$ cat bare.j
2021-11-19 Test
  a   1 GBP
  b  -1 GBP
# --depth=0 works
$ hledger -f bare.j balance -D --depth=0
Balance changes in 2021-11-19:
     || 2021-11-19
=====++============
 ... ||          0
-----++------------
     ||          0
# --layout=bare works
$ hledger -f bare.j balance -D --layout=bare
Balance changes in 2021-11-19:
   || Commodity  2021-11-19
===++=======================
 a || GBP                 1
 b || GBP                -1
---++-----------------------
   || GBP                 0
# But the two together do not work together
$ hledger -f bare.j balance -D --layout=bare --depth=0
Balance changes in 2021-11-19:
  || Commodity  2021-11-19
==++=======================
--++-----------------------
# Not even with --empty
$ hledger -f bare.j balance -D --layout=bare --depth=0 --empty
Balance changes in 2021-11-19:
  || Commodity  2021-11-19
==++=======================
--++-----------------------