The owl has landed: Lagarde’s new vision for the ECB
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The owl has landed: Lagarde’s new vision for the ECB

On December 12, Christine Lagarde introduced her goals and vision in her first rate-setting meeting as the new President of the ECB. On the actual policy front, there were no surprises. She remained committed to the path set by her predecessor, Mario Draghi, and kept the current monetary stimulus unchanged….

While everyone talks, Bitcoin just keeps running – Part II
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While everyone talks, Bitcoin just keeps running – Part II

Claudio Grass (CG): During the 2017 hype, when most people became aware of Bitcoin, it was mainly sold as the payment vehicle of the future, as a great investment for the “little guy” who has no access to equity markets and even as a store of value that would replace…

While everyone talks, Bitcoin just keeps running – Part I
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While everyone talks, Bitcoin just keeps running – Part I

I have long been fascinated by both the progress made so far, and by and the promise of this new era of decentralized money that is only just beginning. Although I lack the technical expertise to fully understand the finer points of the code behind the different cryptocurrencies or to…

The ECB’s “mea culpa”
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The ECB’s “mea culpa”

Economists, conservative investors and market observers have been issuing stern warnings for years regarding the severe impact of the current monetary policy direction. The problems In a recent statement, ECB Vice President Luis de Guindos warned of potential side effects and risks to the economy resulting directly from the central…

“Our prosperity is temporary and illusory. “ – Jeff Deist
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“Our prosperity is temporary and illusory. “ – Jeff Deist

As we go through an important paradigm shift in politics, in the global economy, in equity markets, and of course in precious metals too, the fundamental economic principles we used to rely on seem to be increasingly under attack. Central bankers the world over are doubling down on reckless monetary…

All this borrowing to consume is unsustainable and the bill is overdue
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All this borrowing to consume is unsustainable and the bill is overdue

INTERVIEW WITH KEITH WEINER June has been an interesting month for gold, as geopolitical events, market fluctuations and developments on the monetary policy front fueled an exciting ride for the precious metal. As long-term investors with a strict focus on the big picture, short-term moves and speculative angles are largely…

THE WAR ON CASH: A CLOSER LOOK AT ITS FAR-REACHING IMPLICATIONS – PART II
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THE WAR ON CASH: A CLOSER LOOK AT ITS FAR-REACHING IMPLICATIONS – PART II

Economic, social and human cost Beyond privacy, there is also widespread concern over the economic impact of a fully cashless system. For one thing, as citizens slowly become exclusively dependent on big banks and card companies the systemic risk to the wider economy spikes. But it goes further than that…