Administration
   

beta version
Singapore
04:51 AM
   Tokyo
05:51 AM
   Pattaya
03:51 AM
   Moscow
12:51 AM
   Istanbul
11:51 PM
   Frankfurt
10:51 PM
   London
09:51 PM
   Rio de Janeiro
05:51 PM
   New York
04:51 PM
Memberlogin
Did you forget your password?
Register for a membership!
Click for the CKC Bonds Survey.
       
Discussion Board (Corporates)

 Board

 Write new posting

 Read old postings (archive)

 Read your postings


Last 50 Postings | Last 100 Postings


03-03-26  victor

savo :-))

03-03-26  savo

victor... Delcy is not my "heroína" .. it is Trump's heroina .. he was the one putting her there...

But you know my theory... there was no military operation... Delcy, Disodado and Jorge offered to hand Maduro over and the US just went there to pick him up.

With Maduro in jail.. Trump would have the excuse to U-turn and start lifting sanctions.


03-03-26  carib

50BB annually for Spain minimum decent figure.
in line with NATO commitments, btw

03-03-26  victor

spal :-)))


Bruselas defiende a España ante las amenazas de Trump y asegura que “protegerá” los intereses de la UE

La Comisión Europea emplaza a Estados Unidos a “cumplir los compromisos” del acuerdo comercial alcanzado en julio por el cual el techo arancelario se fijó en un 15%

Bruselas ha salido en defensa de España después de que el presidente de Estados Unidos, Donald Trump, haya asegurado que cortará "todo el comercio" con el Estado español por su negativa a usar las bases de Rota y Morón en su guerra contra Irán. La Comisión Europea ha vuelto a reafirmar que las competencias de comercio están en manos del Ejecutivo comunitario y que se encargará de que “los intereses de la Unión Europea estén completamente protegidos”.

Ante estas nuevas amenazas, la Comisión Europea -que ostenta las competencias comerciales-, ha dado una respuesta diplomática en defensa de España. El portavoz comunitario de Comercio, Olof Gill, ha asegurado a La Vanguardia que “la posición de la UE no ha cambiado” y ha recordado dos comunicaciones recientes del Ejecutivo comunitario del domingo 22 de febrero. La primera, que Bruselas espera que EE.UU. “cumpla los compromisos” del acuerdo comercial que alcanzaron ambas partes en julio, por el que establecían un arancel máximo del 15% para todos los productos europeos.

La segunda, que la Comisión “siempre asegurará que los intereses de la UE están completamente protegidos”. Se trata de una respuesta parecida a la que ya emitió en las otras ocasiones en que Trump amenazó a España por no invertir suficiente en defensa.

Este pronunciamiento de la institución comunitaria se asemeja al que emitió el pasado mes de octubre cuando Trump amenazó con imponer aranceles a España por no cumplir con el objetivo del 5% de gasto en defensa. Entonces, la UE manifestó que actúan “en nombre de todos los Estados miembros” y que respondería “adecuadamente ante cualquier medida tomada” contra alguno de los 27.

Así pues, desde la Comisión Europea emplazan al país estadounidense a respetar el acuerdo comercial alcanzado en julio por el que se fijaba un techo del 15% de aranceles a los productos de la zona comunitaria europea. Desde esta perspectiva, Estados Unidos no puede imponer aranceles a España exclusivamente, puesto que los tratados comerciales se negocian con la Comisión Europea.

03-03-26  victor

pana, tu novia sera la proxima presidenta de vz :-))

03-03-26  victor

spal, here is sanchez' response.. we don't care about a us trade embargo.

//

Spain baulks at Trump’s threat to cut off all trade over bases

The Spanish government has responded to US President Donald Trump’s threat to cut off all trade with Spain after Madrid refused to let the US military use its bases for missions linked to strikes on Iran.

“We have the necessary resources to contain the possible impact of the trade embargo by the US,” it said in a statement. “The US must comply with international law and bilateral EU-US trade agreements.”

03-03-26  panasonic

"starting with spending at least 500BB euros a year, intelligently and efficiently, for her defence."

Sanchez should come up with at least 50BB :-)))

03-03-26  panasonic

Bad news on Delcy :-(

She was my preferred candidate as new leader in Iran "Delcytollah Rodeini", well not everything can be perfect, pana back to his drawing board.

