Tag Archives: Featured

In September 2022, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) raised its policy rate back into positive territory. At the same time, it adopted a new approach to implementing monetary policy in the money market. This approach employs two levers: the tiered remuneration of reserves, also referred to as reserve tiering, and reserve absorption. The speech explains why, with a large central bank balance sheet, remunerating the reserve holdings of commercial banks is the only...

As part of its contribution to the stability of the financial system, the Swiss National Bank acts as lender of last resort. In this role, it makes emergency liquidity assistance available to banks when, in crisis situations, they need substantial liquid funds which they are no longer able to obtain on the market. The SNB provides this liquidity assistance in the form of secured loans. It accepts a broad range of collateral for this – in particular also illiquid...

By popular thinking, whenever the central bank raises the growth rate of the money supply through the buying of financial assets such as Treasuries this pushes the prices of Treasuries higher and their yields lower. This is labeled as the monetary liquidity effect. This effect is inversely correlated with interest rates. Furthermore, an increase in the money supply after a time lag strengthens economic activity and this pushes interest rates higher. Note that we have...

Share: Pound Sterling struggles for a direction as investors shift focus to the Q3 GDP data. A poor GDP report would elevate dovish expectations from various BoE policymakers. Rising energy prices have squeezed the UK’s consumer spending. The Pound Sterling (GBP) is stuck in a tight range as investors seem unwilling to build fresh positions...

The AI and robotics revolution continues. As entrepreneurs find new ways to use these things profitably, the overall wealth of nations increases. Original Article: The Fate or Wealth of Nations: AI, Robotics and Automation [embedded content] Tags: Featured,newsletter

read aloud pause X Retail banks have increased investment in digital marketing by 16% in a bid to attract younger clients.  Share Facebook Twitter E-mail Print Copy link In 2023, budgeted sums in this segment will total CHF 47.6 million ($52.8 million), up 16% on last year, according to an estimate by Colombus Consulting in its study on the digitalisation of the customer experience, published on Thursday.UBS, Postfinance and Raiffeisen...

Overview: The dollar is mostly firmer against the G10 currencies and has been confined to tight ranges through the European morning. Outside of the China's deflation and Japan's monthly portfolio flow data that showed Japanese investors bought the most amount of US Treasuries (~$22 bln) in six months in September, the news stream is light. Most emerging market currencies are trading with a softer bias today. The Philippine peso is the strongest among the emerging...

Murray Rothbard asked this question and concluded that the current American regime, if the wisdom of Aquinas’ words is taken seriously, cannot wage a just war. Original Article: Can the American Government Wage a Just War? [embedded content] Tags: Featured,newsletter

As I wrote in my previous piece on statism and the Israel-Hamas conflict, states are organized crime rackets. Wars between states thus represent warfare between rival gangs. The proper libertarian position with reference to such gang wars is neutrality, or the opposition to all state parties to war. Neutrality includes opposition to interventionism, including opposition to sending arms and aid to other nations. Foreign aid increases the tax aggression on the...

Banks continue to tighten lending standards across all sectors. This has eased a bit from the July survey. Banks continue to widen spreads across all sectors. The percentage of banks widening spreads has also eased a tad. Banks are not seeing increasing demand for loans. I’m just posting survey results for C&I loans, the graph is very similar for commercial real estate, residential real estate and consumer loans. Commercial and Industrial loan growth has...