Countries BONDS Anyone with financial knowledge

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by Jack McHammocklashing, Oct 16, 2012.

  1. Jack McHammocklashing

    Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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    I keep hearing about European Countries Governmetn Bonds
    Now they say Italian Bonds up 12% Spanish Bonds up 7% as if that is bad

    WHY? is that not good, up rather than down ?

    This is all reagarding the EUROZONE

    They state that surely as you can see these bonds are up the Country is in collapse

    Any explanation for someone who has not a clue

    Jack McH
     
  2. Phil A

    Phil A Guest

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    Not a clue there either Jack:what:
     
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    • shiney

      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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      Non-technical reply:-
      It means they're offering a high interest return (much higher than you can get elsewhere) if you are willing to lend them money.
      High return equals high risk.
      Shows they're desparate!

      With bonds you can purchase them, get the good interest (if their monetary system survives to pay you out), but because they're a risky investment you have difficulty selling them to get your money back.
      Government bonds usually have a long term maturity date (when they will give you your capital back) and if you need your capital before that you need to find someone who will buy your bonds.

      During the early 70's (we had hyper-inflation) some local authorities were offering exceptionally high interest bonds on very short term maturity as they needed cash urgently. Mortgage rates were at 11% and some local authorities were offering 20% for three or six months of investment.

      That was when I was buying Shineyland and was lucky enough to have organised a low fixed term mortgage just before inflation hit. I also borrowed money from the bank (different one from where we had the mortgage) and lent it to the local authority. At the end of three succesive short term bonds I was able to use the profit to reduce our mortgage :dbgrtmb:.

      Everyone gained - bank made money out of us (from the loan), local authority got through its short term problems and didn't have to cut services and we made some money to help our morgage. Don't ask me to explain that :scratch: - as I don't know the answer.
       
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      • miraflores

        miraflores Total Gardener

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        I am a bit wild...I don't know much about banks in Italy I confess...but i don't think they play with the money and they usually work on money that they have, not money that doesn't exist.
         
      • Jack McHammocklashing

        Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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        Thanks Shiney that makes sense
        It was Nigel Farage talking about Europe and the Euro

        He stated re The PIIGS that surely anyone can see that the bonds have gone up to 12% in the case of Greece 16% That these countries and the Euro are finished

        I did not have a clue, but you have put me right thank you
        So really if the return is too good to be true IT IS

        Jack McH
         
      • shiney

        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        By Jove, he's got it! :)

        TANSTAAFL :old:
         
      • miraflores

        miraflores Total Gardener

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        Could you find the source where you got those info from Jack, as i believe those data are from start of September, meaning one and a half month ago.

        If your bank would offer a 12% interest on a short term bond (3 months) you would jump on it right?
        So this is a hopefully a well planned move on behalf of the banks to raise some money from the public quickly and as you know in the bank the money is taken from one and given to the other.

        Say 11 billion bonds are sold in this month in Italy with that money you will start repaying the first bonds+their interest that come to maturity and hopefully the cycle will continue.

        I had enquired back in June for some bonds in Italy just out of curiosity.
        They were offering a 4.30 interest for deposits between 10.000 and 100.000 euros (in gbp it would be about 20% less of that amount) held in the bank for one and a half year.
        If you were withdrawing money prior to the one and a half year the interest would be less, but still the option of the widthdrawal open, which is very good.

        As you can see an extremely attractive proposal even if it was not 12%...
         
      • shiney

        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        Miraflores, what you are talking about are not Government Bonds (which cannot be withdrawn until maturity) but simply bank deposit accounts that are now commonly called bonds by the banks.

        They offer the higher rate of interest but the penalty for withdrawing early reduces the interest to below a simple deposit account rate. You need to look at the financial stability of the bank as quite a number in the EU have gone bust recently.

        There are quite a lot of accounts that offer what is now considered a reasonable rate and I think are the better of the rip-offs that the banks are offering. Most of them are fixed term but some allow some withdrawal. Nearly all of them don't require a high sum to be deposited.

        With the state of the economy in some of the EU countries I would not want to risk putting money in!!!!

        Here's a link to some of the rates on offer at the moment

        http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...-saving-rates-Fixed-rate-bonds--accounts.html
         
      • miraflores

        miraflores Total Gardener

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        ...in fact the idea is: not to withdraw the bonds early...

        In case the bank goes bust it will sell the bonds to a different bank because she is merely an administrator of the bonds, which are released by the government.

        I am sure the banks don't want to go bust any more than you and me.
        I mean, banks are supposed to hold our money safely and it would be a big blow to the economic cycle if they don't do that.
        There are guarantees in place towards the clients for those institutions who adhere to it.
         
      • Scrungee

        Scrungee Well known for it

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        I know all about Bonds and that it's just another form of gambling

        [​IMG]
         
      • clueless1

        clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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        I have absolute no doubt you are right, but with one small exception.

        If you or I lose all our money, and also do so much damage to the company that employs us, then we are quite simply stuffed. Not only will we be completely broke, but also once word gets out as to how that came about, nobody will want to employ us.

        If on the other hand you manage funds in a bank, you will have wisely invested your own earnings in property in several countries. Of course you don't want the bank to go bust, but if it does, you have the consolation that you can just walk away, sell some assets somewhere to keep you going for a few months, and then get a new job as a consultant.
         
      • miraflores

        miraflores Total Gardener

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        this is an interesting point about "nobody will want to employ us".

        You reckon that if I have my personal account in a bank and the bank goes bust and I loose my money and I am working for somebody they would sack me? (possibly i didnt understand your point) but why?
        Unless of course my money is in any form relevant to the smooth running of the company. Is it an image thing?
         
      • clueless1

        clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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        No, sorry, what I meant was if you worked for a company that collapsed at least in part as a result of your activities (or inactivity), then you'd be unemployable once word got out.

        Whereas if you were in a position of of authority in a bank, earning huge amounts, and you had already accumulated millions of pounds worth of assets in various countries. so that not all your eggs are in one basket, then you'd have less reason to care what happened to the company (in this case the bank) long term because worst case scenario, it collapses, you get to sneak away for a few months and live off assets you'd already accumulated.
         
      • Jack McHammocklashing

        Jack McHammocklashing Sludgemariner

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        The figures were early September and were for GOVERNMENT BONDS
        ie THE GREEK GOVERNMENT were prepared to issue Government Bonds with 16%
        return
        Now when Greece goes bust in November and reverts from Euro to Drachma your bonds will go too so you are left with zilch nil nothing

        That is why I asked for advice on here and got it from Shiney
        16% would be nice instead of the 2.1% offered by the UK banks on savings pre tax :-)

        Now I wonder WHY I can not lend money out at 4000 % as Pay Day Loans do
        apparently it would be illegal ?

        Jack McH
         
      • shiney

        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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        Even Spain, who have just been given a reprieve, are not particularly safe. :nonofinger: I would give them a miss.

        Jack, you can get around 3% with a lot of British banks. Look at the link I put up :dbgrtmb:. It's not a jumping for joy amount but it's better than nothing - just!
         
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