Monthly Archive: November 2017

Weekly Technical Analysis: 06/11/2017 – USDJPY, EURUSD, GBPUSD, AUDUSD

2017-11-06

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2017-11-06

Euro / Swiss Franc FX Cross Rate, November 06
USDJPY, EURUSD, GBPUSD, AUDUSD

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Big Swiss names surface in ‘Paradise Papers’

2017-11-06

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2017-11-06

Politicians, business directors and companies in Switzerland are among those connected to the so-called Paradise Papers, a massive trove of leaked offshore investment documents. There is currently no evidence of any legal wrongdoing.

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German Investors Now World’s Largest Gold Buyers

2017-11-06

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2017-11-06

China Total Debt, 2004 - 2017
Today, gold is increasingly viewed by German investors as a regular form of saving: 25% of those surveyed in 2016 said their gold purchase had been part of a regular review of their investments, while 23% said it was part of their retirement planning.

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Emerging Markets: Week Ahead Preview

2017-11-06

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2017-11-06

EM FX ended the week under pressure. News of the Venezuela debt restructuring was digested well, but sentiment went south as the day wore on. Weakness was concentrated in the weakest links TRY, BRL, RUB, and ZAR, while MXN and COP were dragged along for the ride. We see EM selling pressures persisting into 2018.

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Cool Video: Bloomberg TV on Powell–Heir Apparent

2017-11-05

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2017-11-05

BBG London
In London on business and had the opportunity to go to Bloomberg. In this clip, Francine Lacqua discuss the likely nomination of Fed Governor Powell to succeed Yellen at the helm of the Federal Reserve. I make three points. First, that, like others, I recognize a strong element of continuity between Bernanke, who was first appointed by a Republican, Yellen, and now, presumably Powell.

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Gold Price Reacts as Central Banks Start Major Change

2017-11-05

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2017-11-05

Gold Price in GBP
Bank of England raised interest rates for the first time in ten years. President Trump announces Jerome Powell as his choice to lead the U.S. Federal Reserve. Most investors outside the US Dollar and Euro see gold prices climb after busy week of central bank news. Inflation now at five-year high of 3%. Inflation, low-interest rate, debt crises and bail-ins still threaten savers and pensioners.

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Global Asset Allocation Update

2017-11-05

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2017-11-05

Moderate Allocation
The risk budget this month shifts slightly as we add cash to the portfolio. For the moderate risk investor the allocation to bonds is unchanged at 50%, risk assets are reduced to 45% and cash is raised to 5%. The changes this month are modest and may prove temporary but I felt a move to reduce risk was prudent given signs of exuberance – rational, irrational or otherwise.

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What’s Driving Social Discord: Russian Social Media Meddling or Soaring Wealth/Power Inequality?

2017-11-05

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2017-11-05

Boris Natasha
The nation's elites are desperate to misdirect us from the financial and power dividethat has enriched and empowered them at the expense of the unprotected many. There are two competing explanatory narratives battling for mind-share in the U.S.: 1. The nation's social discord is the direct result of Russian social media meddling-- what I call the Boris and Natasha Narrative of evil Russian masterminds controlling a vast conspiracy of social media...

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The Swiss National Bank Now Owns A Record $88 Billion In US Stocks

2017-11-04

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2017-11-04

Value of Swiss National Bank US Stock Holdings, Jun 2014 - Sep 2017
In the third quarter of 2017, one in which the global economy was supposedly undergoing an unprecedented "coordinated growth spurt", and in which central banks were preparing to unveil their QE tapering intentions, in the case of the ECB, or raising rates outright, at the Fed, what was really taking place was another central bank buying spree meant to boost confidence that things are now back to normal, using "money" freshly printed out of thin...

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Emerging Markets: What has Changed

2017-11-04

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2017-11-04

Russia’s Finance Ministry announced plans to increase its dollar. purchases in November. Bahrain has reportedly asked its Gulf allies for financial assistance. S&P upgraded Argentina a notch to B+ with stable outlook. Brazil raised BRL6.15 bln ($1.9 bln) by auctioning off the rights to explore 6 of the 8 deep-water oil blocks. Venezuela bowed to the inevitable, announcing that it would have to restructure its debt.

