"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 →
"Both countries still have problems. Iceland’s monetary controls are notably stifling needed investment, while Ireland is left with a large debt from bailing out its banks, and this is stalling growth. One thing is clear though — the effects of monetary policy are stark and the proclaimed benefits of Iceland’s inflationary policy were counteracted by the price inflation that ensued. Don’t let a good crisis go to waste; learn something from it. As the tale of these two countries demonstrates, inflating one’s currency may give the appearance of recovery, but the truth is somewhat less rosy." Continue reading →
"De Groote, previously an administrator at the International Monetary Fund, was accused of providing a veneer of credibility, with the cash purportedly coming from investors. ATS reported that he received almost one million Swiss francs for his role in the scam. The five Czechs, including former board members, had managed to gain control of 97 percent of the company. They went on to launder more than a billion Swiss francs. The money was stashed in bank accounts in Switzerland and neighbouring Liechtenstein, in the name of more than 30 firms based in the Bahamas, the Isle of Man and other offshore havens." Continue reading →
"Jeff Berwick from The Dollar Vigilante chats with Vanessa Collette about the current state of the US economy and the latest news from the Bitcoin phenomenon. Taped at Cambridge House's Spokane Silver Summit 2013. Always entertaining!" Continue reading →
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"Like last time, it’s only now — after the first cracks in the market have begun to show themselves — that other prominent experts are joining his camp. Eight years ago, the epicenter of the bust was the American home market. Now, it’s every bond market on the planet. And ultimately, bonds are more vital and pivotal in the global economy than homes. Why? Because a global bond-price collapse automatically comes with a global interest-rate surge; and sharply higher interest rates directly impact every consumer, every corporation or every government that borrows money. How prominent are the voices now joining Larson’s once-lonely chorus? Judge for yourself." Continue reading →
"Corporations can’t continue to borrow so much money at such low rates. But everyone is perfectly happy to postpone that apocalypse too. Stock market investors are no dopes either. They know this Fed-driven bull market must come to an end sometime. By many different measures – P/Es… swollen margin accounts… enterprise-value-to-revenue ratios… investor sentiment – the stock market is already in the danger zone. What will happen? Either the Fed will begin to taper – probably causing a crash. Or investors will get tired of investing real money in a phony trend. Either way, when the apocalypse comes… it will be later." Continue reading →
"Printing a lot of money is really helping the Japanese economy, according to the International Monetary Fund. In fact, according to the IMF, there's plenty of room to do more if need be. This is part of a larger trend we've been observing of late. Whether it is Janet Yellen in the US or Mark Carney in England or the ECB or the BOJ itself, aggressive money printing is becoming a signature calling card. So what is all this money printing accomplishing? Well ... from our point of view, it's nothing more or less than a promotional exercise. It's clear to us. We couldn't figure it out at first but now we can. They're printing because there's nothing else to do." Continue reading →
"India's third biggest gold fund will begin accepting fresh investments again after shutting off new buy-ins three months ago to support government efforts to curb bullion demand and control a rising trade deficit. The government and the central bank launched a series of measures this year to curb the country's appetite for gold as India battled a ballooning trade deficit and a weak currency. Gold is the biggest item on India's import bill after oil. The gold fund is part of Reliance Capital, controlled by billionaire Anil Ambani. India has imposed a 10 percent duty on imports of gold, and tied imports to exports. Imports have fallen to a mere 7 tonnes in September from a record 162 tonnes in May." Continue reading →
"Prime Minister David Cameron said the U.K. plans to become the first country outside the Muslim world to sell a Shariah-compliant bond as soon as next year. Cameron laid out his government’s intentions in a speech to the World Islamic Economic Forum in London. The Islamic bonds, known as sukuk, would be valued at about 200 million pounds ($320 million). Cameron also said London Stock Exchange Group Plc (LSE) is creating an Islamic market index. Islamic bonds are typically backed by assets or cash flow because of the religion’s ban on interest. About 60 percent of the world’s sukuk is issued from Malaysia, according to Malaysia International Islamic Financial Centre." Continue reading →