Economy

Venezuelan Inflation Rate Tops 49 Percent

"Venezuela's Central Bank says prices have risen nearly 50 percent since last September as the country struggles to rein in a quickening rate of inflation and widespread shortages. The country's leftist government has spent heavily on social programs, rapidly increasing the amount of currency in circulation. It also tries to control prices while restricting access to bolivars at the official rate of exchange of 6.3 per dollar. That leads many to pay seven times as much for dollars on the black market. Officials say speculators are to blame for soaring prices and shortages. The inflation rate for 2012 was 20.1 percent." Continue reading →

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Vault of Satoshi expands Canadian bitcoin exchange market

"A new Canadian exchange launched this week, offering cheaper rates than the incumbent, and touting an advanced API. [..] The firm sent in two requests to FINTRAC, the financial services regulator in Canada, asking for a money services business (MSB) license, but the regulator’s current position is that no such license is currently needed for bitcoin. The company was refused, says Curry. However, this puts exchanges in a precarious position, because while the regulator may not have concerns, some banks do. Royal Bank of Canada closed Virtex’s account early this year because it didn’t have a license, and Curry had the same problem." Continue reading →

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David Stockman Explains The Keynesian State-Wreck Ahead

"'What has been growing is the wealth of the rich, the remit of the state, the girth of Wall Street, the debt burden of the people, the prosperity of the beltway and the sway of the three great branches of government - that is, the warfare state, the welfare state and the central bank... What is flailing is the vast expanse of the Main Street economy where the great majority have experienced stagnant living standards, rising job insecurity, failure to accumulate material savings, rapidly approach old age and the certainty of a Hobbesian future where, inexorably, taxes will rise and social benefits will be cut...' He calls this condition 'Sundown in America'." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDavid Stockman Explains The Keynesian State-Wreck Ahead

Caribbean and Central America Close Tax Loopholes

"In Panama, owners of bearer shares no longer have their anonymity ensured. In the Cayman Islands, tax information will soon be shared under the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). These are just two striking examples of how jurisdictions in Central America and the Caribbean are cracking down on tax cheats. For decades, Switzerland prided itself as a haven for the world’s most affluent, with strict provisions for privacy. But now the former advantages of isolation and non-compliance are becoming a liability due to the limitations they place on access to the global financial system." Continue reading →

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IMF Discusses A Super Tax Of 10% On All Savings In Eurozone

"One of the latest reports from the IMF discusses a super taxation of 10% on savings in the Eurozone. That would solve the debt problem in most sovereign countries. It would be an alternative of higher taxes or spending cuts. The economists who wrote the paper hasten to say that it is a theoretical proposal. Still, it appears to be 'an efficient solution' for the debt problem. For a group of 15 European countries such a measure would bring the debt ratio to 'acceptable' levels, i.e. comparable to levels before the 2008 crisis. One of the graphs (page 14) is also noteworthy: 'Relative to previous projections, fiscal deficits are somewhat larger in most countries, reflecting a weaker economic environment.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIMF Discusses A Super Tax Of 10% On All Savings In Eurozone

Surging Bitcoin Downloads in India

"Fears that the Federal Reserve will scale back its easy-money policies sent India’s rupee tumbling to record lows against the U.S. dollar this summer. And more recently, Moody’s warned that when the Fed does actually begin tapering its $85 billion in monthly bond purchases, countries with large current-account balances, like India and Brazil, will see even greater capital outflows. The outflows, in turn, will put their currencies and debt ratings further under pressure. In 2013 so far, India’s current-account deficit has grown to a record 4.9% of GDP. That loss of confidence in the rupee has translated into an opportunity for bitcoin." Continue reading →

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Dwolla shuts doors to bitcoin companies and virtual currency exchanges

"Dwolla has announced it can no longer work with virtual currency exchanges and other bitcoin-related services. The online payment system provider emailed its customers who operate companies related to bitcoin and other virtual currencies to inform them it is withdrawing its services as of 28th October at 16:00 CT. This move comes shortly after Capital One closed the bank account of a company after it started selling purely commemorative silver and copper bitcoin coins. According to Mulligan Mint’s CEO Rob Gray, the bank hadn’t bothered to do their research properly, as merchant services said the account was cancelled because the company was selling bitcoin." Continue reading →

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Capital One closes company’s bank account over mere mention of bitcoin

"Capital One has closed a bank account belonging to a company that produces metal medallions after it started selling commemorative silver and copper bitcoin coins. Rob Gray, CEO of Mulligan Mint, Inc said Capital One gave him no warning before it closed his company’s bank account. He has since contacted the bank, but isn’t satisfied with its response. Mulligan Mint does not accept bitcoin as payment for any of its products, the only connection with the digital currency is that it sells two types of bitcoin medallion. Both feature the bitcoin currency symbol on one side, set on a background of a computer circuit board." Continue reading →

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‘Rejoice: the Yellen Fed will print money forever to create jobs’

"We now know where we stand. Janet Yellen is to take over the US Federal Reserve, the world's monetary hegemon, the master of all our lives. The Fed will be looser for longer. The FOMC will continue to print money until the US economy creates enough jobs to reignite wage pressures and inflation, regardless of asset bubbles, or collateral damage along the way. No Fed chief in history has been better qualified. She has pedigree. Her husband is Nobel laureate George Akerlof, the scourge of efficient markets theory. Her lodestar is the 'non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment' (NAIRU). When the rate is above NAIRU, she is a dove: when below, she is a hawk." Continue reading →

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