Morning Brief – UK

UK

With all eyes on Covid stats, the worst ever outbreak of avian flu in the UK has gone largely unreported. Thousands of farming birds have been culled across the country and an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone was declared on November 3 thereby stretching supplies of turkeys and other Christmas poultry still further. 40 premises are reported to be infected in the UK of which 33 are in England. The rules stipulate that all farm birds have to be kept locked up or Locked Down. GBP down on both this and the implementation of Plan B for humans with GBP/USD at 1.3180.

Lego

The Danish company Lego has announced a brand new USD 1 billion factory in Asia, this time in Vietnam as opposed to China where their first one is located. Due for completion in 2024 and slated to generate 4,000 jobs in the next 15 years, apart from saving money through tapping into lower paid workers in Asia, Lego is spreading their risk from China but making a clear bet that global supply chains will resume their pre-pandemic efficiencies.
The Vietnamese Dong not bricking it with USD/VND at 22,990.

New Zealand

13% of New Zealand’s population currently smokes and the target is to get that down to 5% by 2025-the Maori population however are much more committed smokers with almost a third of them indulging. This move towards a zero tolerance smoking NZ policy is going to be accelerated by enacting a new law that will mean that anyone born after 2008 will be unable to purchase cigarettes from next year. Currently 8,000 shops are licensed to sell cigarettes and that will be reduced to just 500. So Maori and teenage smokers had better stock up soon or get ready to embrace a healthier life style. NZD at a low for the year with USD/NZD at 1.47

Squeeze Box

This song helped earn British rock band, The Who a gold disc for their album Who By Numbers released this day in 1975. Originally four members but owing to a proclivity for enjoying Peruvian marching powder and alcohol which resulted in the early demises of both drummer Keith Moon and bassist John Entwistle, they were reduced to Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend from the original line up, the band nevertheless sold more than 100 million records. Here is Squeeze Box:

Mama’s got a squeeze box
She wears on her chest
And when daddy comes home
He never gets no rest
‘Cause she’s playing all night
And the music’s all right
Mama’s got a squeeze box
Daddy never sleeps at night
Well the kids don’t eat
And the dog can’t sleep
There’s no escape from the music
In the whole damn street
‘Cause she’s playing all night
And the music’s all right
Mama’s got a squeeze box
Daddy never sleeps at night
She goes in and out and in
And out and in and out and in and out
She’s playing all night
And the music’s all right
Mama’s got a squeeze box
Daddy never sleeps at night
She goes, squeeze me, come on and squeeze me
Come on and tease me like you do
I’m so in love with you
Mama’s got a squeeze box
Daddy never sleeps at night

Have a Great Weekend!

Discussion and Analysis by Humphrey Percy, Chairman and Founder

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