Europe

ECB Warning: More Directed History

"The idea that the ECB and the Fed are going to begin to quarrel or pursue separate policies is a ludicrous one. Yet we are being asked to believe it. These people never let a good crisis go to waste. Part of the point of the lingering EU credit crunch is to create a necessity for a deeper union, monetarily and politically. ECB pols have said as much. The goal of ECB bureaucrats is to further paste together the fraying EU and its even sicker euro currency. At this point, this policy is being pursued in direct defiance of EU citizens who have voted continuously, when they can, against a deeper union of any sort. There are no rogue central banks. Everyone has a part to play." Continue reading →

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Leaked Docs: Dutch Rabobank Blocked Bitcoin for ‘Ethical Reasons’

"Rabobank, the Netherlands’ third-largest retail bank by market share,blocked its customers’ transfers to bitcoin exchanges for ‘ethical reasons’, according to several first-hand customer reports and bank documents leaked to Dutch news sites. When questioned about the blocks, Rabobank apparently told some customers there were 'technical problems' with the transfer, but told others the bank’s own internal Ethics Commission had ruled to disallow bitcoin trading. The documents went on to recommend customers engaging in bitcoin trading be labeled as having a 'higher risk profile' in general." Continue reading →

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Dutch Bank Rabobank is Blocking Customers from Buying Bitcoins

"In the US many banks don’t accept any bitcoin businesses as clients, possibly because of regulatory concerns and money laundering risks. Individuals aren’t free from bitcoin banking issues either. CoinDesk reported recently that a Swedish bank froze a customer’s account for selling just 5 BTC. Now it is the Netherlands’ turn. According to an article in the Dutch press, Rabobank cancelled 99% of its customers’ transactions with bitcoin exchanges on Tuesday and Wednesday. Rabobank did not give a reason for this, but a spokesperson for Dutch bitcoin exchange BTCNext said it was because transactions are seen as potential fraud." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDutch Bank Rabobank is Blocking Customers from Buying Bitcoins

ECB Said to Consider Minus 0.1 Percent Deposit Rate

"The European Central Bank is considering a smaller-than-normal cut in the deposit rate if officials decide to take it negative for the first time, according to two people with knowledge of the debate. Policy makers would reduce the rate for commercial lenders who park excess cash at the ECB to minus 0.1 percent from zero, said the people who asked not to be identified because the talks aren’t public. It would be the first time the central bank has adjusted interest rates by less than a quarter of a percentage point. The concept, which has been discussed by Governing Council members, doesn’t yet have a consensus, the people said." Continue reading →

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Bitcoin’s UK Future Looks Bleak

"It's depressing that firstly key government departments have not apparently to the best of my knowledge even discussed this potentially revolutionary technology. It's even more depressing that in a democratic society, discussion of policy regarding this technology is conducted in secrecy. HMRC's VAT legislation is already outdated in many areas especially regarding online trade. My confidence that they will appear from behind these doors with legislation based on a firm understanding of Bitcoin is low. These responses also indicate glaring misunderstandings of what Bitcoin is, hilariously the Bank of England wrote back to tell me 'There have been no meetings held at the BoE attended by Bitcoin'." Continue reading →

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ECB cuts rates to new low of 0.25%, euro sinks

"The European Central Bank (ECB) cuts its main interest rate to 0.25 percent from 0.50 percent on Thursday, sending the euro sharply lower. The announcement - unexpected by many - was followed by a press conference with ECB President Mario Draghi, who insisted the rate cut was in line with previous forward guidance." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingECB cuts rates to new low of 0.25%, euro sinks

Greek Dilemma: A Product of the Dialectic

"Greek protesters rally against IMF and EU inspection. Anti-austerity demonstrators jeer, heckle and throw coins at auditors from bailout troika amid fears of more public sector cuts ... Only hours before, the Greek prime minister, Antonis Samaras, had resolutely declared that Greece was not at war with the international bodies keeping the debt-stricken country afloat. But in scenes not witnessed since the beginning of Greece's economic crisis, auditors from the European Union and International Monetary Fund came face-to-face with the full force of anti-austerity anger as protesters in Athens jeered, heckled and stopped them from leaving the finance ministry." Continue reading →

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Salon: One World After All

"An article in Salon is entitled 'Elites' strange plot to take over the world.' It is basically an admission of the entire globalist enterprise over the past half-century or so. It clearly admits what we all know – that top Western elites have been in an open conspiracy to merge the world, at least the Western world, under one legislative, economic and military regime. What makes the article important? Well ... start with its writer, Matt Stoller, who 'has a background in financial journalism and was a fellow at the [technocratic/socialist] Roosevelt Institute and an editor of the financial site Naked Capitalism.'" Continue reading →

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European Parliament votes to suspend US SWIFT data exchange

"The European Parliament has voted to suspend its SWIFT data exchange agreement with the US. They’ve called for US access to the SWIFT database to be halted following concerns that the US is spying on the EU, and not simply trying to combat terrorism. EU lawmakers suspect that the US has abused an agreement giving it limited access to SWIFT. As such, they voted to freeze Washington’s capacity to track international payments through the site. The worry comes after leaked American documents indicating the US was covertly tapping into SWIFT were aired on Brazilian television. The US denies any wrongdoing." Continue reading →

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Swedish bank freezes customer’s account after she sells 5 bitcoins

"Swedbank recently froze a customer’s account after it found out about her selling five bitcoins on a digital currency marketplace. Bröms Hopkins went on to say she was particularly frustrated that the bank didn’t try to contact her before freezing her account. 'Then a guy from the bank called me. He didn’t say it in so many words, but in between the lines he advised me against doing business in bitcoins because of its anonymity. After his call I felt a bit like a criminal,' she said. The bank reopened Bröms Hopkins’ account 15 days after they imposed the freeze." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSwedish bank freezes customer’s account after she sells 5 bitcoins