Tag Archives: Featured

You can listen to the audio version of this article here. Last week the cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which was recently valued at $32 billion, imploded. While the tragedy continues to play out, let’s summarize what has happened so far: FTX is a cryptocurrency exchange, co-founded by Sam “SBF” Bankman-Fried. FTX enables customers to make leveraged bets (as high as 20 to 1) on cryptocurrencies. More often than not, it takes loans to make loans. FTX would make these...

Overview: The situation in central Europe is still intense but it appears top US, European and Polish officials are more reluctant than some market participants to attribute the darkest of intentions and paint extreme narratives. The Polish zloty has recovered around 1.3% today and other central European currencies are also trading firmer to lead the emerging market currencies. The US dollar is broadly weaker against the G10 currencies. The large Asia Pacific bourses...

15.11.2022 – The Swiss residential property price index (IMPI) rose in the 3rd quarter 2022 compared with the previous quarter by 1.2% and reached 114.6 points (4th quarter 2019 = 100). Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, inflation was 6.3%. These are the results from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). In the 3rd quarter 2022, in comparison with the previous quarter across Switzerland both the prices of sin-gle-family houses (+1.4%) and those of...

Even as price inflation slows and we move past June’s peak, progressives continue to push the concept of “greedflation”—that this year’s price inflation is caused by corporate greed and price gouging. This is inaccurate, based on bad economics, and it blames a consequence of the problem rather than the problem itself. If we want to address the real issues in the economy and avoid similar pain in the future, we need to get serious and drop “greedflation” from the...

This is via the folks at eFX. For bank trade ideas, check out eFX Plus. For a limited time, get a 7 day free trial, basic for $79 per month and premium at $109 per month. Get it here. Barclays Research discusses CHF outlook and targets EUR/CHF around 0.97, 0.97, 0.98, and 1.00 by end of Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 of next year respectively. “We expect CHF to remain at the higher end of its historical range, with EURCHF trading around parity for the next few quarters. CHF...

A grand plan is advanced by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Its name, “The Great Reset,” conveys the scope of this undertaking. Among its many audacious goals, it will “offer insights to help inform all those determining the future state of global relations, the direction of national economies, the priorities of societies, the nature of business models and the management of a global commons.” That is clearly all for the good. But what are the particulars? A number of...

BlackRock, one of the world’s largest asset managers, has been actively investing in the fintech industry over the past decade, participating in large rounds of financing across a broad range of segments, from payments and lending, to wealthtech and cryptocurrency, a new analysis by fintech-focused research firm WhiteSight shows. The report, which delves into the investment firm’s fintech moves, shows that BlackRock has been a prolific fintech investors, dipping its...

SNB’s Jordan, who has been chatting more in the NY session at least of late, is no the wires saying: monetary policy is a still expansionary we have most likely to adjust monetary policy again inflation is very thorny and there is still a risk that inflation will rise further inflation rate is above our target now. Expect it to be above our target if we don’t take that into account central banks around the world are now in a tightening cycle Yesterday Jordan said:...

Overview: Recent developments have spurred a euphoria that is exciting the animal spirits. Greater confidence that US inflation has peaked, and new initiatives from China, and yesterday’s Biden-Xi meeting are all feeding this narrative. The dollar, which slumped last week, is sliding anew today. Strategically, we anticipated the turn, but tactically, we thought last week’s move had stretched the near-term technical condition.  The dollar is sharply lower (~-1%)...

Worried about saving enough for retirement? You can put away more next year. The IRS has just announced the new retirement plan contribution limits for 2023. The contribution limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan increases to $22,500, up from $20,500. For individuals 50 and older, the catch-up contribution limit goes to $7,500, up from $6,500. So, if you qualify for catch-up...