was a kid swore they would rather be dead than red, are now rather liking the idea of being red. I guess that is, after all, the colour of the republicans.

Ill be right, jack.. we have oil.. no gas.. but we are entering spring.. so since poms allegedly don't have showers, don't need gas for 6 months..

My son loves diving and is coming back to Aus with us,. I have explained ot him that he needs to make sure he doesnt turn into shark ship.

While the press focus on equities in terms of how the economy is going, the real bellweather is the bond markets. These were surprisingly robust over the last couple of days. As most algorithms will head to US Treausry bonds (USTs) as a safe haven, as the stock market came crashing down, the USTs yields came down, which means the prices went up. This is because USTs are considered risk free. However, the credit bond markets, which are bonds made to companies, also was suprisingly robust on Thursday after the announcements. There are three classifications of creit bonds - financial institutions, investment grade corporates and non-investment grade corporates - or junk bonds. The difference between investment grade and "junk" is that investment grade are usually BBB- and up in the Moodys ratings. Junk can have ratings or be non-rated. It is important to note it is normally the credit quality of the bond itself, and not the issuer, that is important. Anyway, the junk bond market sell off started in the US yesterday, and this is because there are fears of recessions. Some of these are fairly string companies, such as US Steel and Dole Foods. The spreads (between the offer and bid price that market markers provide) is the highest in 17 months. At the moment, the markets are saying to Trump, "this dont look too good" If a US Treasury inversion comes, where the 2 year yield curve is higher than the 10 year yield curve, then its run for the hills time.

Theres no shortage of crooks in most games. These days you get jailed for it: https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/stuart-bayes-sentenced-insider-dealing (if you get caught).

Be careful posting that stuff, @Marty_d, son likes diving and snorkelling and he has already suggested us move there.

In general, yes.. The trick is what is the right level? Just remember this adage from Warren Buffet: "When the markets get greedy, I get fearful; when the markets get fearful, I get greedy."

This preoccupation with poms not taking a shower (or bathing) is a bit of a furphy. They want you to think that so they can skimp on providing you bathroom facilities in hotels.

It wasn't when I posted it am I am buggered if I can remember what it was

Blimey! What has happened to yhe Dingo Dollar? It's howling, certainly not growling. Last time I looked, it was $1.92 to the £.. now $2.07! I don't mind it going lower when I move out, but would want a reverse very quickly

Or a knighthood.. Lady Spacey does have a ring to it