Is Europe becoming uninvestable?

[Dalal.Holdings]

2 hours ago, Sweet said:

Debatable if that’s true.  The UK still has a lot, some estimates higher than Norway.  

Why would you explore or produce in the UK though, not only do you get an higher tax rate than other businesses the government will also periodically hit you with an additional levy if they think they are making too much.  They have a theoretical maximum taxation rate of 78%.

Yeah I think it's inaccurate to say that UK North Sea is tapped out while Norway is not. As we've seen with oil companies, more exploration leads to more reserves leads to more production. We've seen people over and over again say that U.S. shale oil is "peaking" for the past decade+, but shale output continues to grow and the U.S. has surpassed Saudi Arabia and become basically oil independent. 

 

In the North Sea, the massive Johan Sverdrup field was only discovered in 2010. 

 

The UK is a small nation. It would not need much oil & gas to become self sufficient, but the marginal 78% Energy Profits Levy deters long term investments and not to mention the outright ban of new licenses by Labour:

 

https://www.netzeroinvestor.net/news-and-views/briefs/uk-government-confirms-ban-on-new-fossil-fuel-projects-in-the-north-sea

 

Quote

The UK government has confirmed details of a planned ban on new North Sea oil and gas exploration, although projects linked to existing developments will still be allowed to proceed.

 

[UK]

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/decision-turn-back-nuclear-was-strategic-mistake-eus-von-der-leyen-says-2026-03-10/

 

First step:)

[Sweet]

1 hour ago, UK said:

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/decision-turn-back-nuclear-was-strategic-mistake-eus-von-der-leyen-says-2026-03-10/

 

First step:)

admitting the mistake, what comes next 

[Dalal.Holdings]

4 hours ago, UK said:

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/decision-turn-back-nuclear-was-strategic-mistake-eus-von-der-leyen-says-2026-03-10/

 

First step:)

 

LMAO. Ursula voted to shut down nuclear. Like many European leaders, she failed upwards.

 

The thing about the European system is it keeps and even promotes the leaders who keep making mistakes…only to have them make more mistakes

 

From my vantage point, the major change/reforms will only occur once the establishment is replaced by outsiders. The establishment is trying to preserve itself by calling the outsiders “far right” and scaring people, but they deserve to be upended

[Dalal.Holdings]

 

[John Hjorth]

4 hours ago, Dalal.Holdings said:

 

LMAO. Ursula voted to shut down nuclear. Like many European leaders, she failed upwards.

 

The thing about the European system is it keeps and even promotes the leaders who keep making mistakes…only to have them make more mistakes

 

From my vantage point, the major change/reforms will only occur once the establishment is replaced by outsiders. The establishment is trying to preserve itself by calling the outsiders “far right” and scaring people, but they deserve to be upended

 

2 hours ago, Dalal.Holdings said:

 

 

@Dalal.Holdings,

 

When did that happen in Germany?

And because of why?

And why do you eternallly continue this line of posting?

When can we get back to looking at investing in Europe - forwardlooking - from where Europe is by now, as an alternative to elsewhere?

Do you suffer from some kind of PTSD over a loss on a European based company, you can't get over?

Just stirring the pot? [You have been dubbed 'troll' in a separate topic in the Investment Ideas forum.]

[Dalal.Holdings]

33 minutes ago, John Hjorth said:

 

 

@Dalal.Holdings,

 

When did that happen in Germany?

And because of why?

And why do you eternallly continue this line of posting?

When can we get back to looking at investing in Europe - forwardlooking - from where Europe is by now, as an alternative to elsewhere?

Do you suffer from some kind of PTSD over a loss on a European based company, you can't get over?

Just stirring the pot? [You have been dubbed 'troll' in a separate topic in the Investment Ideas forum.]

 

Are you clueless? Ursula made that statement today and @UK and @Sweet posted about it and I responded with information that Ursula voted to close all German nuclear plants in the past. The news is from today and Ursula is in charge of the EU.

 

Why does it bother you so much? Do you understand that the energy situation in Europe (particularly Germany) has been highly relevant to the performance of its major industries? I know you are content riding stocks like NVO down > 70%, but most of us try to learn and avoid investing in bad situations altogether.

 

So yeah, my posts are relevant because they tell you what sectors to avoid due to political mistakes—European energy intensive businesses (like steel makers, etc) for starters. European automakers another one (have you looked at Porsche or VW stock performance?). On the other hand, those that thrive off the stupidity of European leaders like Equinor might be good investments.