03-03-26  carib

Israel will remove the entire Shiite axis threat led by Iran and Hezbollah, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir said Tuesday night during a visit to an IDf air defense command center.

During a visit with Air Defense Chief Brig. Gen. "K" to battalion 947 of the air defense apparatus, Zamir said that the current conflict has morphed from seeking regime change in Iran to also finishing off Hezbollah as a decades-long threat to Israel.


03-03-26  carib

interesting news on Delcy..

03-03-26  carib

Savo: Europe has a role to play.. starting with spending at least 500BB euros a year, intelligently and efficiently, for her defence.

03-03-26  victor

savo, tu heroina, Delcy "Heroina" Rodriguez, tendra cargos por trafico de heroina ?? :-)))

//

La Fiscalía de EE.UU. prepara cargos contra Delcy Rodríguez tras años en el radar de la DEA como objetivo prioritario

Reuters revela la inminente acusación por corrupción y lavado; AP confirma que lleva años bajo investigación y ABC adelantó el informe de la DEA sobre los negocios de su entorno

La Fiscalía federal en Estados Unidos prepara discretamente una acusación penal contra Delcy Rodríguez por corrupción y lavado de dinero, según una exclusiva de Reuters, en un movimiento que convierte el frente judicial en una pieza más de la presión política de la Administración Trump sobre la nueva etapa venezolana. La agencia sostiene que el Departamento de Justicia trabaja en el escrito de cargos con el respaldo del presidente y que la acusación puede funcionar como palanca para condicionar decisiones en Caracas.

Ese giro no nace de la nada. Associated Press (AP) publicó en enero que Rodríguez lleva años en el radar de la DEA y que en 2022 fue catalogada como «objetivo prioritario», una etiqueta interna reservada para sospechosos considerados de alto impacto en el narcotráfico. AP sostiene que la agencia acumuló un expediente de inteligencia desde al menos 2018, con asociados y alegaciones que van desde tráfico de drogas hasta contrabando de oro, y que su nombre aparece en casi una docena de investigaciones de la DEA, algunas aún abiertas, repartidas entre oficinas en Estados Unidos y en el exterior.

Según AP, un confidente llegó a señalar en 2021 que hoteles en Isla Margarita se usaban «como frente» para lavar dinero, y la pieza vincula a Rodríguez en distintas líneas de interés, incluida su proximidad al empresario Alex Saab, figura central en el entramado de negocios del chavismo y durante años foco de investigaciones estadounidenses. Al mismo tiempo, AP subraya un punto relevante: el Gobierno estadounidense no la ha acusado públicamente de delitos y, pese a estar en el núcleo del poder, no figura entre los funcionarios venezolanos ya imputados en causas de narcotráfico asociadas al entorno de Maduro.


Estrategia de escalada jurídica

En ese contexto, la información de Reuters sobre una acusación por corrupción y lavado encaja con una estrategia de escalada jurídica: de los informes de inteligencia y pesquisas de agencia a la preparación de cargos listos para tribunal. La clave es el «cuándo» y el «para qué». Reuters sugiere que el expediente penal puede reforzar la capacidad de presión de Trump en un momento en que Washington busca moldear el escenario posterior a Maduro y condicionar a la dirigente que quedó al frente.

Antes, el diario ABC había publicado sobre el círculo económico de Rodríguez y el papel de un informe manejado por la DEA. Según esa información, la agencia dispone de documentación sobre los negocios millonarios del entorno de la dirigente y de su pareja, el empresario libanés Yussef Abou Nassif, con contratos estatales que se disparan durante los años más duros de la crisis venezolana. El reporte describía estructuras societarias en el extranjero y operativas comerciales asociadas a contratos públicos, además de señalar sospechas de vínculos con organizaciones como Hizbolá o Hamás, aclarando que se trataba de acusaciones sin pruebas concluyentes. La presidenta encargada de Venezuela ha demandado al diario y a su director para rectificar estas informaciones.

