*RK flicks through a copy of the MR Financial Times, he checks his stock options and begins to discuss wider economic ramifications with those sitting near him*

After every war, the marketplace changes.  The value of a credit falls.  I’ve seem them go for $350,000 each before, though that didn’t last too long.  The price of a credit, roughly, is $200,000, this varies though.  Many factors affect the price – most notably, demand.  Now, when the bullets are flying, people want to convert their cash into assets for their children.  This is normal and to be expected.  They put them on sale, worried about an assassin’s bullet, often at reduced rates.  This leads to a lot of cash being converted into credits.  When the war ends, there is generally not much cash going around but a lot of credits.  Credits can fall considerably; it’s a buyer’s market.  I’ve seen them go for $125,000.  If one were so inclined, a speculator with big balls, and a big bank balance, could buy up credits at their reduced rate and sit tight until the market changed.  War profiteering...  Taboo?  Has it happened?  Could it ever be a factor in starting a war?

This is basic economics, supply and demand.

Our thing is a business. If I can make a killing in the credit marketplace, good for me. Could people get jealous about it? Sure they could. It isn't likely that they would war over it, but nobody around here likes to see anyone else doing significantly better than they are and I've seen a lot of bloodshed for some very stupid reasons. This one would actually at least be motivated by business.

I can't really see how this could be taboo - especially since people will only know about it if you tell them. War profiteering is a sad fact of life and like Gwarble says it's just business.

No doubt this kind of thing does go on - but I'd be surprised if it started off a war - more likely the war would be started by someone bragging a bit too much about it and how much cash/credits they had made.

You don't like knowing how many credits those in bold have, do you Roma??!!

Noticing the discussion, Postino walks by throwing in his two cents.

Personally i see this nothing other then what it is a simple business transaction.  Many of us are here for the same reason, to cover our costs and better ourselves in what can sometimes be a hostile environment.  We read in the paper about how many people are happy to do far worse for money so profiteering would never be a major concern to many; we are providing a service when dissolving assets for others.  Whats next boot leggers give up producing and transporting alcohol as they may hurt the sensitivities of others or opium dens close similarly.

Business is business at the end of the day and we are here to develop our

pauses for breath

employees and guarantee their futures as well as ours.

Great point, but as already pointed out,i too dont think it would be justifiable to war against other cities or each other infact,i see at as initiative and great business thinking and if some body has the cash to do so then, then hell go for it.

I would also say that in this thing of ours,it is probably the most legit way we can make cash,what with all the post office's we rob and drug deals we do,if you put it into perspective would we go to war if some one can carry more units of drugs than you,therefor making more money,it wouldnt be a great reason for war? maybe resentment but not war.

Its business.

I always thought about the difference in credit prices these days, it always bothered me that people can rip you off by making us paymore money than we should to buy a credit, and not just credits, a credit, one credit. Then I tried not buying credits at all, nothing changed but a lot of people felt the same way I did, so they stopped buying credits, this made people lower the price of credits, now the max is more 200k before that max was 200k, things change as people start pricing things up, other people will repeat the process. My solution is either find a good credit dealer, or not buy at all till you see a decent price.