Tag Archive: newsletter

Euro area : What if car tariffs lie ahead ?

2019-02-16

by

2019-02-16

Share in value added of Exports of car and car parts to the US
New US auto tariffs may impact the economy significantly more than the previous tariffs on steel and aluminium.Among the key risks for our euro area outlook, the threat of US auto tariffs is of major importance.The US Commerce Department’s investigation on national security threats posed by auto imports is due to be concluded on 17 February.

Read More »

Swiss unemployment rate rises

2019-02-16

by

2019-02-16

There are various ways to measure unemployment. Switzerland’s standard measure looks at the number of people registered with unemployment offices across the country. By this measure Switzerland’s unemployment recently reached a 10 year low of 2.6%. Today, another unemployment measure was published. It shows a 0.1% increase in unemployment over the fourth quarter of 2018 to 4.6% or 227,000 people.

Read More »

Inflation Falls Again, Dot-com-like

2019-02-16

by

2019-02-16

CPI Changes On Energy 2016-2019
US inflation in January 2019 was, according to the CPI, the lowest in years. At just 1.55% year-over-year, the index hadn’t suggested this level since September 2016 right at the outset of what would become Reflation #3. Having hyped expectations over that interim, US policymakers now have to face the repercussions of unwinding the hysteria.

Read More »

FX Daily, February 15: Equities Stall While Greenback Remains Firm

2019-02-15

by

2019-02-15

Overview:  The S&P 500 snapped a four-day advance yesterday, and equities in the Asia Pacific followed suit.  All the markets in the region were lower but in Australia.  MSCI's regional benchmark stalled after reached a four-month high in the middle of the week.  European markets were mostly higher in the morning session after slipping yesterday. 

Read More »

Swiss Labour Force Survey in 4th quarter 2018: 0.8percent increase in number of employed persons; unemployment rate based on ILO definition at 4.6percent

2019-02-15

by

2019-02-15

Unemployed According to ILO, Q1 2013-Q4 2018
14.02.2019 - The number of employed persons in Switzerland rose by 0.8% between the 4th quarter 2017 and the 4th quarter 2018. During the same period, the unemployment rate as defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) increased slightly by 0.1 percentage points to 4.6%. The EU's unemployment rate decreased from 7.3% to 6.6%.

Read More »

Pressure mounts on Swiss commodity traders in Brazil corruption probe

2019-02-15

by

2019-02-15

Pressure is growing on global commodity trading firms with strong ties to Switzerland for their alleged involvement in the “Car Wash” corruption scandal in Brazil. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating two Vitol executives in the Americas, according to Reuters news agency.

Read More »

What Caused the Recession of 2019-2021?

2019-02-15

by

2019-02-15

Federal Debt Total Public Debt, 1970 - 2018
As I discussed in We're Overdue for a Sell-Everything/No-Fed-Rescue Recession, recessions have a proximate cause and a structural cause. The proximate cause is often a spike in energy costs (1973, 1990) or a financial crisis triggered by excesses of speculation and debt (2000 and 2008) or inflation (1980).

Read More »

Gold Prices In Pounds and Euros Gain More as Economic Growth Falters in the UK and EU

2019-02-15

by

2019-02-15

Gold in GBP, May 2010 - Feb 2019
Gold prices in pounds and euros as economic growth falters in UK and EU. Euro & pound gold tests multi year resistance; likely to surpass due to strong demand. Improved risk appetite sees stocks rise which may be hampering stronger gains for gold.

Read More »

Socialism, Keynesianism, and Fascism

2019-02-14

by

2019-02-14

The American political discourse has changed since the 2018 midterm election. Enthusiasm and passion were to be found on the left-wing of the Democratic Party. A new sense of hope and mission replaced the defeatism and cynicism seen in 2016. Some identified with democratic socialism, but in the political rhetoric the broad brush of “socialism” has been used to paint the entire party

Read More »

Dr. Dr. Rainer Zitelmann im Interview zum Thema “Vorurteile über Reiche” auf Bayern 2, 13.2.2019

2019-02-14

by



Read More »

Swiss Producer and Import Price Index in January 2019: -0.5 percent YoY, -0.7 percent MoM

2019-02-14

by

2019-02-14

Switzerland Producer Price Index (PPI) YoY, January 2019
14.02.2019 - The Producer and Import Price Index fell in January 2019 by 0.7% compared with the previous month, reaching 101.7 points (December 2015 = 100). This decline is due in particular to lower prices for petroleum products. Compared with January 2018, the price level of the whole range of domestic and imported products fell by 0.5%.

