Royal Bank of Scotland Group (The) PLC Discussion Board http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion http://www.iii.co.uk/icons/logos/uk_logo.gif http://www.iii.co.uk tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6107054 News that LBG could be back in profit this year lifted the sector yesterday. Good news at last to inject some positive sentiment into bank stocks. If Lloyds can show a change in fortune so early into this year, the same should apply across the sector.

They are all benefiting from expanding their profit margins by paying out paltry rates of interest whilst maintaining high borrowing charges to customers.

As an owner of LBG shares I should endorse their efforts to get maximum value and returns for me as a shareholder, but sometimes a line has to be drawn in the sand as banks can push the envelope beyond what could be sensibly classed as reasonable.

I own an Egg credit card. I’ve held it for over 10 years and use it each Christmas to order gifts from the likes of Amazon for my family. I use it in preference to a debit card simply because of the purchase guarantee and protection it gives me against Internet fraud or faulty goods. I accrue several hundred pounds, which I pay off by late January or February.

I got an email from Egg last week. They said they were increasing my APR to 19.9% because of their ‘costs for providing credit in the current economic environment’.
They said if I don’t like it I can cancel my card. Seeing as I’d paid off the outstanding sum two weeks ago there was not much for me not to like – except for their attitude.

The truth is that I have become a non-profitable customer so they would rather not do business with me.
A fact borne out by a quick click to Wikipedia (an excellent source of information) that states:

“As of September 2009, Egg has begun to use more sophisticated methods to dispose of insufficiently-profitable customers, notably by increasing interest rates to the maximum legally permissible while offering the customer an 'opt-out' - the opportunity to continue paying the standard interest rate on the condition that the customer immediately gives up his card. In particular, this technique is being deployed as a reprisal against customers who cancel their PPI. Less publicised methods included the wholesale withdrawal of their ATM Savings Cards, as of July 1st 2009”.

Profit at any cost and just forget that old-fashioned term; loyalty.

I don’t think that David Cameron’s tax proposals on banks will have any big effect on the sector next week. He’s just getting a foot in before Darling’s Budget next week when a similar tax proposal will be put forward.

Much of it is pre-election posturing and will mellow in the reality of a working government. I wish all of the political parties were as steadfast, bold and resolute throughout the five years they occupy government as they are in the run-up to an election.
But that’s wishful thinking.

By telem ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6107054&action=detail Sat, 20 Mar 2010 20:04:00 GMT telem tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6106223
Nice post.

How about countries beginning with V?

Not much choice - Venezuela & Vietnam and after that you are struggling.

But I reckon the Virgin Islands is where you need to be even if the title is misleading.

If the virgins aren't plentiful at least the tax is low.

Rock. By rock and a hard place ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6106223&action=detail Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:10:00 GMT rock and a hard place tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6106016
After flight they returned to the Office to Bank the money, sort out any discrepancies, deposit paperwork and have a laugh.

The Pilots arrived 60 minutes before departure, I arrived 90 mins before to save the rush, and headed home directly from the aircraft unless something needed reporting or was required to check in with Ops after flight. This was normally bad news, because your standby was a gonna.

This seems a very long time ago now. By RAFTengah ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6106016&action=detail Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:29:00 GMT RAFTengah tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6105985
Enjoyed that post

Have you considered Never Never Land

The belated Mr Jackson was wanting to sell it prior to his sad demise

Probably a NHS doc doing a bit of moonlighting

If you do buy it can you stipulate no bloody old ladies


Love Hermione XX By Casper Jarrott ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6105985&action=detail Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:13:00 GMT Casper Jarrott tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6105649 ....................................................................................................First off they are issued by the Company they work for. Next, the Admin office everyone reports to before flight is often a very long way from the aircraft. Staff Car Parks are also a long way from the terminal, and may have to walk it in.

The CS often carry over night gear in the case, and manuals. They are surprisingly heavy. At destination, one CS is sent to the Duty Paid shop for Cigs and Bottles. They are even heavier on the return, and they still have the same distance to cover to the Admin office and Car Park. Simple.

