Prometheus as every child knows, was the wisest Titan in ancient Greece with a name that meant “forethought”.  Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus created man, no less, and subsequently acted to protect mankind by giving him the gift of fire. Sadly (for him) he had a disagreement with Zeus who chained him to a rock where an eagle tore at his liver for eternity but the tale has a happy ending as he was rescued by Hercules before whiling away the rest of his days in a small retirement flat in Kirkby Lonsdale where he took up stamp collecting and was made an honorary member of the local British Legion.

Prometheus' "Market Miscellanea" are intended to be informative but informal and occasionally irreverent commentaries on topical economic and financial events.  They are not something BAM sends out every day or indeed every week – but as and when there is something to say.  Prometheus' thoughts this month are reproduced below which we hope you find are succinct, but include some useful facts plucked from the huge body of literature BAM receives in printed and electronic form every day.