#1401 ·
Commodity prices are absolutely skyrocketing—just like everyone feared at the start—and inflation is right there with them. That's how those connections work, I guess.
Sanctions on Russia
Started by Richard Wilson4 · · 👁 261 views · 9.5K replies
Participants
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#1402 ·
Arthur Booth96 said:The stock market isn't really a reflection of what's happening in the real economy... you can speculate on the markets just like those guys commenting on exchange rates today, which isn't even the actual market rate compared to what a regular person gets when they walk into a bank or a currency exchange to buy cash...
I mean, back when the US markets crashed in 2008 and every single stock tanked, even now, big companies like Verizon or JPMorgan Chase are still operating just fine. Their shares might be worth a fraction of what they were before the crisis, but the businesses themselves are doing okay.
You're basically just guessing here. If you actually look at the revenue and net income for AT&T over the years:
Revenue
2005 $8.605 billion
2006 $8.630
2007 $8.580
2008 $8.816
2009 $8.517
2010 $8.375
2011 $8.067
2012 $7.456
2013 $7.042
2014 $6.908
2015 $6.919
2016 $6.970
2017 $7.756
2018 $7.783
2019 $7.704
2020 $7.458
Net Income
2005 $1.921 billion
2006 $2.058
2007 $2.473
2008 $2.310
2009 $2.023
2010 $1.831
2011 $1.811
2012 $1.696
2013 $1.442
2014 $1.142
2015 $925 million
2016 $934
2017 $863
2018 $1.061
2019 $740
2020 $588
It’s pretty obvious the company hit its peak back in 2007/2008 (around the IPO era), and now profit is like 80% lower than it used to be. So, yeah, there's a reason AT&T's stock took a dive. You could argue the stock is actually $63 more expensive now compared to back when it was at $100.
#1403 ·
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is calling on the European Union to implement a total trade embargo against Russia. According to Reuters, he’s demanding a complete blockade—both by sea and by land—and he wants it done yesterday.
"A total severance of trade would force Russia to reconsider whether it might be better to just end this brutal war," Morawiecki argued.
The European Union has already slapped trade restrictions on Russia, but they've been limited to specific key sectors like luxury goods, steel, and energy. Meanwhile, Poland, which shares a massive 535-kilometer border with Ukraine, has been championing much harsher sanctions against Moscow since the invasion began.
If someone had told me before that something politically "righteous" could actually originate from Poland, I wouldn't have believed them for a second.
Honestly? I fully expect we'll see this kind of move... very soon.
Best regards,
"A total severance of trade would force Russia to reconsider whether it might be better to just end this brutal war," Morawiecki argued.
The European Union has already slapped trade restrictions on Russia, but they've been limited to specific key sectors like luxury goods, steel, and energy. Meanwhile, Poland, which shares a massive 535-kilometer border with Ukraine, has been championing much harsher sanctions against Moscow since the invasion began.
If someone had told me before that something politically "righteous" could actually originate from Poland, I wouldn't have believed them for a second.
Honestly? I fully expect we'll see this kind of move... very soon.
Best regards,
#1404 ·
You really need to check out this Russian guy. Just turn on the subtitles and set them to whatever language you prefer. This isn't about politics; he’s just making fun of all the ridiculous new laws and half-baked ideas being pushed by the Russian cronies.
Take this importer who managed to sell more scooters and bikes in two weeks than he usually moves in two years. It's wild.
Will smuggling become legal? Why did we buy buckwheat and sugar? Solutions in Crisis | Russia and Ukraine
Oh, and there's a massive shortage of paper—specifically the receipt paper for cash registers. They passed a law stating that if you're caught holding onto a surplus of register paper, you'll be fined.
We're seeing shortages in everything: tampons, shampoo, cosmetics, flour, salt, you name it.
Naturally, Moscow is well-stocked while the rural provinces are left with nothing.
Take this importer who managed to sell more scooters and bikes in two weeks than he usually moves in two years. It's wild.
Will smuggling become legal? Why did we buy buckwheat and sugar? Solutions in Crisis | Russia and Ukraine
Oh, and there's a massive shortage of paper—specifically the receipt paper for cash registers. They passed a law stating that if you're caught holding onto a surplus of register paper, you'll be fined.
We're seeing shortages in everything: tampons, shampoo, cosmetics, flour, salt, you name it.
Naturally, Moscow is well-stocked while the rural provinces are left with nothing.
