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Sunday, December 20, 2020

Notes From All Over, The "Flying Over Snake River, Idaho" Edition -- December 20, 2020

Could this be the news that causes the correction in the stock market everyone has feared? So much for the Santa Claus rally.

Brexit At Warp Speed? Maybe this will finally get the EU to sign off on the dotted line. A new variant / a new strain of the Covid-19 virus has been identified in England, apparently originated on the north side of London. More infectious than the previous strain, but no more fatal and probably not "resistant" to the vaccines currently being released. Air and rail arrivals to Brussels (that would be Belgium on the European continent) and the Netherlands (also on the European continent) suspended operations to Great Britain as authorities assessed the impact of a "fast spreading new virus." Reported, of course, at ZeroHedge. Also being reported by Argus Media

More from ZeroHedge: " scientists warn that the UK Covid mutation is "unlike anything we have seen."

And yet more: Germany will also restrict flights from Britain and South Africa. 

More: "Trying to get the hell out!" -- Emergency lock down in London triggers mass exodus. OMG, London roads are .... now!" 

US Congress: looks like "they've" agreed upon a $900 billion stimulus package as soon as the senators return from lunch.

Bonuses for Goldman Sachs trading desk could jump 20% this year. Please, please, don't have Steve Liesman report this story. ZeroHedge.

That container shortage reported earlier? It may be simply due to mismanagement. Containers are managed by the shippers. Somewhere there must be a huge graveyard of empty containers. Area 51, perhaps? ZeroHedge.

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US Scrap Price Rally Draws Focus To Railcars

Speaking of a container shortage, there appears to be another related shortage in the US: railcars. From ArgusMedia. This story makes my heart skip a beat! Just this past week I started a new stand-alone post on "US Rail." My hunch: US rail is going to be huge for investors.

A run-up in US ferrous scrap prices and tighter scrap availability has resulted in higher demand for under-utilized railcars as well as those at or near the end of their life cycle. 
Florida-based full-service rail company PFL Petroleum Services has put out a call for railcars to be scrapped, citing a significant increase in scrap metal prices in December. 
PFL said it is seeking to purchase delivered railcars for $300/gt in Virginia, Texas or Tennessee. 
The largest pockets of scrapping demand are for covered hopper cars used to carry fracturing sands, which have been under-utilized because of the downturn in North American oil and gas drilling, PFL said. 
Scrapping candidates also include older DOT-111 tank cars that have been phased out from US crude transportation service, as well as for coal gondola cars, according to the company.

Greenbrier's dividend history is tracked here

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