ICAP Share Discussion Threads

[volsung] 10/2/2012 14:26

Well they certainly got it wrong with GKP highlander!

[highlands] 10/2/2012 14:17

volsung, I have done pretty well ignoring GS opinion.

GKP is the best example - has not stopped going up since their downgrade :-)

[volsung] 10/2/2012 13:13

This must me a premium short now

[highlands] 10/2/2012 11:45

IAP downgraded by goldman sucks to Neutral - "Our concerns over the low
earnings transparency in the market structure space lead us to downgrade ICAP to Neutral (from Buy)"

I downgrade goldman sucks from "strong sell" to "very stong sell" :-)

[jeffian] 07/2/2012 16:13

Still here, mate. Why? Do you think the problem's over?

[rennes] 07/2/2012 15:25

That was posted on the 29th December 2011!

[rennes] 07/2/2012 15:24

........."but your scenario will take years to work through and the markets are going to be attacking the Euro within weeks!"

Where are you Jeffian?

[dapper don] 05/2/2012 12:40

Dare i say my vote of confidence in the share price done the trick highlands ? : )))
how many times have we seen the same smash down in the price you buy then before you know it we are back above 4.20 again .
Certainly not dull owning this stock .
Spencers cost cuttings have also gone down well

[highlands] 01/2/2012 09:03

Good update from ICAP - would be nice to see £4 soon!

[highlands] 26/1/2012 16:48

Understanding the Euro Crisis:

Some years ago a small rural town in Spain twinned with a similar town in Greece . The mayor of the Greek town visited the Spanish town. When he saw the palatial mansion belonging to the Spanish mayor he wondered how he could afford such a house.

The Spaniard said; "You see that bridge over there? The EU gave us a grant to build a two-lane bridge, but by building a single lane bridge with traffic lights at either end this house could be built".

The following year the Spaniard visited the Greek town. He was simply amazed at the Greek mayor's house, gold taps, marble floors; it was marvellous. When he asked how this could be afforded the Greek said;

"You see that bridge over there?"

The Spaniard replied; "No."

[cg1953] 15/1/2012 09:39

Ronjen & Jeffian.
Thanks for an excellent debate on the Euro.
As an x 'stockroker' [circa 1980's-90's]am inclined to Jeffian's persuasion.
Prior to the Euro, we had the Ecu which whilst not perfect gave sovereignty.

At core, I think its how we see Europe.
Speaking for myself; I see the European Economic Community as a collective of many culturally rich entities of both language and diversity competing for labour, goods and services, free of tariffs.
We are not, and never can be the bland uniformity of the USA [thank God], but a 'entrepreneurial' collective of choice with cherished customs & enshrined freedoms.
The IMPOSITION of the Euro was, apart from anything else, dangerously undemocratic, designed & foisted on us by un-elected bureaucrats who are now seemingly determined to inflict ever more pain and hardship to maintain & expand this futile utopian folly.
Rongen's best [only] case scenario is for the ECB to be given the power to bail out and break up the banks critically exposed, and then at some later date to refloat the separated entities. Of course this will entail shocking losses for both shareholders and bondholders.
As for the arguments on Anglo-Saxon capitalism: A 'plague on all your houses' for it was a grave mistake [with hindsight]to repeal the 'glass segal' act in America thereby unleashing us all on this destructive leveraged trajectory.
The sooner we break up these monolithic financial supermarkets [this will take global initiative] with their 'too big to fail' moniker, then the sooner we will regain some semblance of discipline, regulation, and trust in the financial system, because as things stand its all been an unparalleled, unmitigated disaster of greed and hubris.
ICAP, well managed, should benefit enormously if sense eventually prevails.

[highlands] 13/1/2012 12:01

Dapper, look at what your vote of confidence did to the share price today :-)

[dapper don] 12/1/2012 15:17

Drop in price I thought was down to leaked stories that slow down will effect the bottom line .
For me I'm fully loaded here but i am and will still add when i can.
This is not a company in financial difficulty imho
heres to a much higher price at years end

[highlands] 09/1/2012 11:31

MTThomas, I am a holder and have been buying on the recent falls but am not sure why the share price is falling on no news. Is there some bad news coming that has been leaked? As I type this, IAP is down while TLPR is up so the fall cannot be blamed on the general market.

[mrthomas] 08/1/2012 14:31

Just brought into ICAP and have found this thread to be very interesting and think we are in for some u and downs and interesting times that we not known. So that going to be a problem.
Used to work in Garban years ago and think what ever happens co should make money.
Good luck to every one for 2012

[highlands] 06/1/2012 14:01

halfpenny,

thanks for your half penny's worth :-)

[halfpenny] 06/1/2012 11:35

also MAN GROUP are in trouble.....

BOTH have lower lows and even lower lows to come.....arghhhhhh

[halfpenny] 06/1/2012 11:32

looks like £2.50 or less to come.... wot a load of rubbish....and some think resolving the Euro Zone will help them well they have NO CHANCE... massive drops to come.....as well as the TAX man chasing these guys....hmmmmm


£2 if your lucky coming soonnnnn

[highlands] 06/1/2012 09:05

Looks like funds are moving from IAP into TLPR. Very odd indeed.

[rennes] 04/1/2012 21:05

As I said before DC is cacking his pants with our own problems/exposures.
Politicians cannot indulge in such romantic notions.
Only survival is important.

DC will be the first PM since North Sea Oil to try and focus on bricks and mortar manufacturing in new industries.

[loofyloofy] 03/1/2012 15:04

Interesting discussion.....methinks DC et al are quietly chortling at the euromess....payback time for the continent, after they did not keep their word to support sterling in 1992.

[jeffian] 03/1/2012 09:40

"...as an ex Banker..."?! Lol! We have got our wires crossed!

Here's to survival in 2012, whichever way it goes.

[jeffian] 01/1/2012 23:59

Merkozy has been saying this for months, but saying it and doing it are two different things. The last 'plan' for actually dealing with the impending crisis (which will be kicked off soon when Greece announces it can't afford to make its scheduled loan repayments) was to persuade bondholders to take a 50% 'haircut' on their debt (immediately leading to a banking crisis as banks' asset base is wiped out overnight) together with a 'fund' to buy the bonds from distressed economies. And how much has been paid into this fund to date and by whom? Nothing by nobody, if you'll pardon my English. Two questions for you, Rennes, which you've not answered -
1) when Greece runs out of cash to make interest/loan repayments, where is the money coming from if they are not to default causing the Euro to implode?
2) In the longer term, how will the EU police the policy "that each eurozone member's budget should be below 3 per cent of GDP, national debt under 60 per cent, and a 'golden rule' should be enshrined to guarantee balanced budgets in the medium term"? Fine them?!

As I said at the outset, either the Germans pay or it collapses. Your reaction was that the Germans would pay and maybe that's what today's speech was all about ("She said that her government will do "everything" to bring the euro out of the slump"). I just hope her people agree with her.