Free Republic

Central bank digital currencies can push the world away from depending on the U.S. dollar, the organization said. . The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released a handbook for global central banks regarding the development and implementation of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The IMF’s “Central Bank Digital Currency Virtual Handbook” published last week pointed out that the increased use of CBDCs can “reduce dollarization” of the global economy—a situation where countries move away from relying on the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency. De-dollarization would push up borrowing costs in the United States, making loans expensive for businesses and individuals,...

International Man: With nearly $10 trillion in assets under management (AUM), BlackRock is the world’s largest asset manager. The company exploded in size after the 2008 financial crisis, and that’s no coincidence. Central banks around the world have printed scores of trillions since then. A significant portion of that freshly created money eventually found its way into the stock market, specifically BlackRock’s exchange-traded funds (ETFs). BlackRock was also responsible for helping the Federal Reserve manage its massive debt portfolio after 2008. It’s another indication of BlackRock’s cozy relationship with the government. BlackRock is a good illustration of the Cantillon Effect—those...

A Wall Street selloff intensified Tuesday as rising Treasury yields piled on pressure and investors got a reminder not to expect a Federal Reserve interest rate cut any time soon. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) dropped almost 1.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) tumbled about 1.1%, or more than 350 points. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) was down over 1.5% after closing with a gain on Monday. Hawkish comments by Fed policymakers reminded investors that resilience in the US economy likely means borrowing costs will stay higher for longer. Traders are now pricing in odds of 29% that policymakers...

This crisis has unfolded by design, leading to significant shifts in market expectations and Fed policy. In a recent development, the 10-Year Note Yield has surged to 4.45%, a level not seen since November 2007. Markets have adjusted rapidly to this change, with rate cuts no longer being priced in until September 2024. Just three months ago, the expectation was for four rate cuts by the end of 2023, but now the possibility of another rate hike by December is back on the table, and rate cuts are not expected for a year. This shift indicates that the Fed is...

Bidenomics = High mortgage rates, high inflation rates, collapsed banks, expensive groceries, record high rent, and dwindling retirement accounts. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday paused rate hikes. The Fed kept the benchmark rate in the range of 5.25% to 5.50%. For now. “We’re prepared to raise rates further, if appropriate, and we intend to hold policy at a restrictive level until we’re confident that inflation is moving down sustainably toward our objective,” Chairman Jerome Powell told reporters on Wednesday. ... Despite what Jerome Powell said, inflation is not cooling. The Biden Regime relies on lies and voodoo math when it...

Jerome Powell’s statements paint a picture of a Federal Reserve cautiously navigating treacherous waters. While the full consequences of their tightening measures are yet to be fully felt, they are signaling an even more hawkish stance by revising their dotplot from 4.6% to 5.1% for 2024. Powell’s words further underscore that a soft landing for the economy isn’t their primary expectation, suggesting an air of uncertainty. What adds to the unease is Powell’s repeated emphasis on the Fed’s commitment to reducing its balance sheet. This move, coupled with their readiness to raise rates further “if appropriate,” is seen by many...

The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark lending rate unchanged at a two-decade high, but suggested at least one more increase is likely between now and the end of the year as inflation remains elevated and the economy continues to perform. The Fed's Open Markets Committee held its key policy rate at between 5.25% and 5.5%, the highest in 22 years, in a move that was widely expected from markets following a quarter point rate hike in July. The Fed's new Summary of Economic projections, known as the dot plots, now calls for GDP stronger growth of 2.1% this year, more...

Yet another inflation metric jumped in July, further debunking claims that inflation is in the rear-view mirror and reinforcing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s remarks earlier this month that additional interest rate hikes would be needed. The latest Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index print released Thursday was in-line with expectations which were higher than previous reads. Headline PCE inflation showed an increase of 3.3 percent year-over-year and Core PCE inflation — excluding volatile food and energy prices — increased 4.2 percent in the last year. Compared to the previous release, headline and core PCE inflation increased 3.0 percent and...

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The Federal Reserve will keep raising interest rates as long as it is needed to bring inflation back to its long-term target of 2% per year given that the US economy is not cooling as was initially thought, Chairman Jerome Powell said on Friday. “It is the Fed’s job to bring inflation down to our 2% goal, and we will do so,” Powell stressed, opening the US central bank’s annual symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Inflation hit four-decade highs of more than 9% per year in June 2022 due to trillions of dollars of federal relief spending...

