John Paulson isn't queasy about making billions from people’s misfortune; in fact, he’s said to have kicked up a fuss when Bear Stearns drew up plans to bail out lenders, claiming market manipulation. Does that sound like you or me? It doesn’t sound like me. I experience a tiny pang of guilt every time I win a poker hand. It might sound like you though. David Jones, chief market strategist at IG Index, tells me the spread betting specialist has recently experienced something of a dramatic run on wagers on the Halifax house price index.

Our publisher, and his weekly column, over at Citywire.

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