ICAP Share Discussion Threads

[volsung] 28/3/2012 14:44

Probably a nice time to re-enter these. I have anyway

[highlands] 28/3/2012 14:33

I guess the timing of my profit taking on this occasion was excellent :-)

[jeffian] 27/3/2012 23:59

CFD's?

"...instead of harbouring the world's money laundering industry and related speculative capital in the City..."

White man speak with forked tongue. I just own the shares, me!

8-)

[rennes] 27/3/2012 19:37

Jeffian,

Well it is good to see that you are not being so quickly swayed now by all the Americano-Anglo puff and bluster about the economic answer to European problems. All things considered, Europe can only prevail in world markets when they focus on industrial sectors that favour innovation and have barriers to entry.
Reliance on Financial Services ( only 11% of uk economomy) never made sense since the barriers to entry were always going to be eroded quickly.
The German model relies on "machine tools" and heavy industry IPR. Even the French (bless them ) export nuclear and the TGV rail cars ( many to the UK).
We in the Uk have got to get solidly behind programmes like the Graphene initiative and get back to inventing things that add value instead of harbouring the world's money laundering industry and related speculative capital in the City and pretending that this is good for everyone.

OK I am off on a rant again but Germany always foresaw a federal Europe controlled by the economic power house of its' export lead economy.
For them, and that includes the ignorant masses ( who you say have been conned by the politicians ) a united and stable Europe is worth any cost.
The horrors of nationalism and the repurcussions for previous generations are still ingrained in the national psyche. We in Britain underestimate the power of those stories every 50 something German has passed on to their children.

They might winge about providing financial support but emotionally they are tied to a federal Europe.....( dominated by Germany of course).

Speaking personally (and I was brought up to denigrate the Bosche )- I feel that at this stage in the world evolution that is only a good idea for the vast majority ! - bring it on! - real values and real progress - slow but sure.

[jeffian] 27/3/2012 11:01

Hi Rennes,
Actually, I've slightly changed my view recently having seen what is going on. The Continental/European political model works on the basis of a political 'elite' leading the masses by the nose. When you say "exactly how much appetite there is in Germany to preserve at all costs the Eurozone", that is an appetite among the political class which is clearly not shared by the general population who know they'll have to pay for it. Merkel knows she will not get re-elected if she simply states 'we'll pay whatever it takes' but what I've seen over the past few weeks suggests to me that she's going to 'talk tough' to appease her voters, but will actually end up under-writing the whole Euro edifice via a series of loans over a period of time (no doubt accompanying each one with talk of 'the Last Chance Saloon' and dire threats that this is the last time etc. etc.).

My view has always been, and remains, that there are only 2 possible outcomes for the Euro; either default by the weaker economies and a 2-tier system with only the Franco-German core operating the Euro currency, or that Franco-German axis undertakes to support the whole thing whatever it takes. I am moving towards your view that the latter may be happening, but step-by-step so the voters don't realise what is happening until it is too late!

[highlands] 16/3/2012 16:27

Excellent close to the week - time for me to start taking profits :-)

[highlands] 14/3/2012 21:42

Volsung, told you the goldman suckers were a bunch of muppets!!

The truth is out with one of their own execs confirming what most of us knew already!

[volsung] 06/3/2012 10:48

woeeY under 4 British pounds

[volsung] 02/3/2012 14:07

Yeeow!! 4 British pounds!

[volsung] 02/3/2012 13:27

Good IAP. Now the star of my portfolio. Who'd a thunk it?

[volsung] 01/3/2012 13:09

C'mon ICAP only 5 more of your british pennies and we have the fabled £4

[volsung] 23/2/2012 16:42

Well my invp won the race to £4. If it falls a bit further I'll be buying more here

[volsung] 21/2/2012 17:36

Good Highlands. I see we didn't breach £4. But me waters tell me this week.

[uhound] 21/2/2012 11:06

If not today, very soon I'd say.

The news today can only help highlight the value here.

[highlands] 21/2/2012 10:40

Hi Volsung, I'm still around too.

Are we going to breach 400p today?

[volsung] 20/2/2012 17:22

Am I alone in the IAP universe?

[volsung] 15/2/2012 17:04

Pleasant end to the day

[volsung] 15/2/2012 09:38

And lo! It was so

[volsung] 14/2/2012 17:09

Interesting spike at the end there. Could bode well> I've changed my opinion on these. Looks like they had a double bottom not too long ago (don't mean to be so personal!)