geisaver

I don't understand the tone of your posts sometimes. That one seems to me a bit like deriding posters on here. Why do it? Wouldn't this be better: "A confusing story, but it does suggest the story is much more than pure invention"

Is this because there had been an increase in investment metal?

Are you going to do the miner's thread in this section or is it buried somewhere else?

I never said it wasn't Labour. The Nest/Tata deal I mentioned was rushed through a month after Cameron signed up Ratan Tata as an advisor. Re cars let's hope we don't have another Rover scenario where management just syphon off loads of taxpayers cash for a short term jobs gain. Hamish you are back on block now, your earlier post was only seen by accident.

Investing Nissan were given tens of millions in government subsidies and loans. Ratan Tata is one of Cameron's advisors. http://www.climatechangecapital.com/news-and-events/ccc-in-the-news/ccc's-james-cameron-joins-the-prime-minister's-business-advisory-group.aspx Nest signs £600 million Tata IT contract The competition to provide administrative services to Nest was concluded early, prompting some to question the value of Tata’s bid. http://www.citywire.co.uk/new-model-adviser/nest-signs-600-million-tata-it-contract/a448964?ref=new-model-adviser-shooting-gallery-list Just yesterday we have Tata saying they may start making cars in India http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/8995693/Jaguar-Land-Rover-could-make-cars-in-India-says-Tata.html Cameron is looking to the future like Bliar.

Indian gold imports plunge in Q4, seen down in Q1

Short side of long has backed a truck up for PSLV ETF at $12.85 http://theshortsideoflong.blogspot.com/2011/12/portfolio-update-long-silver.html

Without a timeframe isn't the prediction just meaningless? Over time what doesn't increase in price? I predict a loaf of bread will cost £5 but I cannot say when, does that make me a guru? Re the decrease in purchasing power of the dollar isn't that partly reflected in the increase in wages? People don't earn now what they did in 1930 they earn more of those dollars.

What do you think they would do as regards their hedge?

Why would suppliers want lots of stock when prices are falling? Won't they wait and buy as the market is rising, then sell them at a higher price?

Just reading an article with a comment that reminded me of this thread

Central bank action http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/Top-cenbanks-move-avoid-reuters_molt-3719358849.html?x=0

I see what you mean. The £400m is just going to be distributed in brown envelopes to builders as bribes. No doubt lots of builders that Coalition MPs and their sponsors have interests in will be at the front of the queue. There is no figure mentioned on the amount of money to be used for the governments 5.5% mortgage liability. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/nov/21/cameron-clegg-homes-plan?newsfeed=true

Isn't the government only putting up 5.5% of the mortgage? So on a £160k house their share is £8,800 meaning 45,000 houses using £400m The scheme is just something to pretend to be helping FTBs and grab the headlines, to cover what they are doing with REITs.

OK thanks.

What do you think of the inflation adjusted gold chart?

Inflation adjusted gold now higher than in 1980? US housing to gold ratio now same as 1979 low http://danielamerman.com/articles/2011/GHRatioC.html

Mortgages are already topped by councils http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/mar/16/local-councils-first-time-buyer-mortgage-support I'm just waiting for the day when they pass a law when if you have over £x amount in the bank and don't own a house, you are given a prison sentence.

Yes it's definition. A lot of people would say your assets are now allocated 50% property and 50% PMs. Depending on when you bought the PMs your asset allocation could have been a much lower percentage in PMs.

If someone had owned a £300k house outright for 3 or 4 years and put their spare £15k cash into PMs, plus some or all of their spare recent income, would they be 100% PMs?

Can someone with 3 pillars also be 100% PMs?

I think the plan is to make their unsold properties look cheaper. If say they have one on at £300k that isn't shifting putting a similar property on at £350k makes it look cheap. Then once the original one sells they reduce the £350k to £325k then put the next one on at £350k or £375k to make that look cheap. Then a floor of at least £300k is established instead of dropping the original £300k further. If they had put the second house at £300k both that and the original £300k might have been reduced. An agent near me has a 4 bed that's been on for ages. They have just put a 3 bed on at the same price. The 4 bed will now sell because it looks "cheap" to someone.

I thought there was a minimum of 1% so in your example they would pay £15k? If the houses were £249k instead of £100k the total spend is £3,735,000 so at 5% SDLT, would have been £186,750 now it's just £37,350 saving them £149,400 assuming a 1% minimum. 15 "hard working families" not FTBs still pay £186,750 I agree with your 1) and 2) SDLT for FTBs is going to be looked at in the Autumn. I expect they will have theirs increased to help fund the giveaways to the bulk buyers http://www.ftadviser.com/FinancialAdviser/Mortgages/News/article/20110324/22cec434-5561-11e0-afcb-00144f2af8e8/Govt-announces-review-of-stamp-duty.jsp

Why is it same terms? Smaller investors have to pay stamp duty on each property and income tax on their rental income. It seems to me that the budget was anti-small BTL landlords. A person who thought interest rates are going to rise, might suspect big business is having the government give them huge tax breaks now so that they are positioned to scoop up lots of properties from BTL landlords if they start struggling with interest rate rises. A very cynical person might even think that housing benefit cuts are also to help flush the properties out of the hands of BTL landlords - once the REITs have gobbled up enough properties they can always put husing benefit back up! REITS cash sales so no mortgage interest, no CGT, no tax on rental income, now no 2% conversion charge.