#1405 ·
Russia currently ranks as the sixth-largest economy in the world based on GDP, driven by three core sectors:
-oil
-gas
-minerals
Data sourced from a 2017 PwC report.
If Europe shifts toward green energy, the Russian economy will crater.
Once Europe cuts its dependence on Russia, their economic momentum will stall significantly. They lack any emerging industries—no ICT, no big data, no AI, no 3D printing.
They will simply grind to a halt.
By 2050, Russia will likely drop out of the top 25 global economies entirely...
Obviously, Putin will be long dead by then, but he remains responsible for Russia's downfall. An autocrat is always ultimately accountable for how a nation and its people are governed.
This is the root cause of economic warfare and all subsequent conflicts, with Ukraine being one of the tragic first victims.
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is his permanent legacy. He's an egomaniac and a sociopath.
However, the economic sanctions imposed on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine will be what truly costs most Russians their livelihoods.
-oil
-gas
-minerals
Data sourced from a 2017 PwC report.
If Europe shifts toward green energy, the Russian economy will crater.
Once Europe cuts its dependence on Russia, their economic momentum will stall significantly. They lack any emerging industries—no ICT, no big data, no AI, no 3D printing.
They will simply grind to a halt.
By 2050, Russia will likely drop out of the top 25 global economies entirely...
Obviously, Putin will be long dead by then, but he remains responsible for Russia's downfall. An autocrat is always ultimately accountable for how a nation and its people are governed.
This is the root cause of economic warfare and all subsequent conflicts, with Ukraine being one of the tragic first victims.
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is his permanent legacy. He's an egomaniac and a sociopath.
However, the economic sanctions imposed on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine will be what truly costs most Russians their livelihoods.
#1406 ·
fadedtinker36 said:Russia currently ranks as the sixth-largest economy in the world based on GDP, driven by three core sectors:
-oil
-gas
-minerals
Data sourced from a 2017 PwC report.
If Europe shifts toward green energy, the Russian economy will crater.
Once Europe cuts its dependence on Russia, their economic momentum will stall significantly. They lack any emerging industries—no ICT, no big data, no AI, no 3D printing.
They will simply grind to a halt.
By 2050, Russia will likely drop out of the top 25 global economies entirely...
Obviously, Putin will be long dead by then, but he remains responsible for Russia's downfall. An autocrat is always ultimately accountable for how a nation and its people are governed.
This is the root cause of economic warfare and all subsequent conflicts, with Ukraine being one of the tragic first victims.
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is his permanent legacy. He's an egomaniac and a sociopath.
However, the economic sanctions imposed on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine will be what truly costs most Russians their livelihoods.
FTFY 👍
#1407 ·
fadedtinker36 said:Russia currently ranks as the sixth-largest economy in the world based on GDP, driven by three core sectors:
-oil
-gas
-minerals
Data sourced from a 2017 PwC report.
If Europe shifts toward green energy, the Russian economy will crater.
Once Europe cuts its dependence on Russia, their economic momentum will stall significantly. They lack any emerging industries—no ICT, no big data, no AI, no 3D printing.
They will simply grind to a halt.
By 2050, Russia will likely drop out of the top 25 global economies entirely...
Obviously, Putin will be long dead by then, but he remains responsible for Russia's downfall. An autocrat is always ultimately accountable for how a nation and its people are governed.
This is the root cause of economic warfare and all subsequent conflicts, with Ukraine being one of the tragic first victims.
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is his permanent legacy. He's an egomaniac and a sociopath.
However, the economic sanctions imposed on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine will be what truly costs most Russians their livelihoods.
Just a quick, casual little thought passing through my mind here... how on earth are we supposed to produce the synthetic fertilizers essential for our agriculture using nothing but green, atomic, or even kryptonite-based energy? Are we actually planning to build out a massive network of pipelines just to harvest cow farts?...
Oh, wait, I forgot—we have a literal life raft in the form of those LPG tankers. 🎉
The only catch is that they cost a bit more, but hey, who cares about a slight price hike when you're looking at a 50% surge in the cost of the primary raw materials used to grow our food? And that's exactly the kind of crisis we were flirting with...
#1408 ·
Europe doesn't import LPG because we're pretty much self-sufficient on production. Not sure what propane-butane has to do with any of this.
#1409 ·
analogbear5 said:Europe doesn't import LPG because we're pretty much self-sufficient on production. Not sure what propane-butane has to do with any of this.
