Monthly Archive: July 2021

Paying People Not to Work Won’t Make Us Richer

2021-07-20

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2021-07-20

One of the most important principles of economics is that people respond to incentives. You get more of whatever you incentivize. You get less of whatever you disincentivize. This is irrefutable. The supplemental unemployment payment does both—it incentivizes people not to work, and simultaneously disincentivizes them from working.

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Weekly Market Pulse (VIDEO)

2021-07-20

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2021-07-20



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Weekly Market Pulse: As Clear As Mud

2021-07-19

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2021-07-19

Is there anyone left out there who doesn’t know the rate of economic growth is slowing? The 10 year Treasury yield has fallen 45 basis points since peaking in mid-March. 10 year TIPS yields have fallen by the same amount and now reside below -1% again. Copper prices peaked a little later (early May), fell 16% at the recent low and are still down nearly 12% from the highs.

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How Breakdown Cascades Into Collapse

2021-07-19

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2021-07-19

The Rising Wedge Model of Breakdown
Maintaining the illusion of confidence, permanence and stability serves the interests of those benefiting from the bubbles and those who prefer the safety of the herd, even as the herd thunders toward the precipice.

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Immoblien – Wie Hypotharzinsen entstehen – und wie man mit diesem Wissen Geld spart

2021-07-19

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2021-07-19

Zinsen für fünfjährige Festhypotheken seit 2013
Wenn die Federal Reserve, das amerikanische Pendant zur Schweizerischen Nationalbank (SNB), die Zinsen erhöht, dann kann dies Menschen in der Schweiz mit eigenem Haus oder eigener Wohnung direkt Geld kosten. Aber warum eigentlich? Die Fed ist weit weg und die Schweiz hat ja ihre eigenen Zinsen. Ganz so einfach ist es nicht. Die in der Regel monatlich fälligen Zinsen für den Kauf eines eigenen Hauses oder einer Eigentumswohnung sind von mehreren...

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Some charging for rapid Covid tests that are supposed to be free

2021-07-18

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2021-07-18

According to a report by the newspaper Le Matin, some testing centres in Switzerland are charging for rapid antigen tests despite the federal government announcing it would cover the cost of these tests.

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Central Switzerland braces itself for another ‘flood of the century’

2021-07-18

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2021-07-18

Lakes and rivers in central Swiss cantons such as Bern and Lucerne have reached dangerous levels, and more rain is forecast for Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday authorities in canton Bern said water levels on Lake Thun, Lake Biel and in the city of Bern would significantly exceed flood limits in the coming days.

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The Critical Race Theory Controversy

2021-07-18

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2021-07-18

Conservatives and progressives are at it again. They are attacking each other big time over whether Critical Race Theory should be taught in secondary schools and colleges and universities. The fundraising appeals are flying, as each side exhorts people to send in their donations to support whichever side is sending out the fundraising appeal.

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How the Swiss Government gets Paid to Borrow

2021-07-17

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2021-07-17

Normally, those who borrow must pay out more money than they are lent in the form of interest and repayments. Currently, for the Swiss government it is the other way around. Lenders are paying the Swiss federal government to give it money.

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Shares in Picasso painting go up for grabs in blockchain sale

2021-07-17

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2021-07-17

Fans of Pablo Picasso will soon be able to own a share in one of his paintings for less than $6,000 (CHF5,500) – although that won’t actually buy them the right to see the work, which will be stored under lock and key in Switzerland.

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What Is the Purpose of the Economy? Carl Menger Explains.

2021-07-17

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2021-07-17

This second part of the series about the Principles of Economics treats Menger’s exposition of the economy. In continuation of the first part, which covered the general concept of goods, the part on the economy treats the role of economic goods in relation to human wants.

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FX Daily, July 16: BOJ Tweaks Forecasts

2021-07-16

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2021-07-16

The markets head into the weekend with little fanfare. Most large equity markets in the Asia Pacific region slipped earlier today. Hong Kong, which will be exempt from the need to secure mainland's cybersecurity approval for foreign IPOs, and Australia were notable exceptions. European bourses are edging higher, while US futures are oscillating around unchanged levels.

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SNB und SIX schützen Datenkommunikation vor Cyberrisiken

2021-07-16

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2021-07-16

Das neue Kommunikationsnetzwerk soll den zugelassenen Teilnehmern des Finanzplatzes Schweiz ermöglichen, untereinander und mit den Finanzmarktinfrastrukturen sicher zu kommunizieren. (Bild: Shutterstock.com/Deepadesigns)

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Covid: 67% of Geneva now has Antibodies

2021-07-16

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2021-07-16

Vaccination has pushed the percentage of residents in Geneva with antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus up to 67%, according to a recent study by Geneva’s HUG hospital. To some extent, Geneva has been at the forefront of Switzerland’s experience with Covid-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the canton has recorded Switzerland’s highest rate of infection, 54% above the Swiss average.

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Price comparison site Comparis customer data exposed in ransomware attack

2021-07-16

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2021-07-16

On 9 July 2021, the Swiss price comparison website Comparis revealed that it had been the victim of a ransomeware cyber attack on Wednesday, 7 July 2021. According to Comparis, the attack occurred in the morning. Comparis took down several of its sites as a security measure. The attackers demanded money in exchange for decrypting data.

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Here’s Why America’s Labor-Shortage Will Drive Inflation Higher

2021-07-16

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2021-07-16

Wages Shares, 1960 - 2021
America's labor shortage is complex and doesn't lend itself to the simplistic expectations favored by media talking heads. The Wall Street cheerleaders extol the virtues of "getting America back to work" which is Wall-Street-speak for getting back to exploiting workers to maximize corporate profits.

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FX Daily, July 15: Strong Gains in US CPI and PPI Don’t Stop the Bond Market Rally

2021-07-15

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2021-07-15

Strong inflation prints this week have not prevented the long-term US interest rates from tumbling. The 10-year yield is about 10 bp lower than where it closed on Tuesday after the lackluster 30-year auction. The 30-year yield itself is 11 bp lower.

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Bern braces itself for another ‘flood of the century’

2021-07-15

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2021-07-15

Canton Bern expects water levels on Lake Thun, Lake Biel and in the city of Bern to significantly exceed flood limits in the coming days. On Lake Biel it’s possible the situation will be similar to the flood of the century in 2005.

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And Now Three Huge PPIs Which Still Don’t Matter One Bit In Bond Market

2021-07-15

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2021-07-15

U.S. PPI Commodities Finished Goods Core YoY, Jan 2001 - Jan 2021
And just like that, snap of the fingers, it’s gone. Without a “bad” Treasury auction, there was no stopping the bond market today from retracing all of yesterday’s (modest) selloff and then some. This despite the huge CPI estimates released before the prior session’s trading, and now PPI figures that are equally if not more obscene.

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FX Daily, July 14: RBNZ Moves Ahead of the Queue, Will the Bank of Canada Maintain its Place?

2021-07-14

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2021-07-14

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand jumped to the front of the queue of central banks adjusting monetary policy by announcing the end of its long-term asset purchases. New Zealand's s 10-year benchmark yield jumped seven basis points, and the Kiwi is up almost 1%, to lead the move against the greenback today.

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