La convergencia de esas tres líneas —Reuters sobre la preparación de una acusación, AP sobre el historial de interés de la DEA y ABC sobre el informe que detalla nombres, negocios y cifras en el círculo íntimo— dibuja una misma lógica: la Administración dispone de un instrumento de presión sobre la presidenta encargada. No hace falta que exista una condena para que exista presión. Basta con la amenaza creíble de un escrito de acusación, con el coste personal que implica para una dirigente en ejercicio: limitaciones de viaje, exposición financiera, riesgo de detención fuera de su país y, sobre todo, el mensaje a su entorno de que la nueva fase venezolana también se juega en un tribunal federal.
Preparación «silenciosa»

En términos prácticos, el mensaje es doble. Para Caracas, el margen de maniobra de Rodríguez puede quedar condicionado por una amenaza judicial de la que Trump está al tanto y que se activa o se congela según evolucione la relación con Washington, tal y como apunta Reuters. Para el resto del chavismo, es una advertencia: el cambio de equilibrio no se limita a sanciones administrativas, sino que puede traducirse en causas penales con nombres y apellidos.

Y, sin embargo, el punto decisivo sigue siendo el mismo que AP remarca: el Gobierno de Estados Unidos no ha presentado públicamente cargos contra Rodríguez. Reuters habla de una preparación «silenciosa». Es decir, un proceso todavía en construcción, con valor político precisamente por su ambigüedad: lo suficientemente avanzado para ejercer presión, lo bastante opaco para dosificar su uso.

Esta causa se instruiría en Miami, según ha podido saber ABC. La macrocausa por la que se ha juzgado a Maduro y a su esposa Cilia Flores se desarrolla en Nueva York, donde ya se ha declarado culpable Hugo Carvajal. La eventual acusación contra Rodríguez abriría un nuevo frente judicial en paralelo a ese proceso mayor, ampliando el alcance de la ofensiva legal estadounidense contra la cúpula del poder venezolano.

03-03-26  savo

victor... i prefer multipolar world where there is a balance of power... I do not like bullies... I always side with the assaulted... never with the aggressor.

Europe has a role to play in the world... and that role can not be one of a US lapdog. Europe had ample and cheap energy supply from Russia. Gazprom built NS II to increase that supply and bypass Ukraine...

All that is gone and the european fools are paying the price.


03-03-26  victor

savo, there we go.

even a total skeptic like yourself, who stays away from spanish politics, sees a good reason to like sanchez.

that's what sanchez is betting on, come elecion time.

03-03-26  savo

if the war prolongs... means China is arming Iran... and it is game over ...

a prefect excuse to TACO and spin it as a victory.

meanwhile DT desperately looking for a Delcy among the ayatollahs!

03-03-26  victor

spal, in that meeting, merz was also criticizing sanchez :-))
//

Por su parte, el canciller alemán, Merz, ha apoyado las declaraciones de Trump, afirmando que “Estamos tratando de convencer a España de que alcance el 3% o el 3,5% que acordamos en la OTAN. Y, como dijo el presidente, es correcto: España es la única que no está dispuesta a aceptar eso, y estamos tratando de convencerles de que esto es parte de nuestra seguridad común, que todos tenemos que cumplir con estas cifras. España tiene que cumplir con eso.”

03-03-26  savo

one can not dislike Sanchez after this ...

03-03-26  spal

Yep Vic - got it.

03-03-26  carib

IRVINE, Calif., March 03, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mobix Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: MOBX) today issued a brief update following its earlier announcement of a production purchase order supporting the U.S. Navy’s Tomahawk cruise missile program, emphasizing that the order reflects increased procurement associated with ongoing missile production.

286% up today

03-03-26  victor

spal, i know, i watched it too.

if franco could flip the bird to hitler, i am sure sanchez can flip the bird to dt.

if sanchez yields to dt, he's politically dead, btw.

this is the one issue that could save sanchez in next year's elections.

03-03-26  spal

100% not an empty threat.

03-03-26  spal

Vic - fyi

https://x.com/JohnsonDall/status/2028884844323762186?s=20

03-03-26  victor

spal, even though sanchez' office is claiming they have received no formal complaints from the usa.
implying it's just some DT empty threat.

we'll see.

//

Moncloa niega «consecuencias» por desmarcarse de EE.UU.: «No hemos recibido queja ninguna»

Creen que cuentan con un apoyo social mayoritario por la tradición «antimilitarista» de España

03-03-26  spal

Trump may embargo Spain.

