I have just spent a weekend in Copenhagen, capital of the second happiest country of the world. And it does actually feel pretty happy. The people are friendly, smiling and welcoming in perfect English, everyone cycles everywhere, there are bike lanes on every street and bikes left everywhere without padlocks, with very few cyclists feeling they need helmets to dodge the very few taxis. Compare and contrast with London, capital of the 23rd happiest country, where we spent a night a couple of weekends before. Cyclists take their lives in their hands at every traffic light, eye contact is avoided at all costs and my mobile never leaves my inner pocket while on the street. And, my goodness, it’s crowded with both traffic and people, despite the best efforts of congestion charges and Boris Bikes to change things. There is apparently, not much of an investment industry in Denmark as no one saves knowing their welfare state really will take care of them from cradle to grave. Of course, in return, they pay around 50% of their (higher than our) incomes in tax, everyone, we were told, gets depressed and has to take Vitamin D in winter and the sun shone while we were there to rose tint our view. Yet I couldn’t help being more than a little envious.
“Trade war: Stock markets rally as Trump rows back on Fed and China threats”
Yet another reminder, should one be needed, of how quickly things can and will change. A nod and a wink in the right direction from himself and/ or an underling can provide the solace the money men crave and turn a plummet into, if not a soar at this stage, then certainly a bounce.
