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Can Rates Rise with Deflation?

QUESTION: Hi Marty, How does the model’s call for deflation (earlier blog posts) fit in with the likely major cycle low in interest rates (per your recent posts)? Can there be general price deflation and yet interest rates increase significantly? ANSWER: Yes. Rates can soar to outrageous levels during the collapse of a system, which reflects […]

Status Update on Socrates

QUESTION:  I am writing again to find out when and if the “Trader Level platform” will ever be released to the average follower and subscriber of the “Investor” platform. If I was a cynical individual, I would think its only reserved for those of wealth with the ability to attend the WEC conferences to get […]

Fed Raises Rates Quarter Point

The Fed raised the interest rate a quarter-point increase in the discount, or primary credit, rate, from 1 percent to 1.25 percent, and moved its target range from a range of 0.25 percent to 0.5 percent to 0.5 percent to 0.75 percent. The overnight funds rate currently sits at 0.41 percent. The Fed was citing the […]

If Everyone Followed Socrates Would Anything Change?

QUESTION: Hello, Mr. Armstrong. Some years back, I asked what would happen if everyone knew about the ECM. You provided an answer on your blog. Now, that the trader version of Socrates is soon to be made available for the public…: What happens to the trading community (market makers / service providers / traders) when you (through […]

Global Debt with Negative Rates Reaches $12 Trillion

QUESTION: Dear Mr. Armstrong, I am really confused regarding long-term interest rates – I had thought they were controlled by the markets – but it seems at time that the central banks control them by buying the governments debt. Can you shed some light on this? Can the central banks just keep printing and buying […]

Is the Fed Being Browbeaten into Negative Rates?

The Federal Reserve is in a real crisis. Interest rates are falling negative around the world which by no means has succeeded in stimulating anything. Governments are dead broke and they keep raising taxes yet hope the central bank can compensate by lowering interest rates to negative. Between rising Taxes and declining interest rates, this toxic-mix […]

Invitation to Socrates Access for General Public – Investor Level

If you would like to request an invitation to join the Investor level platform of Socrates, please visit ask-socrates.com. Please note that it may take up to two weeks to receive your access invitation. Our Trader level of service is currently unavailable, but we expect it to launch during the first quarter of 2016. The Trader […]

Are Negative Rates Fueling Deflation?

Those in power never understand markets. They are very myopic in their view of the world. The assumption that lowering interest rates will “stimulate” the economy has NEVER worked, not even once. Nevertheless, they assume they can manipulate society in the Marxist-Keynesian ideal world, but what if they are wrong? By lowering interest rates, they ASSUME they will encourage […]

A Question of Money — Interest & Bankers

QUESTION:  Mr Armstrong, interesting article today, the story of the store of value (at least long term) has always confused me. One can look at saving accounts also as an asset as it yields the interest payment and one relinquishes the access to the money. No difference to bonds. But your article causes some questions: […]

Money: What Is It? What is Interest? What is the Wealth of a Nation?

Angela Merkel and IMF chief Christine Lagarde can laugh it up as Europe burns down. The whole crisis stems from antiquated ideas that center on what money actually is. If you do not grasp what the true function which money actually provides within the economy, then you will be unable to get anything else right […]