Alfred Gray

Are you more into longer term (medium and long term) trading or more into daytrading and active trading?

Or how are your portfolios composed?

Most of the key stocks in the S&P 500 index have reached new highs.

I decided to take profits and reallocate to new investments.

Where would you currently invest the free cash flow?

EU/CZECH DEBT

The European Union's debt continued to decline in the third quarter of last year, falling to 82.6 of GDP.

In the Czech Republic, the trend was reversed and debt increased compared to the previous quarter, reaching 44.5 percent of economic output, according to Eurostat data. Government debt was at a record high in the Czech Republic.

Google investments

- Google $GOOG plans to invest $1 billion to build a data centre near London.

- The data centre will be located in Waltham Cross, 15 miles north of central London, on 33 acres.

- The UK government sees the investment as a "huge vote of confidence" in the UK and its growth potential.

- Microsoft $MSFT also plans to invest $3.2 billion in the UK, including data...
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Central Banks and Adjustment of Expectations

Central bankers are trying to temper market expectations for interest rate cuts in 2024. The Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank are emphasizing the need for caution in adjusting to market expectations.

Money Market Expectations:

Money markets still expect a Federal Reserve rate cut by May and the first easing by the European...
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INTERIM EU ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING AGREEMENT UNDER THE CRYPTOS

- The European Union has reached an interim agreement to strengthen cooperation between national authorities in the fight against money laundering.

- The agreement focuses in particular on the cryptocurrency sector, with the aim of eliminating divergent approaches between Member States in the fight against money...
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US BANKING AND OUTLOOK FOR 2024

1. **Lower regional bank profits:** In the fourth quarter of 2023, some large U.S. regional banks, including Charles Schwab, Citizens Financial, and U.S. Bancorp, saw their profits decline.

2. **Reasons for the decline in earnings:** The decrease in net interest income (NII) was driven by one-time fees and rising costs of maintaining customer...
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Banks granted mortgages worth CZK 150 billion last year, down by a quarter year-on-year.

- Banks and building societies granted mortgage loans worth CZK 150 billion last year, down by almost a quarter year-on-year. New loans excluding refinancing amounted to CZK 124 billion. Interest rates continued to fall in December, dropping from 5.67 per cent in November to 5.65 per cent,...
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$IIPR INTERESTING BUSINESS AND DIVIDEND

- $IIPR offers an attractive dividend yield of 7.6% and is a pioneer in cannabis real estate investing.

- The legalization of cannabis in the U.S. represents a potential growth opportunity for this company, and its long-term leases provide predictable income.

- Despite the recent market turbulence, IIPR continues to build its cash flow and...
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INCREASED LOSSES AT ELECTROLUX

- Electrolux, the second-largest appliance maker, posted an increased loss in the fourth quarter due to high costs, strong price competition and weak demand in North America.

- The operating loss for the quarter is estimated at about 3.2 billion kronor ($311 million), compared with a loss of 2 billion kronor in the same period last year.

- Electrolux...
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KAUZA BOEING

https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/ekonomika-boeing-priznal-ze-muze-za-vypadnuti-kusu-trupu-za-letu-40456720

What is your opinion on this case? Will it/ won't it affect the share price or operations of $BA

ARGOBLOCKCHAIN AND SHARE ISSUANCE

- Argo Blockchain PLC, a leading cryptocurrency miner, has successfully raised £7.8 million (US$9.9 million) from institutional investors.

- The funds were raised through the issuance of new ordinary shares and will be used to strengthen working capital, reduce debt and support other corporate initiatives.

- The new shares will be floated on the...
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BITCOIN AND POTENTIAL PRICE GROWTH

After a decade of rejection, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is poised to rule on bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) trading. If approved, the ETF will be offered by 13 companies including BlackRock.

Furthermore, investors are eagerly awaiting the upcoming bitcoin halving, which has driven significant price increases in the past....
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INFLATION IN THE EURO AREA

Inflation in the euro area reached 2.9% last month, partly due to German subsidies on heating bills. However, core inflation has been falling and is currently at 3.4%. The European Central Bank (ECB) is therefore maintaining a cautious stance on interest rate adjustments, suggesting that any rate cut could be delayed until mid-2024. The ECB's base rate...
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ČSOB'S ESTIMATE OF MORTGAGE VOLUMES FOR 2023

Banks in the Czech Republic granted mortgages worth CZK 138 billion last year, 25 billion less than in 2022. The volume of loans from building savings fell by CZK 20 billion to CZK 34 billion.

The group estimates that prices of apartments and houses fell in the fourth quarter of last year, while land prices rose.

Do you think there will...
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