They claim to be incredibly self-sufficient, yet isn't it true that this entire gas supply is actually drawn from Russian and Saudi Arabian oil?
#1410 ·
brightheron64 said:Just a quick, casual little thought passing through my mind here... how on earth are we supposed to produce the synthetic fertilizers essential for our agriculture using nothing but green, atomic, or even kryptonite-based energy? Are we actually planning to build out a massive network of pipelines just to harvest cow farts?...
Oh, wait, I forgot—we have a literal life raft in the form of those LPG tankers. 🎉
The only catch is that they cost a bit more, but hey, who cares about a slight price hike when you're looking at a 50% surge in the cost of the primary raw materials used to grow our food? And that's exactly the kind of crisis we were flirting with...
Do you honestly think Europe imports 100% of its oil from Russia?
Renewable energy will knock out Russian oil first (by the end of the decade), then move on to Arab oil in the next phase (another ten years down the line). American, Norwegian, African, and domestic supplies will still be around until the end of our lives...
#1411 ·
So, Germany just inked this long-term gas deal with Qatar. Honestly, even though Qatar doesn't exactly have the massive capacity to handle everything right now, and that first big LNG terminal over in Germany might not even be up and running for another two and a half years, you’ve gotta admit it's a solid step in the right direction.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ency-on-russia
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ency-on-russia
#1412 ·
Dana Robinson4 said:They claim to be incredibly self-sufficient, yet isn't it true that this entire gas supply is actually drawn from Russian and Saudi Arabian oil?
Do you really know the difference between LPG and LNG?
#1413 ·
Hannah Williams8 said:Do you really know the difference between LPG and LNG?
Actually, they have it exactly right! Think of LPG as liquefied petroleum gas—essentially a byproduct of the oil refining process.
#1414 ·
Carl Lee27 said:So, Germany just inked this long-term gas deal with Qatar. Honestly, even though Qatar doesn't exactly have the massive capacity to handle everything right now, and that first big LNG terminal over in Germany might not even be up and running for another two and a half years, you’ve gotta admit it's a solid step in the right direction.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ency-on-russia
Think of it like this: Qatar possesses enough gas to fuel all of Europe, they just lack the extra LNG terminals to move it—infrastructure they’ll build out incredibly fast.
If direct pipelines existed from Qatar, Europe wouldn't need Russian gas at all.
The massive field in the gulf between Qatar and Iran holds about 50% of the world's conventional reserves, yet it remains largely untapped for now.
In terms of shale gas, only the USA and Canada hold more reserves than that region.
#1415 ·
Look, monopolies and extortion are one thing, but diversification? That’s a beautiful thing. If Russia decides to start a price war just to undercut those 20-year LNG contracts, honestly, I'm all for it.
The real question is who the politicians in Germany are actually going to sell out to.
The real question is who the politicians in Germany are actually going to sell out to.
#1416 ·
analogbear5 said:Look, monopolies and extortion are one thing, but diversification? That’s a beautiful thing. If Russia decides to start a price war just to undercut those 20-year LNG contracts, honestly, I'm all for it.
The real question is who the politicians in Germany are actually going to sell out to.
Qatar needs to ramp up its annual production from 100 billion cubic meters to 200 billion within just two and a half years. While that’s technically doable, you have to ask yourself: when will they actually pull it off? It requires an enormous logistical feat—new offshore platforms, massive pipeline expansions, and additional terminals. If sanctions hold steady and the West successfully replaces all Russian gas with alternatives by 2025, Russia is going to face a literal famine.
#1417 ·
Look at it from Russia's point of view for a second. The whole continent is basically drifting away from the one healthy lifeline Russia actually has left: exporting energy to the West. I mean, contrary to what some of the armchair experts in this region might claim, those exports are the only thing keeping Russia from sliding straight into poverty, misery, and total obsolescence.
Now, sure, oil brings in more cash and you can probably find a buyer for it more easily, but honestly? I think gas is just as vital for them. First off, the gas Russia used to pump into Europe isn't exactly easy to reroute anywhere else, and those other potential customers aren't nearly as wealthy—they're notorious for being incredibly tough negotiators. So, Russia ends up selling gas to China at prices that are significantly lower; it’s so cheap it makes you wonder if they're even making a profit at all. In my opinion, projects like Power of Siberia were really just a way to beef up Russia's leverage when dealing with Europe.