03-03-26  victor

spal, some guys are also calling for spain to be expelled from nato :-)))

03-03-26  victor

spal :-))

we'll see if dt finally makes good on his commercial threats with spain.

03-03-26  carib

The IDF targeted a building in which Tehran's 88-member Assembly of Experts was meeting to choose Iran's next supreme leader, Israeli sources told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

Iranian news agencies reported that the building was "flattened" during the Israeli strikes.

03-03-26  spal


Clash Report
@clashreport
·
10m
Trump on Spain:

We are going to cut off all trade with Spain.

We don't want anything to do with Spain.


===

Spain gets bombed next ...

03-03-26  carib

Savo: no, China does not have "the same weapons".
besides.. try flying cargo planes into iranian airports right now..

03-03-26  spal

BREAKING: 🇸🇦🇮🇷 “We are Saudis — we do not lose our temper easily. But when we do, we strike hard,” a Saudi military spokesperson said.

03-03-26  spal

Vic - yes, indeed.

03-03-26  victor

spal, the leftwing, from around the world, loves sanchez.. since many years ago.
plenty of examples.

Alexander Soros, son of the influential billionaire George Soros, has publicly defended Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at a time of intense international controversy.

etc

03-03-26  spal

Vic - yes. He is getting some attention now.

03-03-26  victor

spal, as i was telling pana the other day, there is mounting interest, from several places, to ensure that sanchez gets killed in next year's elections.

03-03-26  spal

Old news ... sorry

03-03-26  spal

Iranian forces launched missiles and drones on February 28, 2026, targeting the US Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, destroying key structures including the command building, as confirmed by IRGC statements and verified footage from outlets like Al Jazeera and The New York Times.


03-03-26  spal

TRUMP: HE TOLD BESSENT TO CLEAR OFF ALL DEALINGS WITH SPAIN AFTER IRAN RESPONSE.

Whoops

03-03-26  panasonic

Savo, now Mike Wirth has to make his promise good.

Our side of the pond will have enough supply, Pdvsa already considered a USA asset, bonds should be flying.

03-03-26  spal

DF reading colores?

===

Yes they project it up on a big screen in a conference room in HaKirya ... they aren't dummies.

03-03-26  panasonic

"I do not think the 88 beards will actually meet.
that would be an ideal target.. maybe a zoom call?"

IDF reading colores?

03-03-26  spal

that China has the same amount of weapons... and will be delighted to deliver them to Iran...


===

No they won't. They will however cooperate to reopen the Straight of Hormuz.

03-03-26  savo

meanwhile european fools paying +24% for gas in europe... so much for being a US ally...

Natural Gas EU (EUR/MWh) 54.008 10.707 (+24.73%)



03-03-26  savo

victor... there is one problem with that charade even if it happens to be true which, coming from DT, most probably isn't...

that China has the same amount of weapons... and will be delighted to deliver them to Iran... if that helps to engage the US into another Afghanistan.


03-03-26  victor

The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better - As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. Wars can be fought “forever,” and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!). At the highest end, we have a good supply, but are not where we want to be. Much additional high grade weaponry is stored for us in outlying countries. Sleepy Joe Biden spent all of his time, and our Country’s money, GIVING everything to P.T. Barnum (Zelenskyy!) of Ukraine - Hundreds of Billions of Dollars worth - And, while he gave so much of the super high end away (FREE!), he didn’t bother to replace it. Fortunately, I rebuilt the military in my first term, and continue to do so. The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP

03-03-26  victor

1.15 euro

03-03-26  spal

03-03-26 carib

QED

===

So the old back channels still work ...

;)

03-03-26  spal

Prime Credit ... get ready for bumps.

03-03-26  carib

QED:

The IDF targeted a building in which Tehran's 88-member Assembly of Experts was meeting to choose Iran's next supreme leader, Israeli sources told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

03-03-26  spal

Iraq has started cutting output as storage fills up. Oil +9% today

*IRAQ STARTS SHUTTING OIL OUTPUT AT RUMAILA AS STORAGE FILLS
*IRAQ CUTS WEST QURNA 2 OIL PRODUCTION BY 450,000 B/D

03-03-26  spal

It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. That way and not some other way.

