Tag Archive: inflation

WTI Crude tumbles To $49 Handle, Erases OPEC/NOPEC Deal Gains

But, but, but... growth, and inflation, and supply cuts, and growth again... Well that de-escalated quickly... As Libya restarts exports and The Fed sends the dollar soaring so WTI crude prices just broke back to a $49 handle for the first time since Dec 8th.

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Healthcare: Inflation Hidden in Plain Sight

Charles Hugh Smith shows how health care costs are exploding in the United States and how this will lead sooner or later to inflation.

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Great Graphic: Consumer Inflation: US, UK, EMU

CPI UK CPI US, CPI Eurozone
Price pressures appear to have bottomed for the US, UK, and to a lesser extent, EMU. Rise in prices cannot be reduced solely to the increase of oil. Core prices are also rising.

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Great Graphic: China’s PPI and Commodities

China's PPI rose for the first time in four years. It is related to the rise in commodities. Yet there are good reasons there is not a perfect fit between China's PPI and commodity prices. US and UK CPI to be reported next week, risk is on the upside.

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Great Graphic: Low Wages in US Rising

The bottom of the US wage scale is rising. The added wage costs are being blunted by less staff turnover, hiring and training costs. It is consistent with our expectation of higher price pressures.

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Great Graphic: The Decline in Durable Goods Prices

This economic graph is maybe the most important in the last decade.  Service prices are rising, while goods prices have steadily fallen. The main reason for us is the possibility to outsource big parts of the durables supply-chain to China and East Asia. This is where productivity growth happens. Prices of services, however, are ever increasing. …

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Economic Forecasts for 2015: Swiss Banks were too Optimistic

Our analysis of the forecasts of economic data for 2015 shows that the Swiss banks were too optimistic for most data. US growth, the oil price, inflation and interest rates are far lower than expected. The errors for stock indices were smaller.

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Keith Weiner: Inflation Caused the Greek Tragedy

By inflation, I don’t refer to rising consumer prices in Athens. My Greek friends tell me that prices have been steady there in recent years. The focus on prices is the greatest sleight of hand ever perpetrated. It diverts your attention away from the real action. Inflation is the counterfeiting of credit. It is borrowing, when you can’t pay and you know it. Inflation is taking money under false pretenses, and issuing fraudulent bonds. This...

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The two phases of CHF appreciation… and what is in between

We show the two phases or "two innings" of Swiss franc appreciation: The risk aversion phase and the high inflation phase. With the weakening of emerging markets and the strengthening of the United States in 2013/2014, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) had won the first battle in the war against financial market, the "risk aversion game", the first inning in two-part match. Risk aversion is lower because the United States recovered with weaker oil...

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(3) Inflation, Central Banks and Interest Rates

In this chapter we connect three related concepts: inflation, central banks and interest rates.

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The Six Major Fundamental Factors that Determine Gold and Silver Prices

Gold and silver are the most complicated assets to price. Stocks, currencies, commodities mostly depend on their fundamental data, supply and demand. Gold and silver, however, are priced indirectly.

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Vieles wird teurer doch das Deflationsgespenst bleibt am Leben

Die SNB wird nicht müde, uns vor der bösen Deflation zu warnen und die Inflationserwartungen tief zu halten: SNB: «Deflationsrisiken nochmals zugenommen» – Handelszeitung, 11.12.14 Mittelfristige Inflationserwartungen weiterhin tief und stabil – SNB,...

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Peter Schiff’s Message to Switzerland: Preserve Your Wealth, Gold is Better than Pegging to the Euro

Peter Schiff, an Austrian economist who predicted the financial crisis urges the Swiss to preserve their wealth. Therefore, they should vote yes in the gold referendum. He thinks that buying gold is better than pegging to the euro. The Swiss will be better off if they possess a strong currency. Pegging to the euro implies that the Swiss Franc will become a new Italian Lira, Peseta or French Franc.

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The Inflationary Cycle in Developed Countries Has Just Started in Germany



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2a) Swiss Macro



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Swiss Franc and Swiss Economy: The Overview Questions

Before the upcoming SNB monetary policy assessment meeting on June 19th, rumors started the SNB could follow the ECB and set negative rates on banks' excess reserves. We would like to deliver the whole background, starting with the question why Swiss inflation has been so low in the past and why CHF always appreciated.

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The Best Contrarian Macro Investment: Russia?

We name thirteen macro-economic reasons why Russia is currently the best place for contrarian investments.

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Swiss Franc History: The long-term view and the comparison with gold

We establish a long-term view and history of the Swiss franc. We compare the franc with gold.

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Our Core Thesis



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