And we can't forget the strategic side of things, the stuff you can't just slap a price tag on. For years, Russia used its gas supply to maintain an open door and a sort of privileged status with Germany, gaining political concessions and a million little advantages that are all vanishing now.
To put it bluntly, Russia has very real, very concrete motives to stop Europe from diversifying its energy sources. Since the continent is already cutting ties with Russia anyway, what does Russia have to lose by, say, sabotaging an LNG terminal or something similar? It's a dark thought, but there was actually this article detailing how the GRU has been involved in sabotaging strategic sites across Eastern Europe over the last few years.
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-a...rmine-ukraine/
Now, sure, oil brings in more cash and you can probably find a buyer for it more easily, but honestly? I think gas is just as vital for them. First off, the gas Russia used to pump into Europe isn't exactly easy to reroute anywhere else, and those other potential customers aren't nearly as wealthy—they're notorious for being incredibly tough negotiators. So, Russia ends up selling gas to China at prices that are significantly lower; it’s so cheap it makes you wonder if they're even making a profit at all. In my opinion, projects like Power of Siberia were really just a way to beef up Russia's leverage when dealing with Europe.
And we can't forget the strategic side of things, the stuff you can't just slap a price tag on. For years, Russia used its gas supply to maintain an open door and a sort of privileged status with Germany, gaining political concessions and a million little advantages that are all vanishing now.
To put it bluntly, Russia has very real, very concrete motives to stop Europe from diversifying its energy sources. Since the continent is already cutting ties with Russia anyway, what does Russia have to lose by, say, sabotaging an LNG terminal or something similar? It's a dark thought, but there was actually this article detailing how the GRU has been involved in sabotaging strategic sites across Eastern Europe over the last few years.
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-a...rmine-ukraine/
#1418 ·
analogbear5 said:Look, monopolies and extortion are one thing, but diversification? That’s a beautiful thing. If Russia decides to start a price war just to undercut those 20-year LNG contracts, honestly, I'm all for it.
The real question is who the politicians in Germany are actually going to sell out to.
It’s the same old story with the same people—we always seem to forget that there is absolutely zero morality in politics!
#1419 ·
Carl Lee27 said:Look at it from Russia's point of view for a second. The whole continent is basically drifting away from the one healthy lifeline Russia actually has left: exporting energy to the West. I mean, contrary to what some of the armchair experts in this region might claim, those exports are the only thing keeping Russia from sliding straight into poverty, misery, and total obsolescence.
Now, sure, oil brings in more cash and you can probably find a buyer for it more easily, but honestly? I think gas is just as vital for them. First off, the gas Russia used to pump into Europe isn't exactly easy to reroute anywhere else, and those other potential customers aren't nearly as wealthy—they're notorious for being incredibly tough negotiators. So, Russia ends up selling gas to China at prices that are significantly lower; it’s so cheap it makes you wonder if they're even making a profit at all. In my opinion, projects like Power of Siberia were really just a way to beef up Russia's leverage when dealing with Europe.
And we can't forget the strategic side of things, the stuff you can't just slap a price tag on. For years, Russia used its gas supply to maintain an open door and a sort of privileged status with Germany, gaining political concessions and a million little advantages that are all vanishing now.
To put it bluntly, Russia has very real, very concrete motives to stop Europe from diversifying its energy sources. Since the continent is already cutting ties with Russia anyway, what does Russia have to lose by, say, sabotaging an LNG terminal or something similar? It's a dark thought, but there was actually this article detailing how the GRU has been involved in sabotaging strategic sites across Eastern Europe over the last few years.
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-a...rmine-ukraine/
We also shouldn't overlook the massive Ukrainian gas reserves (which served as a motive for aggression), most of which sit—who knows where—in occupied territory. Imagine the boost that would give to Ukraine and the EU if those were actually tapped into; as for the downside for Russia, well, it goes without saying.
Excluding Russia ’s gas reserves in Asia, Ukraine today holds the second biggest known gas reserves in Europe. As of late 2019, known Ukrainian reserves amounted to 1.09 trillion cubic meters of natural gas, second only to Norway’s known resources of 1.53 trillion cubic meters. Yet, these enormous reserves of energy remain largely untapped. Today, Ukraine has a low annual reserve usage rate of about 2 percent. Moreover, more active exploration may yield previously undiscovered gas fields, which would further increase the overall volume of Ukraine’s deposits.
https://hir.harvard.edu/ukraine-energy-reserves/
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