SNB & CHF

In his Nations by Consent, Murray Rothbard reminds us that the concept of a nation “cannot be precisely defined; it is a complex and varying constellation of different forms of communities, languages, ethnic groups, or religions.” And yet, in most states of the world, this concept of nationality has been transformed from a group with a shared heritage, language, and history into a set of documents that needs to be processed in central facilities. Gone are the days of...

Overview:  The softer than expected US inflation figures unleashed significant market adjustment that continue to ripple through the capital markets. The modification of some of China’s Covid stance may have also fanned some optimism, but we suggest that measures are modest tweaks, and the surge in infections will prevent the end of disruptive restrictions. Although we have been arguing that a significant dollar top was being forged, the move is stretched from a...

“Democracy” is the new “revolutionary.” In the old Marxist regimes, anything that displeased the ruling communist regime was said to be contrary to “the revolution.” For example, in the Soviet Union, national leaders spoke regularly of how the nation was in the process of “a revolutionary transformation” toward a future idealized communist society. Many years after the actual revolution and coup d’etat in Russia in following the collapse of Tsarist Russia, the word...

Thrilled to release this discussion with Jeff Snider, founder of Eurodollar University and one of the foremost experts on the global monetary system. He’s widely known for his unique perspective on its misunderstood inner workings and how they impact global markets and the economy. Jeff joins me to dig into the cracks emerging within the financial system, the yield curve, fundamental drivers of the dollar/collateral shortages and much more. Enjoy! Specifically, we cover: 00:00 |...

Interview with Václav Klaus To many of us, no matter how well versed in history, in political affairs or in socioeconomic issues, the present conditions in the West, and especially in Europe, can sometimes seem like the plot of a bad movie. It is often said that history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme, and what we’re seeing today is a great example of that. Nevertheless, one would have expected that at least some of those in charge of the “big decisions”...

Overview: Anxiety is running high. Rather than ease its Covid restrictions, a surge in cases is seeing more areas in China come under restrictions. The US reports CPI and of the ten reports this year, seven of them have been stronger than expected. The turmoil in the crypto space has gotten noticed even by those not involved. Asia Pacific bourses fell, led by Hong Kong, and Europe’s Stoxx 600 is off for a second day. US equity futures are slightly firmer. US and...

Christie’s said an unidentified Asian buyer snapped up the diamond. © Keystone / Martial Trezzini A pear-shaped 18-carat pink diamond billed as a rarity has sold at a Geneva auction for CHF28.4 million ($28.8 million), including fees and taxes. The “Fortune Pink” fancy vivid pink stone, said to be the largest of its kind and shape to go on the block, headlined Christie’s latest Geneva sale of jewellery. It had been expected to fetch between $25 million and $35...

In a recent essay, I explained how over time the US abused its responsibility to control the supply of dollars, the world’s premier reserve currency for settling international trade accounts among nations. This abrogation of its duties is leading to the likely adoption of a new reserve currency, commodity based and controlled not by one nation but by members, all watchful that the currency is not inflated. Let us continue the analogy of an individual receiving a...

The storm warnings are up in Florida, and have been up across the monetary system for some time. Massive and unprecedented curve inversions point to some as-yet unidentified economic and financial hurricane. Conducting a survey of global foreign currency reserves, there's already been huge destruction closing in on a trillion. And if what curves are pricing is accurate, worse to come, what does that look like when a trillion dollars destroyed is the prelude? Eurodollar University's Money...

Switzerland’s largest private railway operator, Rhaetian Railway (RhB), set a new world record for the longest passenger train on a spectacular narrow gauge track. The train – comprising 100 carriages for a total length of 1,910 metres - travelled for 25 kilometres on the Albula/Bernina route from Preda to Alvaneu in canton Graubünden in southeast Switzerland. It comprised 25 newly delivered train units, or 100 carriages, making a total length of 1,910 metres. On its journey...