The European Central Bank is to phase out the €500 (£400) note, nicknamed the “Bin Laden” because of its association with money-laundering and terror financing – and because while many people know what it looks like, few have ever seen one. The ECB announced on Wednesday that the fuchsia-coloured bills, the highest denomination of the … Continue reading
By Jason Simpkins Six of the world’s central banks (Europe, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, and Hungary) representing 29 countries have taken interest rates negative. They range from -0.05% in Hungary to -1.25% basis points in Sweden. As a result, other countries, plagued by the same low commodities prices and a soft global economy, are now … Continue reading
By Egon Von Greyerz, GoldSwitzerland Investors around the world are blissfully ignorant of what will hit them in coming months and years. Virtually no one understands the risks in the world and less than ½% of investors have protected themselves against the destruction of their financial assets. It is of course wonderful to live in Shangri-La … Continue reading
By Phoenix Capital Research Are Central Bankers delusional? Over the weekend, Benoît Cœuré, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, penned a piece defending the ECB’s policies from the criticism that NIRP hurts savers. The first paragraph reveals, quite clearly, just how lost the ECB is regarding the efficacy of its policies. Is the … Continue reading
By Phoenix Capital Research For seven years, the world has operated under a complete delusion that Central Banks somehow fixed the 2008 Crisis. All of the arguments claiming this defied common sense. A 5th grader would tell you that you cannot solve a debt problem by issuing more debt. If the below chart was a problem … Continue reading
By Egon Von Greyerz, Goldbroker.com The global economy turned down in earnest already in 2006 but with a massive worldwide printing and lending programme, the world has had a temporary stay of execution. But the effect of this fabricated money has now come to an end. And what else would you expect. To print money that … Continue reading
By David Smith, Money Metals Exchange As we move through 2016, the Horsemen of the geopolitical, economic, and social apocalypse are on the march. China burns through its currency reserves as billions in yuan flee the mainland for safe harbor. Japan prints mountains of yen debt in an effort to create inflation – and thereby … Continue reading
By Phoenix Capital Research The Fed is “one and done” for rate hikes. It will not raise rates again. We called this back in mid-2015. The US economy is far too weak for the Fed to engage in anything resembling a series of rate hikes. Corporate leverage, household leverage, even the national debt stand at levels … Continue reading
Venezuela’s crisis seems to deepen each passing day while its economy crumbles. The crisis is on two fronts: economical and political. Both crises combined and compounded by a plunge in oil prices have created a “perfect storm” that has engulfed the South American nation. Venezuela relies heavily on oil, which accounts for 95 percent of foreign currency earnings as its economy … Continue reading
By Mike Gleason, Money Metals Exchange Mike Gleason: It is my privilege now to be joined by a man who needs little introduction, Marc Faber; editor and publisher of The Gloom, Boom & Doom Report. Dr. Faber has frequently appeared on financial shows across the globe and he’s a well-known Austrian school economist, and an investment … Continue reading