 

You keep saying you’re not going to engage with me but then can’t help yourself. Your posts are mostly incomprehensible blabbering and then you whine about my posts which are highly relevant to the topic at hand.

 

 

[UK]

https://www.imidaily.com/europe/dutch-lawmakers-approve-a-36-tax-on-unrealized-crypto-stock-and-bond-gains/

 

This is a bit insane if I understand this right.

[Dalal.Holdings]

12 hours ago, UK said:

https://www.imidaily.com/europe/dutch-lawmakers-approve-a-36-tax-on-unrealized-crypto-stock-and-bond-gains/

 

This is a bit insane if I understand this right.

This is of course the problem with Europe and the major thing that has kept me from Equinor. These kind of moves makes it really hard for people who want to deploy capital to want to do it in Europe.

[cubsfan]

15 minutes ago, Dalal.Holdings said:

This is of course the problem with Europe and the major thing that has kept me from Equinor. These kind of moves makes it really hard for people who want to deploy capital to want to do it in Europe.

 

Read the article. It's stunningly stupid. Almost unbelievable. Not knowing Dutch politics - will it pass?

[John Hjorth]

1 hour ago, Dalal.Holdings said:

This is of course the problem with Europe and the major thing that has kept me from Equinor. These kind of moves makes it really hard for people who want to deploy capital to want to do it in Europe.

 

What has Dutch lawmakers' decisions about crypto taxation to do with investment in Norwegian Equinor?

 

That said, Norway has a wealth tax, in effect.

 

Personally I live with a taxation of 15.3 per cent of dividends, realized and unrealized gains on stocks in tax deferred accounts. That tax is called PAL-tax, mind you.

 

In up years, it's the largest expense in my household, by horselengths. Live with it, or check out, and move your butt, if you can.

 

I could decide to flag out tomorrow with my better half, the cat that rules everything and move my butt. There is no way, I'm going to check out of the Danish health care system, despite I and the Lady of the House also have 'the blue card', providing free healthcare everywhere in inside EU  -our Danish system far from perfect, but fairly good. 

 

Blue card :

 

 

The Danish Parliament long ago decided in state budgets not to include expected PAL-tax income in the state budget [for obvious reasons, right?] Every year, for the Danish politicians, it comes as a surprise in january, if there is something extra to spend on something. In good years it's an enormous amount of money! Welcome to my 15.3 percent sleeping partner, that requires credit on share of losses in total if so : The Danish society.

 

In the early years, I found it almost unbearly to sell stocks to pay taxes. Not now. Because of our healthcare system, and what's going on in Europe, that requires lots money. It has been multicoloured and a bit the last four years  for my part.

 

I remember reading about an aquaintance to a CofB&F member on  the strip in Las Vegas, that - perhaps after one drink too much at a Casino - walked out on the street in front of a car, which caused a bill of USD 50 K for patching a broken leg. To the best of my recollection, this must have been about ten years ago. Good luck with that in USA, if you have no personal insurance. Personally, I haven't seen an invoice in the mail from the Danish Healtcare system, ever!

 

And no, I'm not a socialist.

Edited March 13 by John Hjorth

[Dalal.Holdings]

1 hour ago, John Hjorth said:

 

What has Dutch lawmakers' decisions about crypto taxation to do with investment in Norwegian Equinor?

 

That said, Norway has a wealth tax, in effect.

 

Personally I live with a taxation of 15.3 per cent of dividends, realized and unrealized gains on stocks in tax deferred accounts. That tax is called PAL-tax, mind you.

 

In up years, it's the largest expense in my household, by horselengths. Live with it, or check out, and move your butt, if you can.

 

I could decide to flag out tomorrow with my better half, the cat that rules everything and move my butt. There is no way, I'm going to check out of the Danish health care system, despite I and the Lady of the House also have 'the blue card', providing free healthcare everywhere in inside EU  -our Danish system far from perfect, but fairly good. 

 

Blue card :

 

 

The Danish Parliament long ago decided in state budgets not to include expected PAL-tax income in the state budget [for obvious reasons, right?] Every year, for the Danish politicians, it comes as a surprise in january, if there is something extra to spend on something. In good years it's an enormous amount of money! Welcome to my 15.3 percent sleeping partner, that requires credit on share of losses in total if so : The Danish society.