Aug 22 (Reuters) - S&P Global cut its credit ratings and outlook on multiple U.S. regional banks on Monday, saying higher funding costs and troubles in the commercial real estate (CRE) sector would likely test their credit strength. A sharp rise in interest rates by the U.S. Federal Reserve is fueling liquidity concerns as costs tied to funding deposits surge, the S&P said in a summarized note. The agency cut its ratings on Associated Banc-Corp (ASB.N) and Valley National Bancorp (VLY.O) on funding risks and higher reliance on brokered deposits, while UMB Financial Corp (UMBF.O), Comerica Bank (CMA.N) and KeyCorp...

US personal savings are being exhausted as The Fed raises rates to fight inflation. I call this phenomenon “low riding” where consumers are being punished by The Federal Reserve and Biden Administration. Meanwhile, large bank loan volumes are shrinking. With money-market fund assets hitting new highs, and banks’ usage of The Fed’s emergency funds facility at record highs, we wonder how much longer The Fed can keep the dream of rising deposits alive (after last week’s massive NSA inflows). On a seasonally-adjusted basis, The Fed says that total deposits dropped $11BN last week (the first decline in 4 weeks). We...

Central bank digital currencies are feverishly being developed all over the globe, and this is something that should deeply alarm all of us. For a moment, I would like for you to imagine a world where the government instantly knows whenever you buy or sell something. No transaction would ever be truly private, not even your most personal or embarrassing ones. In addition, your money would not be truly your own under such a system. Your access to the digital currency system would be a privilege which could potentially be suspended or revoked with the click of a mouse. All...

The Federal Reserve hiked its benchmark federal funds rate by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday after skipping the previous hike, bringing the rate to the highest level since 2001. The rate hike brings the Fed’s target rate within a range of 5.25% and 5.50%, making this the eleventh hike since March 2022, after temporarily pausing the rate increases in June. Most economists anticipated a quarter-point interest rate hike as a part of the ongoing effort to bring inflation down, bringing the high end of the range to the highest rate since January 2001, according to the Federal...

The Fed is becoming quite crafty when it comes to digital currency. They’re aware that it’s not popular, mainly because Americans are wary about handing control of their finances over to a government that could cut them off with a flick of a switch. So, in typical globalist fashion, they plan to “coax” you into using it by introducing the infrastructure as an option they know you’ll love. That’s precisely what they’re doing as we speak with this new FedNow program. This payment system, recently rolled out by the Federal Reserve, sets the foundation for the US government to essentially...

There goes the economy! As The Federal Reserve is poised to continue it inflation-fighting crusade, the US economy is rapdily approaching DEFLATION. US Producer Price Index FINAL DEMAND fell to 0.1% YoY in June. Bidenomics, the combination of insane monetary stimulus and insane directed Federal spending towards going green at all costs, is running out of steam. M2 Money growth was last measured to be -4% YoY and the US Dollar is down -8.2% since September 2022. The good news? Silver is up over 2% today! And Bitcoin is up almost a percent today. Speaking of the Biden White House...

Ever since the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912, theories have continuously emerged that questioned the official narrative. Some are ludicrous, such as the one about a cursed mummy onboard that was repeated by the NY Times shortly after the sinking. Some have legs, such as the notion that a German U-Boat sunk her in their quest for WWI sea domination. One theory in particular stands out as not only plausible, but potentially tied to the current tragedy unfolding in the news. According to Google whistleblower Zach Vorhies: Since no one is offering the conspiracy narrative of the submarine...

The U.S. Federal Reserve has revealed that 722 banks reported unrealized losses exceeding 50% of their capital at the end of the third quarter of 2022. “Rising interest rates are creating significant unrealized losses in investment securities and in some cases depressing tangible equity,” according to the Fed’s Division of Supervision and Regulation. 722 Banks Reported Unrealized Losses of More Than 50% of Capital The U.S. Federal Reserve has revealed in a board presentation by the Division of Supervision and Regulation that 722 banks reported unrealized losses exceeding 50% of their capital at the end of the third quarter of...

In an April 10th document published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) called IMF Approach to Central Bank Digital Currency Capacity Development, the masters reveal their plans to subjugate humanity further. In this document, there is a section included about the development of a living CBDC Handbook for monetary authorities to follow.Chapters 8–11 should be of particular interest to us slaves, as they relate to the centralized control over our lives using CBDCs that we, the “consumers”, are most concerned about.Alexander Lee of the US Federal Reserve wrote in June 2021, the term “programmable money” remains ill-defined. Lee differentiates between...

In prank call with Russian radio-hosts posing as Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Jerome Powell confirms that Federal Reserve will increase rates at least two more times, and probably keep rates "higher for longer"

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — Former President Donald Trump told Breitbart News exclusively that he supports a proposal from Reps. Michael Waltz (R-FL) and Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) that would authorize the use of military force against Mexican drug cartels to target the criminal enterprises and dismantle them. “I would do that,” Trump said when asked about the congressmen’s Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) legislation that they have recently proposed.