Foreign Exchange

The Gold Standard and the USD

Gold Standard flawed, but best alternative to USD manipulation The present US monetary system is an “abysmal failure” and the value of the USD has been manipulated, according to a former US Federal Reserve official. “For the last 40 yrs in Washington, regulate meant manipulate, with the Federal Reserve raising and lowering interest rates and [...]

Asia Trading Update, Currencies, Gold, Oil, Equities

Live Asia Update from LTN and HCM Leaders in Financial News and Services in Asia Energy producers lost 1.3 percent, the biggest drop among 10 industries in the index. South Korea’s Kospi index retreated 0.3 percent and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index (AS51) slid 0.7 percent. Japanese markets are closed for a holiday. The Hang Seng [...]

US Dollar Index Holding at 79.20

US Dollar Index Holding at 79.20 USD-JPY: 81.54.. EUR-USD: 1.3215 FOMC, BOJ, French Elections, PMI Data Next Week: The US Dollar Index has floated along the 79.20 for the majority of the day Friday. The DXY came under selling pressure at the start of trade in Europe and continued to swoon until it hit 79.20. [...]

Bill Gross and The Fed

Bill Gross says, the Fed will Twist the Twist AZSEY, PTTRX Pacific Investment Management Co.’s Bill Gross said the Federal Reserve will likely shift focus to mortgage securities to keep borrowing rates low when its Operation Twist program finishes in June. It will be a “Twist on a Twist going forward,” he said. Mr. Gross, [...]

RMB, BRICS and Currencies

BRICS banks to sign pacts to push forward local currency lending China Development Bank (CDB) and its BRICS’ counterparts will sign agreements Thursday to formalize co-operation in local currency lending, in a bid to further facilitate trade and investment among the 5 countries, said chairman of CDB Chen Yuan Wednesday. Under the agreements, namely the [...]

US Dollar Outlook

USD steady in quiet trade 10-Yr: +16/32..2.196%.. USD-JPY: 83.08.. EUR-USD: 1.3334 The USD index’s session was quiet Tuesday as trade was capped near 79.05 all session long. EUR-USD is -20 pips at 1.3335 after earlier buying was unable to crack the resistance at 1.3400. Traders have taken note of today’s Bullish development as the pair’s [...]

AUD/USD Seen Lower on Draconian Mining Tax

One of Australia’s worst ever Governments and by far the worst ever treasurer have “bitten the hand that feeds them” with the Mining Tax. The AUD will be the first victim. Australia is a Mining nation and the majority of Australia-China Trade is Mining based. The Australian dollar fell to a two-month low of $US1.0336 [...]

GBP/USD Update

Bank of England urges banks to raise capital against potential shocks British banks need to raise more capital as they are not reserving enough funds to withstand potential financial trouble, the Financial Policy Committee (FPC) under Bank of England (BOE) warned in its report released Friday. The committee “advised banks to raise external capital as [...]

Inflation in France

Cost of goods in France rises in February Rising prices of fresh products and growing costs of energy prompted a 0.4% increase in the French consumer price index (CPI) in February compared to a month earlier, official data showed Tuesday. Prices rose 2.3% Y-Y, the national statistics institute Insee reported. At the end of February, [...]

Securing Your Health and Retirement Benefits

This is National Consumer Protection Week – a coordinated campaign among federal and state government agencies and non-profit groups that encourages consumers nationwide to take full advantage of their consumer rights and make better-informed decisions. When most people think of the Department of Labor, they don’t think consumer protection. But it’s the Employee Benefits Security [...]

Investor Services

Private Equity Takes a Hit in Q1 2012

Most private-equity and hedge funds typically take 20 percent of investment gains as carried interest, on top of 2 percent of assets as a management fee to …