Thanks for that - a lot for my little head to take it.
I was thinking that just before Christmas is a good time for really bad news that might effect us all eventually (the Italian bank rescue). But, I guess if it's going to play out, it will do so in New Year anyway, and we might all take more notice of it then.
I'm wondering if the proverbial were to hit the fan, would say Bank of Ireland be a safer bet than RABO?
Foss's recommendation of cash is just not practical for most people, me included.
Not being a little too rash there? The political hot potato in Italy is lots of people hold bonds rather than deposits and the new bailout regime would mean haircuts for those bondholders. Up to now the bondholders (like their moneymarket peers in the USA in the GFC) viewed the bonds as equivalent to deposits. They aren't. There are no issues for insured depositors.