News: UPDATE 1-Brazil prosecutors file $44 bln lawsuit against Vale, BHP for dam spill, page-62

Good luck to anyone trying to understand the legal system in Brazil; I am sure it is just as stable and transparent as their government.

I am hoping this a bit of an over-reaction. After all anyone can ask for anything (anyone want to buy my BHP shares at $1000 each???), but it does not mean they are going to get it. 58 Billion AUS dollars is almost as much as the current BHP.ASX market cap.

Unfortunately I think there will be/is a tendency for everyone to line up with their hand out for a piece of the multibillion dollar foreign company. I believe the Brazilian Government should intervene and put a stop to it. IMO it sends the wrong message to any foreign company thinking of investing in Brazil (come and develop our country, but if you make any mistake (and I am not saying for one second that the dam burst was not tragic), we will ask for compensation for ever....).

Luckily I am LT with BHP and can hold onto my shares indefinitely. That does not mean I like to see them in the red however, so not sure what to do: hold OR sell and renter at a lower price..... hence I have no sentiment at this stage.

As I write, BHP.LSE is down 7.4%, after a drop of around 5% the night before. It is also going to drop significantly on NYS, again after a drop of around 5% the day before. So the million dollar question is, do we follow LSE, NYS, do they follow us, or do we all do our own thing? What will happen tomorrow? I suspect further drop but how far; I would not have picked close to 9.4% drop in one session as happened today!!!

GLTAH