The Kraft bid for Cadbury will no doubt re-ignite speculation of property sector bids, with Hammerson being the favourite target. But not today.
Today the story that raises eyebrows high is the tale of building society leaders whining about the Financial Services Authority imposing tighter mortgage lending restrictions on them than on real banks.
Northern Rock remains in state hands. The fraud cases against the duped Cheshire and Chelsea building societies have not even reached court.
Yet building society leader Adrian Coles (pictured left) says: "the proposed changes would put us at a disadvantage to our banking rivals, especially when competing for business among first-time buyers."
You have to read it twice to believe he really does have the gall to think the world has forgotten the incompetence and greed shown by building societies during the boom matched that of real banks.
Has he already forgotten the very point of building societies is for them to be less greedy and incompetent than real banks?
It normally takes about 5-7 years for the painful lessons of a boom to fade from memory. There is now rising bid fever in the City. In the commercial property sector every man and his dog (yes, including the Koreans) are setting up funds.
The sheer relief that the deepest recession in living memory is passing seems to have triggered widespread symptoms of early onset Alzheimer's.
