Is a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) a good idea for the USA?
Total Voters: 34
Loading ...On the highs, there were many complaints about speculation driving oil and aluminum prices higher. Then recently we hear some banks are pulling out of futures markets. Maybe its THEM unloading investments.
Imo opinions of investors should not be involved in the pricing. Just like its not right for people to be able to borrow and sell YOUR privately owned shares. Called shorting. THEY are putting WORDS in YOUR mouth that says…Sell.
My wife and I are both naturalized citizens of the USA .
A year and a half ago we traveled into my native Canada to visit my place of birth , visit family and the graves of family members , and visit friends , as well as attend the Highland Games in the county of my father’s birth . On our return we presented our US passports , and supported our identities with our second passports ( dual citizenship ) . Big mistake , I guess . The attitude of the border agent got snarly . He rather rudely asked why we had become Americans . I was too dumbfounded to reply as I should have , that we believe in the Constitution and Bill of Rights … principles that we believe in and swore to uphold , contrary to the actions of many in government and government agencies . We were waved on with a final snarl .
I must say that it is rare that I have been treated that way …. usually border agents are quite friendly and welcome our return to the country we have chosen to become citizens of ( not born into and for many of the unappreciative , all too often ignorant of its founding principles ) .
It is sad that the education system is failing to teach what a gift the founders gave to those born here . It is also sad that our taxes support federal employees such as that one , with little recourse to terminate his employment . He was / is a poor ambassador of the nation .
That article was produced about eight years ago and some things have changed since then. Energy here for instance has picked up. We basically have enough energy to support ourselves. It is true that Anericans use more private transportation than the many other countries although China picking up.
What is happening now is while other countries currency is vulnerable to collapse they are rushing to other currencies. The Russians who exchanged the ruble for dollars before this collapse started have profited just as if Americans would have exchanged dollars for Euro years ago would have profited or retained their value. Now it would be the opposite.
They may deny that this oil going down is just the way things are but one thing is that fracking et all and ramping up resources here can cause less of demand there and more energy comes into the market. Two, they are using it not just here because they want to oust Putin causing his people to lose confidence in him. The people right now are standing behind him. They have been through this before and why I believe more foreign countries have more respect and knowledge for gold than people who grew up with the dollar.
Three banksters need commodities in the so called name of progress. In fact they have no consideration what so ever for the people or environment and will want more money than their is resources. They will hit a economy of its resources to get it.
The Mid East and before them places like Brazil Venesuela Africa. When Brazil was at threat to default in the 80s the banksters said no you don’t have to default you have resources. Sell us your land. Look at Brazil now deforestation it’s a mess now thanks to banksters. They talk about global warming but no real regard for the environment even that Chem trail video pointed out if you watched it. They don’t look at things like global deforestation or turning places like rain forests that also sustain life forms and fauna into baren infertile desserts. Remember that movie Independence day where the aliens were planning on using up all the resources then going on to the next planet? That’s what the banksters are doing. The polititiams like in Brazil that most are into such things like cattle are in conflict of interest with both the people and the environment. We have the same problem here.
but yet we have a system that wants you to believe in the all mighty dollar.economist and banksters make the numbers look good but doesn’t reflect the true limited resources.
Maddog – I agree, something is going to give here with oil. Somehow I think it will be not only be emerging markets but all the paper that’s leveraged to shale, etc.
Floridagold – yep, we’ve seen this for years. It’s really beyond belief anymore.
There is no way these moves can be natural market forces. The global economy master planners made a sudden panic adjustment. Their past MO has been to fight deflation in wages and some other things, and get spending money into people’s pockets any way possible.
The only possible logical angles that comes to mind are….
#1 Cheaper gasoline and cheaper heating oil, and cheaper diesel fuel in the USA are net big pay raises.
#2 The foreign currencies that DROP inverse the dollar helps those countries gain some sorely needed inflation, and helps the exporting businesses to export.
#3 If these are natural market forces, then we can figure prior over production cause by very high prices $140 oil etc. or…
#4 The global economy is imploding or transitioning to more separatist independence trends.
Dollar:
http://finviz.com/futures_charts.ashx?t=CURRENCIES&p=w1
you know record amounts of debt, endless spending, propping the stock market hugely, unseen levels of derivatives with endless amounts of leverage, banks too big to fail, record heights in a phony stock market. Oh but eeos the housing market is doing great. of course it is when 90% of regular sized mortgages are backed by Fannie and Freddie, this is perfectly normal. why did the banks get bailout money again? sure as hell wasn’t for lending it to the public at a good rate. It’s surely all the gold bugs selling because they’ve had such a profitable year. keep stacking folks.
