Under the counter

Love in a cold climateAs you know, in this column I like to keep abreast not just of the latest developments in the derivatives industry but also the rhythm of life in the wider world. That's why you will occasionally see a theme to my diary entries - Christmas, for instance, or the hotly anticipated Crufts Dog Show (9 March at the Birmingham NEC this year if you hadn't already noted it). However, I am forced to hang my head a little and admit that I completely neglected to draw attention to the fact that last week included St Valentine's Day. Though as my traditional Valentine's gift to whichever sweetheart I am visiting on the night in question tends to be a box of Black Magic and a £2.99 bunch of wilted flowers bought from a petrol station as I stagger home from the pub I...