===

03-03-26  spal

Circuit breaker triggered at Korea.

Tomorrow does not look pretty for the market.

03-03-26  spal

IRAQ WILL BE FORCED TO CUT ITS PRODUCTION BY MORE THAN 3 MLN BPD IN A FEW DAYS IF OIL TANKERS CANNOT MOVE FREELY AND REACH LOADING PORTS - RTRS

03-03-26  carib

Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom has halted operations at the nuclear power plant in the Iranian city of Bushehr, its head said on Tuesday, the Interfax news agency reported.

Alexei Likhachev said there were more than 600 personnel at the Bushehr plant and that they were leaving the country, according to Interfax. Nearly 100 plant personnel were evacuated on Saturday, when US and Israeli strikes on Iran began.


03-03-26  carib

The unpredictable part.. is Trump's mind.

03-03-26  carib

As predictable.. Dollar up..

03-03-26  carib

Savo: neither has the military means to do that, and neither imagines attacking US forces.
Question is to make the clerical regime collapse you need an armed uprising.. = give the people machine guns.

03-03-26  carib

Panas: I do not think the 88 beards will actually meet.
that would be an ideal target.. maybe a zoom call?

03-03-26  savo

pana...China and Russia were not going to let the US take Iran after taking veni.

The question now is full endless war with a budget deficit of 2.5trn or a quick and elegant retreat to avoid further cost.



03-03-26  panasonic

Masks are off, it has always been a race to have supremacy in the region and control of world's oil supply, the question is are we in for a long conflict or not?

The short term playbook (if me was asked), the council of fundamentalist clerics is composed of 88, eliminate the most radical ones and pray next leader is one that has no nuclear ambitions....in'shallah!

03-03-26  spal

U.S. State Department orders the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Bahrain and Jordan.

03-03-26  spal

HOLD MAXIMUM POSITIONS. The "Shock Phase" is underway, with ton-mile math (e.g., 20% capacity loss) inescapable.

Stocks may gap up on resolution, but current confusion favors entry. Watch for US Sovereign Guarantee: No confirmation yet—insurers are canceling covers, not backstopping.

A Treasury/coalition guarantee could unlock the stranded fleet, triggering a rate normalization but short-term surge from backlog clearance.

Absent this, stasis persists, bolstering owners of modern, compliant tonnage.

Politically incorrect note: Shadow fleet inefficiencies (e.g., Venezuelan normalization reducing demand) further tighten commercial supply, favoring listed players.


03-03-26  spal

Over 200 tankers are anchored near Hormuz, with traffic plunging amid Iranian threats and navigation interference.


War-risk cover has been canceled by major clubs (e.g., Gard, Skuld) effective March 5, excluding Iranian/Gulf waters—rates could surge 50%+ (from 0.2-0.25% to 0.5-1% of hull value).

This freezes movements, removing ~20% effective capacity even if the strait reopens, aligning with your "months to clear backlog" expectation.



No demand weakness is evident; it's purely supply-side.




03-03-26  spal

VLCC (Crude): TD3C (Middle East Gulf-to-China) rates have indeed surpassed $200,000/day, with assessments reaching $423,736/day on March 2—far exceeding the thesis's $200k figure and confirming a ~440% YoY surge. This reflects extreme tightness, with earnings at $209,550/day round-trip.


The market is pricing in 20-30% effective capacity removal from detours.


Suezmax (Crude): Gulf rates have hit or exceeded $250,000/day, with MEG-Med assessments at $267,579/day (up 23% intraday) and Black Sea-Med at $146,283/day TCE. This supports the thesis's emphasis on flexibility for STS transfers and contested waters.


MR/LR2 (Product): Clean rates are rising 10-15% weekly, with LR2 MEG-Japan at WS197 ($45,800/day TCE, up 24%) and MR USG-Continent up 530% YoY to ~$36,000/day. Refinery risks in Saudi/UAE are shifting sourcing to the Atlantic, boosting distances.