I’m thinking that an end to the gameing is a lot closer now they have started on Oil. Oil ain’t no rinky dink mkt that few care about, like the PM’s. Major countries are involved etc. Ie keep Oil down here, which looking at tdys action, is what they are doing and Nigeria say with it’s huge radical Islam problem may well collapse and become a radical hell hole, like Somalia.
In the UK we have near 400,000 high paying jobs at risk etc……once the oil industry wakes up to what is going on, the scum will have a real problem.
I’m with ya. Just beyond the point of ridiculous anymore.
The new CME rules must be to protect us on the downside.
Things get for the metals, the lower they go. I even question if we’ll ever see any sustained move higher in my lifetime. Just a huge crock of crap…..
Associated Press
By JOSH BOAK, AP Economics Writer
Monday December 22, 2014 10:04 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer Americans bought homes in November as buying slid to its slowest pace in six months.
The National Association of Realtors said Monday that sales of existing homes fell 6.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.93 million. That was down from a revised annual pace of 5.26 million in October. Over the past 12 months, sales have risen 2.1 percent.
The combination of higher home prices and relatively stagnant incomes has reduced affordability and restrained buying activity. A recent decline in mortgage rates has yet to lure more buyers into the market. At the same time, fewer distressed properties and bargains, which tend to attract investors, are coming onto the market.
Median home prices rose 5 percent over the past 12 months to $205,300.
The Realtors estimate that 2014 sales will end up below 2013 levels. Sales have slumped through much of this year after a three-year rally that followed the recession and the implosion of the housing market. Harsh winter weather crippled home buying at the start of 2014. Lower affordability, resulting from tight credit, rising home prices and essentially flat incomes, held back sales for the rest of the year.
The Realtors have estimated that 4.94 million existing homes will be sold this year, down 3 percent from 5.09 million in 2013. Analysts say sales of roughly 5.5 million existing homes are common in a healthy real estate market.
November sales fell in all four major geographic regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West. Buying activity fell over the past 12 months for homes worth less than $250,000.
A sudden blast of cold weather and snowstorms at the end of November might have cut into sales, noted Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomic. This November was the coldest since 2000.
There are signs that sales may improve in 2015, though consistent gains have yet to emerge.
Mortgage rates have fallen sharply in the past few weeks, which should make homes more affordable. The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage dropped last week to 3.8 percent, from 3.93 percent the previous week. That was the lowest level since May 2013.
Mortgage rates have fallen sharply in the past few months, which make monthly payments more affordable for would-be buyers. The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage dropped this week to 3.8 percent, from 3.93 percent last week. That is the lowest level since May 2013.
Rates have fallen as investors are plowing their money into 10-year U.S. Treasury notes, after being spooked by plummeting oil prices and signs of slowing growth overseas that make lower risk investments more attractive.
At the same time, consistent job growth has lowered the unemployment rate to 5.8 percent from 7 percent 12 months ago. Steady hiring should eventually boost pay at a pace meaningfully above inflation, which would help boost home sales.
Sales may also pick up as the housing market continues to heal from its boom-and-bust last decade. Real estate data provider Zillow said last week that the proportion of U.S. homeowners with mortgages who are “under water” — meaning they owe more than their house is worth — has fallen by almost half in the past two years.
Rising prices and foreclosures have reduced that figure. As more homeowners gain equity in their homes, they are more likely to list their homes for sale, keeping home prices in check and spurring more sales.
Stan Humphries, Zillow’s chief economist, forecasts that sales of existing homes will rise to 5.2 million next year from just under 5 million in 2014.
same as the old week.
I listened to the entire video. First the man was harassed to the degree that his wife became hysterical, which further upset the man so that he pulled away from the so-called officer, which “offense” meant that he was resisting arrest…both he and his wife went to jail. What a disgrace. I hope I live long enough to see these rabid beasts get the justice they deserve.
GDXJ will drop at open today simply to reconcile to it’s nav, which is about 23.58
with the rebalancing on friday, for some reason the price/nav got out of whack cf for instance gdx..
“Welcome to the US!” Incredible! That agent should get booted!
Sherritt International (TSX:S), the natural resources company with extensive operations in Cuba, saw a whopping 42.9 percent gain between last Monday and Friday, resulting from an announced thaw in US-Cuba relations.
