Topic: Sound Money Project

On Brexit

– July 6, 2016

There has been a strong (and I’m inclined to say emotional) negative reaction to the Brexit. But really, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world for the British economy. Being a member to the European Union (EU) imposes two constraints. First, ther …

Sound Money Project

Macro Musings Podcast

– June 28, 2016

If you are a fan of podcasts, let me recommend this relatively new one hosted by David Beckworth at the Mercatus Center. David’s views on the Great Recession are quite similar to those expressed by me and others on this blog. His list of guests to date …

Sound Money Project

Venezuela vs. Ecuador (Chavismo vs. Chavismo Dolarizado)

– June 24, 2016

This article appeared in the July 2016 issue of Globe Asia. With the arrival of President Hugo Chávez in 1999, Venezuela embraced Chavismo, a form of Andean socialism. In 2013, Chávez met the Grim Reaper and Nicolás Maduro assumed Chávez’ mantle. Chavi …

Sound Money Project

The Fed’s policies and their consequences for Mexico

– June 21, 2016

This piece originally appeared in Market TrendsBy Edgar Ortiz As mentioned in a previous article, on December 16 of 2015 the Fed announced a rate hike of 0.25 percentage points and Mexico’s central bank followed suit the very next day. The decisio …

Sound Money Project

The Fed and its dual mandate

– June 20, 2016

This piece originally appeared in Economics21 By Mickey D. Levy For over a decade, the Bernanke- and Yellen-led Federal Reserve have talked incessantly about conducting monetary policy to achieve the Fed’s dual mandate. The unemployment rate …

Sound Money Project

Op-ed: The age-old problem of low interest rates

– June 16, 2016

This piece originally appeared in Forbes Earlier this year, Michael Walker of the Fraser Institute in Vancouver, Canada released a paper that deserves the attention of everyone interested in the subjects of central banking, inflation and interest rates …

Sound Money Project

Is gift exchange necessarily kinder, gentler?

– June 14, 2016

Monetary exchange constrains the power that one might wield over others in personal relationships and enables our personal relationships to be based more on want than necessity.

Sound Money Project

On the price of oil

– June 8, 2016

This article appeared in the June 2016 issue of Globe Asia. Since its high of almost $108/bbl in June of 2014, we have witnessed a stunning collapse in the price of oil. Indeed, in February 2016, a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading at …

Sound Money Project

Op-ed: Trump’s problem with the Fed

– June 6, 2016

This piece originally appeared in The Hill By Judy Shelton Donald Trump has a problem with the Federal Reserve. You could call it a love/hate relationship. He loves low-interest rates because, as a builder, low-cost financing enables him to develop ne …

Sound Money Project

IMF economists criticize “neoliberalism”

– June 1, 2016

In a recent Finance & Development piece, several IMF economists came together to criticize neoliberal reforms made by governments across the globe. Their main argument is that, “Instead of delivering growth, some neoliberal policies have increased …

Sound Money Project

Decline in the volatility of bitcoin

– May 25, 2016

The price of bitcoin remains more volatile than other major currencies. But the gap is shrinking.

Sound Money Project

Should Italians be crucified on a cross of euros?

– May 18, 2016

There is no doubt that ordinary Greeks feel that they have been financially crushed by the foreign-creditor-mandated austerity policies in recent years. The nation’s real output has been declining for several years and the rate of decline understates t …