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What the Kennedy Assassination Records Reveal: Uncontrollable Incompetence

2017-11-04

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2017-11-04

Propaganda Ministry 2017
One way to interpret the intelligence community's reluctance to let all the Kennedy assassination archives become public is that the archives contain evidence of a "smoking gun": that is, evidence that the intelligence agencies of the United States of America were complicit in the assassination of the President.

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Bonds And Soft Chinese Data

2017-11-04

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2017-11-04

China Treasury Bonds
Back in June, China’s federal bond yield curve inverted. Ahead of mid-year bank checks, short-term govvies sold off as longer bonds continued to be bought. It was for some a rotation, for others a reflection of money rates threatening to spiral out of control. On June 19, for example, the 6-month federal security yielded 3.87% compared to a yield of 3.525% for the 10-year.

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The (Economic) Difference Between Stocks and Bonds

2017-11-04

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2017-11-04

US Disposable Personal Income, Jan 1985 - 2017
Real Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) rose 0.6% in September 2017 above August. That was the largest monthly increase (SAAR) in almost three years. Given that Real PCE declined month-over-month in August, it is reasonable to assume hurricane effects for both. Across the two months, Real PCE rose by a far more modest 0.5% total, or an annual rate of just 3.4%, only slightly greater the prevailing average.

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Agriculture suisse: trop, c’est trop.

2017-11-03

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2017-11-03

Après la place financière, la production d’électricité, le secteur de la santé, des assurances-maladie, voici arrivé le tour de la destruction du secteur agricole. Remarquez la chose est déjà bien emmanchée avec des suicides et des faillites d’agriculteurs harcelés par un Etat qui poursuit l’agenda d’un « marché » financier et non celui des électeurs, quand bien même ceux-ci financent leur salaire …

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FX Daily, November 03: Dollar Firms Ahead of What is Expected to Be Strong US Jobs Data

2017-11-03

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2017-11-03

The US dollar is firm but is not going anywhere quickly. The lack of fresh interest rate support and uncertainty over the US tax proposals, which the Brady, the Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee hopes to have a revised version out after the weekend so the committee work can begin on Monday.

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If American Federalism Were Like Swiss Federalism, There Would Be 1,300 States

2017-11-03

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2017-11-03

Number of Residents per Member
In a recent interview with Mises Weekends, Claudio Grass examined some of the advantages of the Swiss political system, and how highly decentralized politics can bring with it great economic prosperity, more political stability, and a greater respect for property rights. Since the Swiss political system of federalism is itself partially inspired by 19th-century American federalism, the average American can usually imagine in broad terms what the...

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Why Switzerland Could Save the World and Protect Your Gold

2017-11-03

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2017-11-03

Claudio Grass
Precious metals advisor Claudio Grass believes Switzerland can serve as an example to rest of world. Switzerland popular for gold storage due to understanding of the risks inherent in fiat money and gold’s value as a store of wealth. International investors opt to store gold in Swiss allocated accounts due to tradition of respecting private property.

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Strong Growth? Q3 GDP Only Shows How Weak 2017 Has Been

2017-11-03

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2017-11-03

US Gross Domestic Product, April 2011 - March 2017
Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson also had a long career as a manager after his playing days were done. He once said in that latter capacity that you have to have a short memory as a closer. Simple wisdom where it’s true, all that matters for that style of pitching is the very next out. You can forget about what just happened so as to give your full energy and concentration to the batter at the plate.

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Observations on Wealth-Income Inequality (from Federal Reserve Reports)

2017-11-03

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2017-11-03

Percent of Families with business equity, 1989 - 2016
There's a profound difference between assets that produce no income and those that produce net income. To those of us nutty enough to pore over dozens of pages of data on wealth and income in the U.S., the Federal Reserve's quarterly Z.1 reports and annual Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) are treasure troves, as are I.R.S. tax and income reports.

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Swiss Consumers continue to expect a positive economic development

2017-11-02

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2017-11-02

Consumer Confidence Survey, Q4/2017
Consumer sentiment in Switzerland remains above average. At -2 points, the overall index is virtually unchanged in October compared to the previous quarter (-3 points). Continued optimism regarding economic development and unemployment are supporting the positive outlook in particular, while expectations regarding the financial situation of households remain below average.

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