Paul
@paulbali.com
Zachtwerkende Nederlander. 📍Paris, previously in Berlin, The Hague and Rabat. Views mine
Scribbles at chipsgunsandmoney.substack.com
Scribbles at chipsgunsandmoney.substack.com
Reposted by Paul
Worth remembering when looking at the horrific scenes in the US right now that both Reform and the Tories have pledged to bring in ICE-style organisations to the UK if they win power
January 24, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Worth remembering when looking at the horrific scenes in the US right now that both Reform and the Tories have pledged to bring in ICE-style organisations to the UK if they win power
Reposted by Paul
Andy Burnham announces bid to stand for Westminster seat ft.trib.al/DDVSXej
Andy Burnham announces bid to stand for Westminster seat
Manchester mayor seeks to contest Gorton and Denton by-election in move that could set up leadership challenge to Sir Keir Starmer
ft.trib.al
January 24, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Andy Burnham announces bid to stand for Westminster seat ft.trib.al/DDVSXej
Give the markets what they want. European safe asset
January 24, 2026 at 11:17 AM
Give the markets what they want. European safe asset
With all the Rutte news, it is fun to note that while living in The Hague it wasn't uncommon to see him leisurely walking or cycling around, or just having a cup of coffee, as if a regular civilian. I once witnessed him wading through an ocean of schoolchildren trying to make the king's residence
January 22, 2026 at 8:17 PM
With all the Rutte news, it is fun to note that while living in The Hague it wasn't uncommon to see him leisurely walking or cycling around, or just having a cup of coffee, as if a regular civilian. I once witnessed him wading through an ocean of schoolchildren trying to make the king's residence
Reposted by Paul
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen: “We have learnt something in the past days and weeks. When Europe is not divided, when we stand together, and when we are clear and strong also in our willingness to stand for ourselves, the results will show.”
January 22, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen: “We have learnt something in the past days and weeks. When Europe is not divided, when we stand together, and when we are clear and strong also in our willingness to stand for ourselves, the results will show.”
Reposted by Paul
China’s quiet launch of an interest-bearing CBDC this month could be far more consequential for the future of the dollar and international monetary system than any of Trump’s shenanigans this week
Over to you, Brussels?
www.forbes.com/sites/digita...
Over to you, Brussels?
www.forbes.com/sites/digita...
China’s Digital RMB: Trillion-Dollar Shift In Payment And Crypto Rails
China has upgraded the digital Yuan to pay interest, marking a shift in CBDC design with implications for banks, payments, and cross-border trade.
www.forbes.com
January 22, 2026 at 4:40 PM
China’s quiet launch of an interest-bearing CBDC this month could be far more consequential for the future of the dollar and international monetary system than any of Trump’s shenanigans this week
Over to you, Brussels?
www.forbes.com/sites/digita...
Over to you, Brussels?
www.forbes.com/sites/digita...
It's completely crazy to me how previous generation ram that I bought like 5 years ago is now worth more than it was back then
sherwood.news/markets/insi...
sherwood.news/markets/insi...
Inside Sandisk’s transformation from thumb drive dinosaur to the hottest trade in AI
Soaring chip prices have fueled a nearly 1,000% run for Sandisk in a matter of months. Industry insiders, prolific hedge fund managers, and even...
sherwood.news
January 22, 2026 at 12:36 PM
It's completely crazy to me how previous generation ram that I bought like 5 years ago is now worth more than it was back then
sherwood.news/markets/insi...
sherwood.news/markets/insi...