 

In the early years, I found it almost unbearly to sell stocks to pay taxes. Not now. Because of our healthcare system, and what's going on in Europe, that requires lots money. It has been multicoloured and a bit the last four years  for my part.

 

I remember reading about an aquaintance to a CofB&F member on  the strip in Las Vegas, that - perhaps after one drink too much at a Casino - walked out on the street in front of a car, which caused a bill of USD 50 K for patching a broken leg. To the best of my recollection, this must have been about ten years ago. Good luck with that in USA, if you have no personal insurance. Personally, I haven't seen an invoice in the mail from the Danish Healtcare system, ever!

 

And no, I'm not a socialist.

You haven’t been paying attention. Clearly.

 

https://www.euractiv.com/news/norway-urged-to-tap-e1-8tn-fund-to-help-eu-unlock-ukraine-loan/
 

“Calls are mounting for Norway to use its €1.8 trillion sovereign wealth fund to help move forward the EU’s stalled €140 billion loan for Ukraine, after a Danish newspaper revived a once far-fetched idea during last month’s EU leaders’ meeting.”

EU leaders will always look for someone else to pay for their mistakes

 

It is also highly plausible that they may apply some “climate tax” or similar punishment on Norway/Equinor in the future for oil and gas that Europe burned given the politics of the region.

 

Edited March 13 by Dalal.Holdings

[John Hjorth]

37 minutes ago, Dalal.Holdings said:

You haven’t been paying attention. Clearly.

 

https://www.euractiv.com/news/norway-urged-to-tap-e1-8tn-fund-to-help-eu-unlock-ukraine-loan/
 

“Calls are mounting for Norway to use its €1.8 trillion sovereign wealth fund to help move forward the EU’s stalled €140 billion loan for Ukraine, after a Danish newspaper revived a once far-fetched idea during last month’s EU leaders’ meeting.”

EU leaders will always look for someone else to pay for their mistakes

 

@Dalal.Holdings,

 

Thank you for pointing me in that particular direction. I haven't heard about this before here, thank you. What the hell has some dumb boneheaded Danish reporter making suggestions to do with this?

 

It's hilarious, ridiculous! 

 

The assets of NBIM are by Norwegian law earmarked for the future generations of Norwegians, not for lending out to anyone else! Nicolai Tangen is by no measure dumb. Nor are the norwegians in general. He would loose his job by doing this. Everyone in Europe know that Ukraine is near broke [ @Spekulatius would call it 'plaite'] - all the time.

 

Ukraine simply isen't creditworthy, simple as that. The lending to Ukraine by now is based on not expecting to get the money back. Not a job for NBIM to get involved in.

 

Every time someone is short of liquidity in a political sphere, the 'entrepreneurship', fantasy and 'inginuity' related to a 'solution' has no end, just moving the problem around from the unfortunate to the dumb, if possible.

Edited March 13 by John Hjorth

[Spekulatius]

Just now, John Hjorth said:

 

@Dalal.Holdings,

 

Thank you for pointing me in that particular direction. I haven't heard about this before here, thank you. What the hell has some dumb boneheaded Danish reporter making suggestions to do with this?

 

It's hilarious, ridiculous! 

 

The assets of NBIM are by Norwegian law earmarked for the future generations of Norwegians, not for lending out to anyone else! Nicolai Tangen is by no measure dumb. Nor are the norwegians in general. He would loose his job by doing this. Everyone in Europe know that Ukraine is near broke [ @Spekulatius would call it 'plaite'] - all the time.

 

Ukraine simply isen't creditworthy, simple as that. The lending to Ukraine by now is based on not expecting to get the money back. Not a job for NBIM to get involved in.

 

Every time someone is short of liquidity in a political sphere, the 'entrepreneurship', fantasy and i'nginuity' related to a 'solution' has no end, just moving the problem around from the unfortunate to the dumb, if possible.

I suggested to Jeff Bezos too to move $1 Billion in my checking account but that son of a bitch has no inclination of doing so.

[John Hjorth]

1 minute ago, Spekulatius said:

I suggested to Jeff Bezos too to move $1 Billion in my checking account but that son of a bitch has no inclination of doing so.

 

 - 'Why is it, that you don't just send 'da money to me, Jeff? - What is it with you? '

[Dalal.Holdings]

12 minutes ago, John Hjorth said:

 

@Dalal.Holdings,

 

Thank you for pointing me in that particular direction. I haven't heard about this before here, thank you. What the hell has some dumb boneheaded Danish reporter making suggestions to do with this?