03-03-26  spal

Some trouble in Bahrain

03-03-26  spal

CRS (Carpenter Technology): STRONG BUY VALIDATED. CRS closed at $408.84, up 2.7% on the day, after hitting an intraday all-time high of $410.10. The "Defense Bottleneck" is the dominant story, with investors ignoring broader market weakness to bid up the only provider of high-spec alloys for the B-21 and missile platforms.

03-03-26  victor

Saudi Arabia says US Embassy in Riyadh attacked by two drones, causing a 'limited fire'

03-03-26  savo

under Israeli orders

Trump Vows ‘Whatever It Takes’ on Iran as Conflict Widens




03-02-26  carib

Qatar shoots down two Iranian Su-24 fighter jets over airspace as Gulf states suffer Iran strikes

I did not know Iran still had some aircraft that could fly..

03-02-26  carib

Savo: I do not think countries should bomb any neighbour they dislike. But I do think that the ayatollahs should not be allowed to have nukes. That implies that either they give up for real, or their regime should be annihilated.I hope one of the two outcomes in achieved, preferably the second.

03-02-26  pillz

if some colores are interested in Iron Beam laser ..

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-888515

03-02-26  pillz

No longer a “Conspiracy Theory”

Israel just used a Directed Energy Weapon (DEWs)

“Israel used their high-powered laser weapon, the ‘Iron Beam’”

During Biden’s term the media worked relentlessly to Fact Check these weapons as conspiracy theories

https://x.com/WallStreetApes/status/2028305506511782343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2028305506511782343%7Ctwgr%5Eba4753c066afd27f969bfaa7510e50394f39cc78%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jpost.com%2Fisrael-news%2Fdefense-news%2Farticle-888515

03-02-26  savo

carib.. i congratulate Trump too on veni... after 8 years of senseless sanctions started by Obama and augmented by him in his first presidency...

As for Iran... i do not like the ayatollahs as i do not like any muslim regime... but still do not know why Trump is madly bombing Iran.

03-02-26  spal

New position NAT ... will catch up with the rest of the fleet.

Shipping rate outlook is higher for longer ...

03-02-26  spal




Larry Ellison: AI Models Becoming Interchangeable Commodities

03-02-26  carib

Drone shares doing fine, for good reasons.

03-02-26  carib

Flying to the USA in two days, hopefully no problem.

03-02-26  carib

Savo: I only have the choice to be pragmatic.
I am not a US person.
I disagree with MAGA theories, but I congratulate Trump on Veny and Iran.(which are actually not at all MAGA aligned).
I wish the EU grew cojones of her own, but I have no available instrument to make that happen.

03-02-26  leopardo

Sooner or later they will recover Carib

03-02-26  carib

PDVsa bonds down 3/8ths of a point

03-02-26  savo

that maniac belongs in a loonie house.

03-02-26  spal

Trump tells CNN the "big wave" is yet to come in war with Iran

03-02-26  pillz

WS is now in green ...

03-02-26  savo

European fools end up paying the price of US follies.

03-02-26  savo

Qatar stopped production of liquefied natural gas after attacks by Iranian drones.

About 20% of global LNG exports come from the Persian Gulf, primarily Qatar, and are shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.

European natural gas futures soared after the shutdown.

Iran has launched missiles at U.S. allies across the Gulf in retaliation for massive strikes by the U.S. and Israel that killed its head of state, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

03-02-26  savo

Treasuries Sink as Oil Jump Stokes Inflation Fears

can't go to war if your country is broke.

03-02-26  pillz

US markets have opened lower, following declines across Asia and Europe. But defying the trend was Israel.

The Tel Aviv 35 index rose almost 4% to a record on Monday, the first day of trading after Israel and the US began attacks on Iran. It’s among the best performing markets this year.

The Israel shekel jumped about 1.5% and is the only major world currency to appreciate against the dollar.

03-02-26  panasonic

No reaction in pdvsa bonds yet?

03-02-26  spal

Russia remains largely silent, but the targeting of the Bandar Abbas region (the INSTC anchor) remains their "Red Line." If this is crossed, Moscow’s neutrality is likely over.

03-02-26  spal

The IDF is currently weighing a ground invasion of Lebanon

03-02-26  spal

Factors Continuing the Trend:

The "Shadow Fleet" Isolation: 27% of the global fleet is now dedicated to sanctioned trades (Russia/Iran/Venezuela), meaning they cannot "swing" back to help Western routes.

