ASIA: The US and China seem to have different understandings regarding phase 1 of the trade deal. US President Trump was proud to suggest that China will be purchasing 50 billion USD worth of agricultural products. However, the Chinese Commerce Ministry did not mention a figure, but stated they will purchase according to the Chinese […]

QUESTION: Hi Martin, I can understand how JP and EU backed themselves into a corner with negative rates. Happy to give them the benefit of the doubt when this all started 3-4 years ago even though it was obvious this was not going to end well. However, what I don’t understand is the thought process […]

ASIA: Today top officials from China will be meeting their US counterparts to kick off the well anticipated trade negotiations. Tomorrow President Trump with meet with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He at the end of the talks. US President Trump tweeted, “Big day of negotiations with China. They want to make a deal, but do I?” […]

General Electric Co announced it was freezing its pension fund for about 20,000 U.S. employees with salaried benefits as the Pension Crisis continues to build. Its pension deficit is up to $8 billion. GE’s pension plan has been closed to new entrants since 2012. This is the cost of Quantitative Easing and lowering interest rates […]

ASIA: The US administration has sanctioned three of the world’s largest facial recognition startups, prohibiting them from purchasing US products or maintaining relationships with American entities. The US is accusing China of unfair treatment of the Uighurs, which China is setting up a database using facial recognition software to keep tabs on its citizens in […]

QUESTION: Mr. Armstrong; You had said you retired from market-making in the precious metals when in the early ’80s people were claiming to sell Krugerrands for spot with delayed delivery. I think they went bust and went to jail if I recall you said back in 1985. Is this the same thing happening in online […]

ASIA: Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that Russia will be aiding China to build a warning system to identify intercontinental ballistic missile launches. At this current moment, only Russia and the US have this installed. US President Donald Trump called on China to investigate on Joe Biden, perhaps again inviting foreign interference in a […]

  A lot of people have been writing in about the liquidity crisis and the banks with exposure to Deutsche Bank. This is clearly the European Banking Crisis we have been warning about. Most European (and Swiss) banks are having to overpay 30-40bps over libor. Even A+ rated banks are having to pay this premium.   […]

The war on eradicating the rich is fully on. Bernie Sanders realizes that Elizabeth Warren is rising in the polls among liberal Democrats, and Bernie knows how politics works. “Vote for me and I will rob other people for you.” They are competing now on how high they could raise taxes for the rich. Warren’s […]

The NY Federal Reserve announced last week that they will continue their repo operation until October 10th, 2019. The repurchase agreements will amount to up to $75 billion per day. Additionally, they plan to offer three two-week repo operations of up to $30 billion each round. The constant intervention of the Federal Reserve into the […]