Hi, I'm not trying to tell you what to do with your money, but there are better instant access accounts than 2%

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/sav...terest#instant

Just that with inflation around 4.5% annually, you're losing money in real terms if you leave it in an account at 2%. Up to you though obviously

Thanks! Yes we already have an Anglo Irish account open and waiting - should we need to leave the equity here. Will check out the others. It's a pain as we were hoping to transfer it over and save the long distance hassle.

US dollar maybe heading south in the new year!? Good news for Sterling??

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article7749.html

Agreed. We opened up a Citibank Instant Saver 4 account a few months ago at 6.39% and moved all our equity into there. Turning over a nice £160 a month interest after tax at the moment so I'd definatly look at moving your money somewhere else if your only getting 2%.

Doubt it!

This from the body of your link:

............Second, you should have bond, cash and stock holdings in foreign currencies, particularly the euro and the yen (but not British pounds sterling; with a housing bubble and a bloated financial sector, Britain has many of the same problems as the United States).

AFAIK, this is the best bank for interest rates in Australia...

Even the Caufield Jews use it.

http://www.arabbank.com.au/a-personal-loan/87


They are advertising 7.2 pct online savings account.... Government Guaranteed.

Its definitely the best shop front bank for changing foreign exchange into notes.

2.25 again start to the week after yet another stronger week end effort!

looks like end of week defo the best time to buy A$

Aargh... This is driving me bonkers. Just wish it would go back up again!

its on the up again! 2.28 and climbing fast - has something just been announced in USA I wonder??

USD is up too. Was 1.47 this morning and now 1.53.

been a $50bn fraud discovered on Wall Street some guy called Madoff!

Back in October when stockmarket crashed £ went from just over 2 to 2.6-2.7 AUD so lets hope this negative stockmarket news is having simlar effect!

Also interest rate announcement due in US again.

Yep!

Wonder if the Aussie big 4 banks have any exposure to this?

http://au.biz.yahoo.com/081215/33/236k7.html

Might strengthen Stg ?

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...6-3122,00.html


HSBC of Britain and Union Bancaire Privee of Switzerland are rumoured to have billion-dollar exposures that are yet to be confirmed.
US hedge funds and charities have been hit hard, along with Royal Bank of Scotland.

Interesting link!

Quote:

'ANZ Banking Group, Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, Suncorp and Bank of Queensland said yesterday they had no direct exposures to the scheme......

Westpac had no comment......

It is understood the local banks are identifying any indirect exposures........'

I guess this means Westpac could have direct exposure as witnessed by their silence AND the other 3 could have indirect exposures?

One way or another in $$$ terms they could therefore all have some exposure?

I suppose this might be reflected in their share prices if any bad news breaks....

Back at 2.20 now

Australian dollar soars above US70 cents
http://www.news.com.au/business/stor...93-462,00.html

THE Australian dollar soared above US70 yesterday as the deteriorating global outlook underlined Australia's relative economic strength.
The US Federal Reserve's decision overnight to slash interest rates to almost zero led investors to dump the US dollar in favour of higher-yielding currencies such as the Aussie, which yesterday hit a two-month high of US70.24

But Mr Morriss expects the Aussie will fall back to the US60 range "or even lower" by mid-2009.