The only lesson we need to take away from this is that Europe can be strong - if it unites and acts as one
January 22, 2026 at 10:17 AM
The only lesson we need to take away from this is that Europe can be strong - if it unites and acts as one
They still got assurances on resource concessions, which will shape negotiations going forward. I don’t call getting strong armed, extorted and humiliated by a country 5000km away a ‘win’ - but that’s just me
January 21, 2026 at 9:13 PM
They still got assurances on resource concessions, which will shape negotiations going forward. I don’t call getting strong armed, extorted and humiliated by a country 5000km away a ‘win’ - but that’s just me
Rutte’s entire strategy is sucking up even more and giving up even more stuff. It’s short sighted. And it still leaves Europe vulnerable to future extortion attempts
January 21, 2026 at 8:59 PM
Rutte’s entire strategy is sucking up even more and giving up even more stuff. It’s short sighted. And it still leaves Europe vulnerable to future extortion attempts
This is still extortion btw
January 21, 2026 at 8:47 PM
This is still extortion btw
I'm reading this as a sign of weakness, ergo, Europe should go on the offensive now. They'll respect us more for it
Trump ruling out the use of military force does not defuse this crisis
Europe & Denmark's red lines are territorial integrity & the right of self-determination for the people of Greenland. They do not want to join the US
Trump has to give up his ambition for sovereign control
Europe & Denmark's red lines are territorial integrity & the right of self-determination for the people of Greenland. They do not want to join the US
Trump has to give up his ambition for sovereign control
January 21, 2026 at 4:48 PM
I'm reading this as a sign of weakness, ergo, Europe should go on the offensive now. They'll respect us more for it
Now we especially have to retaliate
Trump says, he won't use force on Greenland
"We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength & force, we'd be frankly unstoppable. But I won't do that.... that's probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force, but I don't have to"
"We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength & force, we'd be frankly unstoppable. But I won't do that.... that's probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force, but I don't have to"
January 21, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Now we especially have to retaliate
Reposted by Paul
Trump says, he won't use force on Greenland
"We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength & force, we'd be frankly unstoppable. But I won't do that.... that's probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force, but I don't have to"
"We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength & force, we'd be frankly unstoppable. But I won't do that.... that's probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force, but I don't have to"
January 21, 2026 at 2:12 PM
Trump says, he won't use force on Greenland
"We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength & force, we'd be frankly unstoppable. But I won't do that.... that's probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force, but I don't have to"
"We probably won't get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength & force, we'd be frankly unstoppable. But I won't do that.... that's probably the biggest statement I made, because people thought I would use force, but I don't have to"
Reposted by Paul
Mit Stimmen von Rechtsaußen, Links und Grünen hat das Europaparlament heute Mercosur beschädigt. Während Trump Europa verspottet, weisen wir unsere Partner in Südamerika zurück. Wer so handelt, redet von europäischer Souveränität, meint sie aber nicht. Ein schwerer, unverantwortlicher Fehler.
January 21, 2026 at 12:04 PM
Mit Stimmen von Rechtsaußen, Links und Grünen hat das Europaparlament heute Mercosur beschädigt. Während Trump Europa verspottet, weisen wir unsere Partner in Südamerika zurück. Wer so handelt, redet von europäischer Souveränität, meint sie aber nicht. Ein schwerer, unverantwortlicher Fehler.
Reposted by Paul
Reposted by Paul
It is now confirmed, I think, that the Trump administration’s vision for Syria overlaps with that of the Turkish and the Saudi: centralized state under Arab leadership.
January 20, 2026 at 4:35 PM
It is now confirmed, I think, that the Trump administration’s vision for Syria overlaps with that of the Turkish and the Saudi: centralized state under Arab leadership.
I honestly don't understand what the holdup is with activating the anti-coercion instrument. They're literally coercing us. This is what it's for
January 20, 2026 at 5:36 PM
I honestly don't understand what the holdup is with activating the anti-coercion instrument. They're literally coercing us. This is what it's for
Christ makes the money
January 20, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Christ makes the money
Just as a side note - but this thread provides a good overview - I don’t think setting GDP or value added targets for manufacturing has ever worked. Even China gave up on them
2/ What began as a decarbonisation acceleration tool has, over recent months, shifted toward resilience and economic security aimed at shielding EU manufacturing from global pressures. The headline goal says it all: industry should aim for 20% of EU gross value added by 2030.
January 20, 2026 at 10:11 AM
Just as a side note - but this thread provides a good overview - I don’t think setting GDP or value added targets for manufacturing has ever worked. Even China gave up on them
Reposted by Paul
Is he wrong? www.ft.com/content/8d2b...
January 19, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Is he wrong? www.ft.com/content/8d2b...
Amazing that German business wants stronger measures than the government. Merz has bad foreign policy instincts
January 19, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Amazing that German business wants stronger measures than the government. Merz has bad foreign policy instincts
Viscerally I knew that this would be the dynamic
Report: Merz Seeks to Rein In Macron in Response to Trump Tariff Threat
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Merz Seeks to Rein In Macron in Response to Trump Tariff Threat
Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated Germany is less willing than France to unleash the European Union’s strongest trade countermeasure in response to US President Donald Trump’s latest tariff threats ...
www.bloomberg.com
January 19, 2026 at 5:45 PM
Viscerally I knew that this would be the dynamic