UK

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-23/china-rattles-foreign-firms-again-with-arrests-foxconn-probe?srnd=premium-europe&leadSource=uverify wall Chinese authorities are again shaking the confidence of foreign companies in the country with a series of arrests and an investigation into Foxconn Technology Group, Apple Inc.’s most important partner and one of the largest employers in China. Over the weekend, state media said that regulators are conducting tax audits and reviewing land use by Foxconn, the Taiwanese company that makes the vast majority of iPhones at factories in China. Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Foxconn’s public arm, said it will collaborate with authorities. Meanwhile, an executive and two former employees of WPP Plc, one of the world’s biggest advertising companies, have been arrested in China, people familiar with the matter said.

Meanwhile: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-17/hungary-calls-bulgaria-levy-on-russia-gas-transit-hostile-step-lnuhxqok#xj4y7vzkg

Honestly, I sometimes think I have no idea even for what scenario to wish, not to mention, that I have not idea of what to expect from all this in the end. Sure all of this could be still very early. I know for sure I feel sickened of all sufferings of Ukrainian people though. Also, living some 100+ miles from Minsk, I definitely do not like possibilities and talks, such as this: "Vladimir Putin, Mr. Biden noted, views the Baltic countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as rogue Russian provinces. He won’t stop at Ukraine." https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-speaks-but-will-he-act-61fe471c But intuitively (and maybe wrongly), I think response should be much more forceful (especially from Europe) and quick. Big mistakes were already made and good opportunities lost by dragging this out or not preparing even now much more for the future.

This is a new name for me, but it is very interesting/good interview! Liked his angle on nature. The only thing missing: a question on his view re MKL vs FFH:) This seems to be his 13F: https://13f.info/13f/000103347523000006-avenir-corp-q2-2023

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-20/ozempic-maker-is-testing-weight-loss-drugs-for-kids?srnd=premium-europe&leadSource=uverify wall

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-20/latvia-says-nato-should-close-baltic-if-russia-harmed-pipeline?srnd=premium-europe&leadSource=uverify wall NATO should consider a halt to Russian shipping in the Baltic Sea if evidence emerges that the Kremlin is behind the damage to a pipeline connecting Finland and Estonia, Latvia’s president said. “The discussion should be about how we can close the Baltic Sea in order to protect our critical infrastructure” if Russia is found to be responsible, President Edgars Rinkevics told Latvia’s public broadcaster late Thursday. His office later clarified that the comments pertained to Russian shipping. President Vladimir Putin has denied that the Kremlin was involved in the pipeline rupture to the Balticconnector gas pipeline, which was discovered earlier this month. North Atlantic Treaty Organization this week dispatched mine hunters, patrol aircraft and early warning planes to the Baltic Sea to safeguard underwater infrastructure. NATO has the ability to stop shipping in the Baltic, Rinkevics said.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-20/white-house-requests-116-billion-for-israel-ukraine-border?srnd=premium-europe&leadSource=uverify wall In the Ukraine portion of the request, the White House is asking for additional weapons systems, economic and civilian security assistance, nuclear crisis management, and support for Ukrainian refugees in the United States. Because the weapons and ammunitions sent abroad are largely taken from existing US stockpiles that are then replaced by new equipment made in America, the White House says the president’s request would invest over $50 billion in the US defense industrial base.

! am waiting very much for https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13287846/ and https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5537002/. Meanwhile, I finally have started watching Game of Thrones:)))

https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/geico-lays-off-6-of-workforce-prioritizes-return-to-office-463726.aspx

I think the problem is not any particular scenario, but that we just can not know for sure which of them will persist. At least for me this means diworsification between longer duration (or lower rates again beneficiares) vs shorter duration (or higher rates for longer beneficiaries). I am at ~50/50 on this:).

Well, you may be right on last two years, but they came after "Inflation-adjusted median net worth jumped 37% to $192,900 from 2019 to 2022" As for housing: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/19/homes/existing-home-sales-september/index.html. Are you expecting home prices to fall substiantially going forward?

This must be a typo, maybe PE?

If I remember correctly, in some interview he said, that he put most of his money into BRK in the end, exchanging possible extra returns to a more free time:)

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-decision-send-long-range-missiles-kyiv-grave-mistake-russias-envoy-2023-10-18/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-17/us-stocks-are-ripe-for-earnings-led-rally-as-rates-angst-settles?srnd=premium-europe&leadSource=uverify wall

Not sure it is a good way to look at things generaly, but Bank of Ireland and Bank of Cyprus. Kind of similar stories, market position etc. Very related to a economy of a country. Do not know much about Malta.

https://www.wsj.com/finance/what-defense-stocks-say-about-a-more-violent-world-926b24f5?mod=hp_minor_pos20

https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/10/14/now-russia-is-fighting-to-gain-territory-in-the-east-of-ukraine

Based on current research, there may be a relationship between obesity and problem gambling, according to BofA, which estimates this kind of gambling represents 10%-30% of all gaming revenue. If weight loss drugs are prescribed to even more people, this could potentially lead to a decline in problem gambling, negatively impacting the industry.

https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/10/12/our-european-economic-pentathlon

It seems this is the direction everything is going. The question though, as Buffett used to say, how well this will translate into shareholder returns with defense companies?

So I was joking, but really, why they downgraded CL? EDIT: found it, it seems some kind ofmisunderstanding:)

More healthy teeth because of less sweets:)? Lets just hope these drugs will not also work to cure stupidity...