Apart from 12000 BA CS who are having a lie in while the Company burns.
By RAFTengah ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6105649&action=detail Sat, 20 Mar 2010 06:44:00 GMT RAFTengah tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6105484 http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6105484&action=detail Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:28:00 GMT ronnymac tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6105435 By GatorHex ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6105435&action=detail Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:02:00 GMT GatorHex tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6104904
I looked around a Tupolev one time. The rivets were as big as Scammel wheel nuts, and the levers in the cockpit were like garden tools.

RBS looks like a Greyhound to me just now. But what are the odds?

BAL was Britannia Airways. Once Canadian, now German owned. Still a good Company, and safe to fly with. By RAFTengah ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6104904&action=detail Fri, 19 Mar 2010 19:18:00 GMT RAFTengah tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6104816
I would suggest you buy La La Land but I think you might find it is already inhabited by some of the iii regulars who I sense you don't especially like. By Orchard Gate ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6104816&action=detail Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:50:00 GMT Orchard Gate tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6104730
gonna get back at you later. By RAFTengah ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6104730&action=detail Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:25:00 GMT RAFTengah tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6104700
Can’t use an i, eh!

That’s a shame as my suggestion has two ii’s! Funnily enough the same two i’s as shown in the top left hand corner of this web page.

Oh well, I now present to you, the newly named land of - Phallic Narcissism.

Yes, Phallic Narcissism, a place where individuals fight day after day for the virtues of critical thinking, objectivity and reality under ever changing nicknames. An illusory land where economically they are not at war, but in the midst of a never ending civil war, a war in which individuals of opposite views are conscripted against each other by their own ignorance, gullibility, and impaired perceptions of reality.

Please purchase and close its borders with immediate effect.

G
By Greenyards ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6104700&action=detail Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:13:00 GMT Greenyards tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6104566 'Not if the suckers are in your wife's pension plan you can't, more's the pity.'

Ouch sorry about that, hope there is a descent spread of other companies in the plan. Same problem will apply to folk with RBS shares in equity ISA's.

My Halford shares in an ISA so if Halford's person was rude to you perhaps I should sell as I do not need to worry about CGT on the £7,544 profit I have so far made ;-) By Rhigos ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6104566&action=detail Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:37:00 GMT Rhigos tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6104508
But I've come to realise I can't spend the money quickly enough. So what I have decided to do is to buy a country. I'll then change the law to eliminate the risk of extidition and settle down there with a dozen or so silicon enhanced honeys.

But I need your help. Which country to buy? One thing I do know is I don't want any of the ones which begin with the letter "I". Why? Too much trouble. Think about it - Iceland, Iraq, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Indonesia, even India. Too much strife, division and poverty. And that's just Iceland.

You're all jolly clever. Apart from RAC who just thinks he is. You must have some good ideas. What's Ghana like? Would the Maldives fit my budget or would that investment soon be under water? (geddit?). I once flew over Tunisia and though it has some promise. Or I could buy somewhere just because it has an interesting name, like Burkina Fasu. Or really big colourful stamps, like PNG.

Maybe I could sub-let part to Gordon Pell.

Anyway, I would love it if you could suggest a country for me to buy and tell me why. And if you're rude and say somewhere far away just to get rid of me I'll persecute you forever and ignore you too - not sure how that will work but RAC seems to manage to have regular ding dongs with people on his rather long ignore list.

And remember, nother that starts with an "I". Or an "X". By Krypteia ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6104508&action=detail Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:21:00 GMT Krypteia tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6104340
"I worked for BAL"

Bashkirian Airlines, eh? I didn't realise the Russkis employed Brit jet jockeys. Those Tupolevs musta bin quite tricky to fly, what with 'em being made outta old biscuit tins.

Was that b4 or after your Dan Air days?

RBS is a Tupolev among banks, compared to the HSBC A380, though its share price has performed rather creditably this week.

LKH on the flybridge By LK Hyman ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6104340&action=detail Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:35:00 GMT LK Hyman tag:iii.co.uk,2003:tst.6104306
"you can sell them to avoid CGT by offsetting gains made from RIO and the like"

Not if the suckers are in your wife's pension plan you can't, more's the pity.

Oy vay.

I'll never buy Halfords - they were damn rude to me last time I was in Blighty and wanted to get a replacement windscreen wiper for the CLS.

LKH on the flybridge at anchor off JB By LK Hyman ]]> http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/detail?code=cotn:RBS.L&display=discussion&id=6104306&action=detail Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:25:00 GMT LK Hyman