SNB & CHF

A key principle in understanding Austrian economics is seeing the inefficiency of government spending. In an era of overbearing states and reckless fiscal policy, this principle must be emphasized repeatedly. Politicians might claim the best of intentions when dishing out funds for military defense, social welfare, and public works. Their civil servants might try to realize these plans efficiently and thriftily. However, the very nature of government spending goes...

Overview: The banking crisis is ebbing. The Bank of England and European Central Bank assured investors that the AT1 bonds are senior to equity claims, and Switzerland is a unique case. Bank share indices in the Europe and the US rose yesterday, even though the shares of First Republic Bank fell by 47% yesterday. The $123-stock at the end of last month reached almost $11 yesterday. It is trading around $14.75 pre-market. Global equities are building on yesterday's...

Kayaking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are just a few of the winter activities the Swiss are supporting in the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan. The goal is creating new jobs in a country where one in four are out of work. The programme, funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and implemented by the Swiss NGO Helvetas, focuses on the northern mountainous region of Karakol. Local mountain guides, cultural guides and sports teachers are being trained so that they...

Despite slumping markets, the decentralized finance (DeFi) industry continued to grow last year, driven by sustained funding activity and increased user adoption. In 2022, DeFi users growth averaged 44% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ), according to a report by crypto fund HashKey Capital. In Q3 2022, the industry reached a milestone, surpassing the five million DeFi wallet threshold. This growth came amid sustained support from investors in the cryptocurrency sector. In...

If we have learned anything from hundreds of years of government oppression and atrocities, one thing is certain: government isn't our friend. Original Article: "Government Is as Government Does" This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon.  [embedded content] Tags: Featured,newsletter

During the past few weeks, Donald Trump has been releasing some of his proposals if he were to win the election in 2024. While many of his positions pose great danger to personal liberty, such as his plan to “end crime and keep Americans safe,” his proposals on tariffs are up there in terms of ignorance. In a video posted on February 27, Donald Trump released his plan to “end our reliance on China.” In the short video, Trump claims that his plan would increase...

UBS today announced the takeover of Credit Suisse. This takeover was made possible with the support of the Swiss federal government, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority FINMA and the Swiss National Bank. With the takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS, a solution has been found to secure financial stability and protect the Swiss economy in this exceptional situation. Both banks have unrestricted access to the SNB’s existing facilities, through which they can...

The current job market strength partly reflects the ongoing monetary overhang from years of breakneck growth in money-supply inflation. The $6 trillion in money that was newly created since 2020 is still very much a factor. Original Article: "The Fed's Huge Monetary Overhang Keeps Job Totals Up as Real Wages Fall" This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon.  [embedded content]...

This past weekend saw extraordinary actions by the Fed to address the meltdown of Silicon Valley Bank. Did the central bank break the law by effectively authorizing unsecured loans to banks based on the face value—rather than significantly lower market value—of those banks' Treasury holdings? Bob's study guide to A Theory of Money and Credit: Mises.org/HAP387a Jeff on the Fed as the ultimate bank: Mises.org/HAP387b [embedded content] [embedded...

Teaching high schoolers economics means teaching Austrian principles. Original Article: "The Balfour Declaration" This Audio Mises Wire is generously sponsored by Christopher Condon.  [embedded content] Tags: Featured,newsletter