The Used Goods Question Retail sales in several countries like Germany, Italy, Japan and Switzerland continue to fall. In the United States they have strongly risen recently. We should remind readers, that used goods sold via Ebay or similar, are not contained in this statistics. Still they create economic value for the purchases. By mentality, Swiss, Germans or Japanese pay more attention so that used goods do not...
Read More »Austrian Presidential Election is Important even if Overshadowed by Italy’s Referendum
Summary: Italy’s referendum defeat is not simply a victory for populist-nationalist forces. Freedom Party victory in Austria is a victory for said forces. Even if Hofer wins, there are sufficient checks that make it difficult to hold EU or EMU referendum. The ADP private sector employment estimate will steal some thunder from the official estimate on Friday. Although the two times do not line up tightly in the...
Read More »Switzerland UBS Consumption Indicator: Retailers are hoping for good Christmas business
The Swiss consumption indicator by UBS shows improvements. The indicator is still distant from the highs in 2012. At the time stronger growth in Emerging Markets and the weaker franc helped the Swiss economy. In October, the UBS consumption indicator rose from 1.47 to 1.49 points. Positive developments in the automobile market and robust domestic tourism continue to support private consumption. However, the slump...
Read More »FX Daily, November 30: Renewed OPEC Hopes and Month End Featured
Swiss Franc EUR/CHF - Euro Swiss Franc, November 30(see more posts on EUR/CHF, ). - Click to enlarge Rates for buying Swiss Francs dollars remain incredibly subdued post Brexit but there has been a general improvement over the last month. Rates for the moment appear to have found support over 1.24 for GBP CHF and this has largely come about following the Trump US presidential election victory. Despite a leaked...
Read More »FX Daily, November 30: Renewed OPEC Hopes and Month End Featured
Swiss Franc EUR/CHF - Euro Swiss Franc, November 30(see more posts on EUR/CHF, ). - Click to enlarge Rates for buying Swiss Francs dollars remain incredibly subdued post Brexit but there has been a general improvement over the last month. Rates for the moment appear to have found support over 1.24 for GBP CHF and this has largely come about following the Trump US presidential election victory. Despite a leaked...
Read More »Bernanke Suggests How to Use the Dot Plots
Summary: The dot plots are not FOMC commitments or an aggregate view of the FOMC. They are a collection of individual economic forecasts based on the most likely scenario and their view of appropriate policy. The SEP is useful for understanding how Fed officials view the long-term economic parameters, which appears to explain the downward shift in the long-term equilibrium rate for Fed funds. Former Fed chief...
Read More »Bernanke Suggests How to Use the Dot Plots
Summary: The dot plots are not FOMC commitments or an aggregate view of the FOMC. They are a collection of individual economic forecasts based on the most likely scenario and their view of appropriate policy. The SEP is useful for understanding how Fed officials view the long-term economic parameters, which appears to explain the downward shift in the long-term equilibrium rate for Fed funds. Former Fed chief...
Read More »Fidel Castro and the American Empire
A Brutal Communist Dictator Shuffles Off This Mortal Coil The death of the brutal Cuban Communist dictator Fidel Castro closes the door, in some respect, on another disastrous page in US foreign policy history. For all the denunciations and criticism of Castro from conservative elements and exiled Cubans, his despotic rule was the outcome of decades of American imperialism which began with President William...
Read More »Switzerland tops talent table despite high cost of living
Switzerland retains its number one spot in IMD‘s most recent 2016 World Talent Report. Unlike the other 60 nations in the study, which have seen their performance gyrate, a plot of Switzerland’s rank over the last ten years is a perfectly straight line. First ten years in a row. The study looks at three things: investment in people, ability to attract skilled foreigners, and readiness, a measure of the availability of...
Read More »Switzerland tops talent table despite high cost of living
Switzerland retains its number one spot in IMD‘s most recent 2016 World Talent Report. Unlike the other 60 nations in the study, which have seen their performance gyrate, a plot of Switzerland’s rank over the last ten years is a perfectly straight line. First ten years in a row. The study looks at three things: investment in people, ability to attract skilled foreigners, and readiness, a measure of the availability of...
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