Fleet Age: 44% of VLCCs are over 15 years old. Vetting standards at major ports mean these ships are increasingly ineligible for the most profitable "Blue Chip" routes.

03-02-26  spal

Entity-Specific Outlook

DHT Holdings (DHT): The Scalpel. As a VLCC pure-play with a modern fleet, DHT has the highest torque to the $200k/day spot rates. Their recent charters at $90k–$105k/day provide a massive cash-flow floor.

Frontline (FRO): The Dividend King. With the $1.03/share quarterly dividend (442% increase) and 92% of VLCC days already booked at $107,100/day, FRO is essentially a "Cash Harvest" vehicle.

International Seaways (INSW): The Defensive Pivot. Their diversified fleet (VLCCs + MR Product Tankers) protects you if crude flows stabilize but refined product demand (gasoline/diesel) spikes due to detour-related shortages.

TORM (TRMD): The Clean Specialist. Benefiting from the "refinery gap." As Gulf refineries face operational risks, refined products must be shipped from further away (India/US), making TORM’s MR fleet essential.

03-02-26  spal

Tanker Rate Analysis: The "Hormuz Vertical"

The rate environment is currently defined by a "One-Way Flow Out" from the Persian Gulf and a total re-routing of global oil logistics.

VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers): Rates for the Middle East Gulf-to-China (TD3C) route have breached the $200,000/day threshold—a 440% YoY increase.

Suezmax & Aframax: These "smaller" vessels are seeing even more violent price action as they are utilized for the flexible detours. Black Sea-to-Med Suezmax rates are now above $140,000/day.

The Ton-Mile Trap: By detouring around the Cape of Good Hope, a round trip from the Gulf to Europe now takes 14–20 days longer. This effectively removes ~20% of the world’s available tanker capacity without a single ship being sunk.

03-02-26  spal

Gold has decisively cleared the psychological barrier, hitting $5,400/oz this morning.

These 2 are my gold plays:

Aris Mining (ARIS) - Colombia base: Successfully uplisted to the NYSE (ticker: ARIS) on Feb 19. With gold at $5,400, Aris is entering a "Cash Harvest" phase. Having beaten 2025 guidance by 22%, the company is now fully funded for its Marmato expansion, targeting 500,000 oz/year.

K92 Mining (KNTNF) - New Guinea base: Just reported record annual results. With an AISC of $1,619/oz and gold at $5,400, their profit margin exceeds $3,700/oz. The 93% increase in ore processing capacity ensures they are the highest-torque junior on your list.

Both controlled from Canada.

03-02-26  spal

3 US warplanes shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses, pilots bail out in friendly fire incident, CENTCOM says

===

Somebody f_tcked up.

03-02-26  spal

Regarding Carib...as a master of disguise..

===

LOL

03-02-26  spal

This demonstrates that these hard assets are the true hard currency during this extraordinary period.”


Yes.

03-02-26  savo

spal.. the fundamental point...is that US$ assets are in a secular bear market when measured in real money...and by real money i mean the only money that existed until a bunch of clever guys decided to go fiat in the early 70s.

For somebody expert in stock picking like yourself... it may not be important... for the common mortal like myself.. it is very important to know if i am making money or not... and for that I need a parameter.

Regarding Carib...as a master of disguise... defends the US but invests mostly outside the US$.


03-02-26  pillz

Provisional rates to hire a tanker to carry oil from the Middle East to China have more than doubled since Friday due to the war in the Middle East and an increasingly tight supply of vessels.

A Suezmax that can hold as much as 1 million barrels of crude was fixed on the route at a rate of 525 industry standard Worldscale points, according to shipbrokers. That compares with 225 points on Friday and WS50 at the start of the year.

The industry uses so-called Worldscale rates as a way to easily calculate both vessel earnings and per-barrel freight costs across thousands of trade routes.

The widening war in the Middle East and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is turbocharging tanker costs, which had already been rising on the growing threat of a conflict. The price moves are being exacerbated by a concentration of supertanker ownership, after South Korean shipper Sinokor Merchant Marine went on a very-large crude carrier buying spree in recent months.