 

It's hilarious, ridiculous! 

 

The assets of NBIM are by Norwegian law earmarked for the future generations of Norwegians, not for lending out to anyone else! Nicolai Tangen is by no measure dumb. Nor are the norwegians in general. He would loose his job by doing this. Everyone in Europe know that Ukraine is near broke [ @Spekulatius would call it 'plaite'] - all the time.

 

Ukraine simply isen't creditworthy, simple as that. The lending to Ukraine by now is based on not expecting to get the money back. Not a job for NBIM to get involved in.

 

Every time someone is short of liquidity in a political sphere, the 'entrepreneurship', fantasy and 'inginuity' related to a 'solution' has no end, just moving the problem around from the unfortunate to the dumb, if possible.

I've been making this point for a while now--the fact is that if you are going to invest in an oil & gas company, you'd better take into account the politics of the region it operates in. The clearest recent example is SOC where I gave pushback on the fact that it was located in California immediately and it turned out that CA regulators/politicians basically prevented SOC from turning their asset back on:

 

SOC got crushed despite many such as the thread author being highly promotional about the stock.

 

Canada has called for a windfall tax on their producers. UK did one and is thinking of suspending new North Sea licenses. If you invest in PBR, you'd better be aware of the politics in Brazil too.

 

I would not invest in an oil company in California. I would not invest in one in Canada, the UK, or EU either. Norway is not in the EU, but there is still an issue there:

 

The thing about Norway/Equinor is that they have made all the right moves re: energy and have thrived because of it. The problem is that Norway is a very small country with big boy EU and UK next door that it relies on as major trade partners and partners in defense and many other areas. This means that the EU/UK can exert leverage over Norway, especially since EU thinks Norway has benefitted at its expense from the energy surge by charging EU/UK high prevailing prices.

 

Add to that the leftist environmentalist orthodoxy that dominates much of politics on the continent, I think that the possibility of a punitive tax/fine ("carbon tax" or "carbon fine") imposed on Norway/Equinor in the future is not something to be ruled out. As I've shown, they've already discussed putting Norway's Sovereign Wealth Fund to use for funding Ukraine...

 

[John Hjorth]

6 minutes ago, Dalal.Holdings said:

I've been making this point for a while now--the fact is that if you are going to invest in an oil & gas energy < <-Changed, John>  company, you'd better take into account the politics of the region it operates in. ...

 

Sure, think about Ørsted investing billions of dollars in US offshore wind. POTUS : 'Mind the whales - they have no oversize Apple earbeefs, available from Apple!' - after all approvals for construction beginning in place!

[Spekulatius]

36 minutes ago, Dalal.Holdings said:

I've been making this point for a while now--the fact is that if you are going to invest in an oil & gas company, you'd better take into account the politics of the region it operates in. The clearest recent example is SOC where I gave pushback on the fact that it was located in California immediately and it turned out that CA regulators/politicians basically prevented SOC from turning their asset back on:

 

SOC got crushed despite many such as the thread author being highly promotional about the stock.

 

Canada has called for a windfall tax on their producers. UK did one and is thinking of suspending new North Sea licenses. If you invest in PBR, you'd better be aware of the politics in Brazil too.

 

I would not invest in an oil company in California. I would not invest in one in Canada, the UK, or EU either. Norway is not in the EU, but there is still an issue there:

 

The thing about Norway/Equinor is that they have made all the right moves re: energy and have thrived because of it. The problem is that Norway is a very small country with big boy EU and UK next door that it relies on as major trade partners and partners in defense and many other areas. This means that the EU/UK can exert leverage over Norway, especially since EU thinks Norway has benefitted at its expense from the energy surge by charging EU/UK high prevailing prices.

 

Add to that the leftist environmentalist orthodoxy that dominates much of politics on the continent, I think that the possibility of a punitive tax/fine ("carbon tax" or "carbon fine") imposed on Norway/Equinor in the future is not something to be ruled out. As I've shown, they've already discussed putting Norway's Sovereign Wealth Fund to use for funding Ukraine...

 

I invest in anything, if it’s cheap enough.

[John Hjorth]

6 minutes ago, Spekulatius said:

I invest in anything, if it’s cheap enough.