Shareholders in the Canadian firm were rewarded handsomely after a historic deal struck Wednesday between the United States and Cuba, that would restore diplomatic ties that Washington severed over 50 years ago. US President Barack Obama also called for an end to the economic embargo against its former Cold War enemy, that has crippled the island nation’s economy and kept the country in a sort of time warp, symbolized by its revolutionary slogans, vintage cars and crumbling buildings.
As Cuba’s largest foreign investor by far, mining and energy firms will be watching Sherritt closely to see how the lifting of the embargo will affect the company and other foreign firms doing business in Cuba. The company has oil and gas operations in Cuba and mines cobalt and nickel through its Ambatovy Joint Venture, shared between Sherritt, Sumitomo, Korea Resources and SNC-Lavalin.
CEO David Pathe said last week that lifting the embargo could save Sherritt costs by sourcing mining equipment in the States and selling processed nickel and cobalt to US customers. It would also make it easier for US investors to buy the stock.
“There’s always been this uncertainty around political risk in Cuba as a result of the Cuba-America relationship,” Pathe told the Financial Post. “And if this can help alleviate that, we think it’s a positive development for Cuba and for us.”
more http://www.mining.com/sherritt-makes-big-move-on-us-cuba-deal-88348/
at my grocery store a gallon of organic milk is now $7 for Safeway brand, and 8 dollars a gallon for horizon organic milk. regular milk is still $2 a gallon but is full of wonderful things like rBST. Wealthy Americans want to make sure their kids don’t have boobs at 9 years old and developmental issues. college costs have skyrocketed 33% at state universities in three years. but yet the Federal Reserve insist that we don’t have more than 2 percent inflation. A complete lie that only dumb Americans would believe…I have tons of friends that would never question it
“We have to do something with these Belarussian rubles,” exclaims one Belarussian as she shops to turn worthless rubles (BYR) into physical assets. As AFP reports, The Belarussian currency was dragged down by the slide of the Russian ruble last week, leading authorities to impose draconian measures, forbid price increases even for imported goods, and warn people against panic. Now, however, in an effort to stem the flood of hyperinflating domestic prices, authorities have blocked online stores and news websites to stop the run on banks and shops as people scramble to secure their savings. One of the blocked news websites noted, it “looks like the authorities want to turn light panic over the fall of the Belarussian ruble into a real one,” calling the blockages “December insanity.”
And indeed they have stepped up the insanity, extending the halt in FX trading…
Today the Belarus central bank shocked its own population when it also announced full-blown capital controls designed, releasing additional measures to stem the “negative trends of currency and financial markets ” including raising mandatory sales of FX revenue to 0%, suspending all OTC FX trading (so pretty much all FX), introducing a 30% fee on all FX purchases, “recommending” that banks halt BYR lending until February, and sending 1-yr interest rates on liquidity operations with banks to a eyewatering 50% in hopes this leads to an increase in BYR deposit rates. It will. What it won’t lead to is stabilization in the deposit market as the natives realize they too are next up on the hyperinflation train.
AuRico Gold Negotiates Receipt of C$20 Million Upfront Payment and Ongoing Royalty with Crocodile Gold
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/aurico-gold-negotiates-receipt-c-113000539.html
UK to extend Libor manipulation laws to cover gold, oil, silver
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/uk-extend-libor-manipulation-laws-114906547.html
Northair Silver Corp. Acquires Los Cuates Gold Project, Mexico Assigns El Reventon Silver Project
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/northair-silver-corp-acquires-los-130000371.html
Seabridge Gold’s KSM Project Receives Positive Federal EA Decision
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/seabridge-golds-ksm-project-receives-130000103.html
Sometimes you have to put up with a little rain & fog.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=510595
Russian currency collapse enlighten me. Well in a little bit my tax person is Russian so I’ll ask them. One of them told me I think I mentioned once they had a barter system going on. It’s just to know ahead of time I’m guessing what good barters will be. Last time think I mentioned those duel CD DVD or something like that players could buy you an apartment.
Well when you get farther down from Bakersfield toward LA traffic gonna pick up big time. Know the exits you want and know what exits are before it so your on the right lane for the turn as if too crowded you might not be able to get over in time. My daughter in law wanted to drive down there and did pretty good till she missed a exit even though I had her on the right lane first all that traffic and they drive better ” faster” down there was distracting her she was nervous. I knew the area so told her it’s okay well just go another way .. The long way around lol