Read More »

Switzerland’s federal surplus even larger than expected

2019-02-14

by

2019-02-14

In October 2018, government number crunchers revised Switzerland’s federal forecast budget surplus up from CHF 0.3 billion to CHF 2.5 billion. Today, Bern announced that provisional calculations for 2018 now show a surplus of CHF 2.9 billion, CHF 0.4 billion more than last year’s revised figure. The increase was driven by strict spending discipline and higher than expected receipts, according to the press release.

Read More »

The Corporate Lemmings Who Rushed into Mobile/Social Media Ads Are Running off the Cliff

2019-02-14

by

2019-02-14

Smartphone Addiction
Given that corporations are run by people, and people are social animals that run in herds, it shouldn't surprise us that corporations follow the herd, too. Take the herd move to forming conglomerates in the go-go late 1960s: corporations suddenly started buying companies in completely different sectors in businesses they knew nothing about, because the herd was forming conglomerates--not because it made any business sense but because it was the...

Read More »

U.S. Congressman Introduces Bill to Remove Income Taxation from Gold and Silver

2019-02-14

by

2019-02-14

The battle to end taxation of constitutional money has reached the federal level as U.S. Representative Alex Mooney (R-WV) today re-introduced sound money legislation to remove all federal income taxation from gold and silver coins and bullion. The Monetary Metals Tax Neutrality Act (H.R. 1089) backed by the Sound Money Defense League and free-market activists – would clarify that the sale or exchange of precious metals bullion and coins are not to...

Read More »

FX Daily, February 13: QT is not the Opposite of QE

2019-02-13

by

2019-02-13

silence
The Federal Reserve has long been clear on the sequence of events as it innovated the playbook during the Great Financial Crisis. There would be a considerable period between when the Fed would finish its credit easing operations that involved purchasing Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and its first-rate hike.

Read More »

Mark Carney Steadies GBP/CHF Rates on Global Viewpoint

2019-02-13

by

2019-02-13

Swiss Franc Rates Coin Note
The pound to Swiss franc exchange rate has been steadied following comments from Mark Carney during a briefing on the global economy at the Barbican centre in London yesterday. I was fortunate to be in attendance and was struck by Carney’s confident manner, although he highlighted some major risks ahead which would be key for GBP/CHF rates.

Read More »

Scandals hurt Swiss Business Reputation in 2018

2019-02-13

by

2019-02-13

Switzerland’s reputation as a place to do business took a serious hit last year following various scandals, from corporate bank fraud to illegal subsidies. The Swiss Economy Reputation Index 2018external link, published on Tuesday by Basel-based consultancy Commslab and the fög research institute at the University of Zurich, dropped for the fifth consecutive quarter, reaching its lowest level since July 2014.

Read More »

Quantum Metal Lease #1 (gold)

2019-02-13

by

2019-02-13

Offers for Quantum Metal
Monetary Metals leased gold to Quantum Metal, to support the growth of its gold distribution business through retail bank branches. The metal is held in the form of retail Perth Mint bars.

Read More »

FX Daily, February 12: Dollar Buying Pressure Subsides

2019-02-12

by

2019-02-12

The Dollar Index's eight-day advance is in jeopardy. Although the greenback recorded new highs against some major currencies, the momentum appears to be stalling. The news stream is constructive as a compromise seems to have been reached to avoid another US government shutdown, and there is some optimism that the US and China will strike a deal even if not by March 1.

Read More »

Switzerland investigating Venezuela-linked corruption

2019-02-12

by

2019-02-12

Switzerland’s attorney general has opened an investigation into a corruption case involving Venezuela, according to a weekend report published by Schweiz am Wochenende. The Latin American nation is in the grips of a major political, economic and social crisis. According to the prosecutor's statement to the weekly, proceedings were initiated at the end of 2017 against unknown persons “in the context of the events in Venezuela”.

Read More »