 

Isen't it about time, that you take the initiave to set up and form a SPAC called SPECTRE? It would be awesome!  Count me in! -We will all get filthy rich, I'm sure!

[Marco Van Basten]

1 hour ago, John Hjorth said:

 

Isen't it about time, that you take the initiave to set up and form a SPAC called SPECTRE? It would be awesome!  Count me in! -We will all get filthy rich, I'm sure!

James Bond...

[Loss Horizon]

On 3/10/2026 at 5:47 PM, Dalal.Holdings said:

The thing about the European system is it keeps and even promotes the leaders who keep making mistakes…only to have them make more mistakes

 

From my vantage point, the major change/reforms will only occur once the establishment is replaced by outsiders

 

I'm curious, do you believe "outsiders" won't be promoting people who make mistakes? Do you believe that "promoting leaders who make mistakes" is an inherent feature of organization "European system" and doesn't happen in other organizations?

[Loss Horizon]

2 hours ago, Dalal.Holdings said:

if you are going to invest in an oil & gas company, you'd better take into account the politics of the region it operates in

 

Politics of the region has very little to do with personality of Mrs von der Leyen.

 

The mistake of shutting down nuclear energy in Germany was not made by a single person or a group, it was a result of many different developments. Multiple big politicians being involved with Russia(btw, members of your favorite AfD are openly close to Russia) and its energy industry, people scared of Chernobyl and Fukushima, apparent success of renewable energy, troubles with building storage for nuclear waste.

 

I have a personal story about that. Russia imported a lot of nuclear waste from European countries for a fee. The material was transported on the same railroad as passengers, where I personally lived. Then it was dumped in a pit somewhere in Siberian forests. I saw the special railroad cars made of lead many times, they had 8 pairs of wheels, with some soldiers always around. Sometimes they were standing on a rail station next to a passenger train.

 

Unlike other countries, Germany has never exported its nuclear waste, which is quite a responsible decision.

Edited March 14 by Loss Horizon

[Dalal.Holdings]

40 minutes ago, Loss Horizon said:

 

I'm curious, do you believe "outsiders" won't be promoting people who make mistakes? Do you believe that "promoting leaders who make mistakes" is an inherent feature of organization "European system" and doesn't happen in other organizations?

Compare the European system with the American one: You went from George W Bush to Obama to Trump to Biden to Trump. Literally whiplash across the political spectrum. You’ve basically had polar opposite type of politicians one after the next. When one political party made a mistake, the American people threw them out and the pendulum went far in the opposite direction. The entire White House staff turns over. A bunch of people in the executive branch need to go find new jobs outside politics. Sometimes you need to clean house. All the mid level bureaucrats get cleaned out when that happens with each new party coming to power.

 

Now look at Germany or the UK. Even though you get a Labour or Tory, or CDU or SPD, they have all represented the same kind of political consensus (left of the USA): pro-mass immigration, pro regulation/bureaucracy, shut down nuclear, environmentalist extremism/climate change fanatics, generous welfare/social safety net, pro-UN, pro-tech regulations, etc. Whether you had Tony Blair or Boris Johnson or Rishi Sunak or Kier Starmer, it’s all basically been basically politicians cut from the same cloth. 

 

The EU is even worse. Literally run by insiders.

 

Even one cycle of putting the outsiders like Nigel Farage in charge will at least help correct the persistent leftward trajectory that Europe has been on. It will clean house of the Ursulas who have been in politics for decades and allow fresh faces to come in. Because small changes are not enough anymore. What’s needed is real reform. And real reformers are outsiders. It’s like when a company needs to find an outsider as its next CEO because the culture of the firm has become stagnant and rotten.

 

As Mark Twain said: Politicians, like Diapers, need to be changed often.

 

Edited March 14 by Dalal.Holdings

[Loss Horizon]

44 minutes ago, Dalal.Holdings said:

As Mark Twain said: Politicians, like Diapers, need to be changed often.

 

Wise words.

 

Again, I'm from Russia. My country is run by one guy and his friends for the last 25 years. All opposition is either dead, in prison, or in immigration. Every elections is fake. The country is in a pretty bad shape, my heart aches.

 

Germany is not that. It is maybe the opposite. The elections are real, opposition is very much active, the politicians at the top are quite diverse in my opinion. People are so much more happy and content.

[John Hjorth]

Crazy stories you share with us, @Loss Horizon,

 

Thank you. Please keep them coming.