Voyages on the Middle East to China route are normally agreed on based on tonnage available on a VLCC that can carry as much as 2 million barrels.

03-02-26  pillz

Oil Tanker Rates Skyrocket on Key Middle East-to-China Route

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-02/oil-tanker-rates-skyrocket-on-key-middle-east-to-china-route

03-02-26  pillz

“Precious metals, oil and commodities are rising despite the dollar’s rebound, even though they are priced in US dollars. This demonstrates that these hard assets are the true hard currency during this extraordinary period.”

03-02-26  spal

1 * (1+r)^n

is by definition going to be a shit ton larger than 1 as n grows ... subject to r.

This is all you are saying.

We all know this.

03-02-26  spal

Savo ... dollars are my denominator ... your example fails as you are applying a compounding rate to a monetary denominator.

Anyone with any sense has those "dollars" invested and mostly (if they are smart) at higher rates than you compound assumption.

I don't think you understand your own example.

03-02-26  savo

spal.. keep hoarding dollars backed by your sixth fleet.. that i keep hoarding gold

as time passes you will need more dollars to buy the same goods.. and i will need less gold..


03-02-26  spal

Carib made an excellent point today:

I think, on the other hand, that proven military superiority regenerates "exorbitant privilege"..

If you don't see the set back BRICS took today then again I can't help you.

03-02-26  spal

or that people want gold and silver

===

A mere flight to safety ... always has been and always will be. It is NOT an investment. It is a speculation.

I hold it for speculative purposes only.

03-02-26  spal

Savo - you and I are at cross purposes.

If you don't understand that power comes out of the barrel of a gun I can't help you.

03-02-26  spal

Savo ... why don't you just start you deflationary series with Antediluvian if it makes you feel like what you are saying is important?

Gold is a speculative asset.
Dollars are a denominator.

Compound interest if taken over a long time can move the earth. Ask Einstein. Albert Einstein is widely credited with calling compound interest the "eighth wonder of the world".

The idea is to find investments in the meantime.

Nothing else matters in this biz.

03-02-26  savo

so what

what part you do not understand?...

that people do not want the backing of the sixth fleet which basically means more money printing... or that people want gold and silver?

03-02-26  spal

nobody wants the sixth fleet.

===

So what?

03-02-26  spal

Germany, France, and the UK are ready to take defensive action against Iran.

03-02-26  savo

The Sixth Fleet.

exactly... problem... nobody wants the sixth fleet... or the US$.. people want gold and silver...

as an example... when the fed was created in december 1913 and ounce of gold costed 20 dollars... now 5200.

so much for the sixth fleet...or the Fed.


03-02-26  spal

Besides Tankers - holding gold, Antimony, Copper, Rare Earth Processing Capacity (in the US), Data center and Health Care (aged folks) REITS, and CRS.

In a 2026 economy where AI commoditizes software, Carpenter Technology (CRS) stands as a resilient "Physical Moat" play, leveraging irreplaceable metallurgy for global security hardware. With aerospace demand surging—driven by U.S. Air Force's 25% B-21 Raider production acceleration for 2027 deliveries—CRS benefits as a primary supplier of high-temperature superalloys for engines like LEAP/GTF and military platforms. Record Q2 FY26 results underscore operating leverage: SAO margins hit 33.1% (16th straight increase), with FY26 adjusted FCF projected at least $280M and operating income raised to $680-700M. Physical scarcity amplifies pricing power; VIM capacity bottlenecks persist amid global superalloy shortages, with no digital alternatives for hypersonic warfare or nuclear SMRs. Trading near $400/share, CRS is re-rating from cyclical to strategic asset, supported by decade-long backlogs and raw material volatility favoring incumbents. Risks include geopolitical delays, but balanced capital allocation (e.g., $183M buybacks) and brownfield expansions position CRS for sustained growth. Strong Buy on volume uptick; $400 floor, targeting $600 as aerospace ramps.

Tankers are my largest position.


03-02-26  savo

carib.. no doubt.. 72 devils... the same 72 devils that are waiting for the US government and the EU commission.

03-02-26  spal

COSCO Tankers opens limit up 15% in Asia.

All others to follow.

And so it begins ...

Help & Support