China’s Yuan Joins Top Five Payment Currencies

China’s currency has been outrunning both the Canadian and Australian dollars since November, according to a SWIFT statement. Some experts say the yuan could eventually overtake the American dollar share in international markets.

MOSCOW, January 28 (Sputnik) — The Chinese yuan has become the world’s fifth most used payment currency, data from the SWIFT banking transaction network showed Wednesday.

Russia Might Implement Gold Standard to Boost Economy: Expert

The recent accumulation of gold by Russia’s central bank has sparked a discussion on whether gold standard would be an appropriate monetary policy measure for the struggling economy.

MOSCOW, December 4 (Sputnik) — Russia’s Central bank has demonstrated an increased scale of gold-buying this year, triggering diverse speculations both in the media and the expert community on whether it is a simple measure of supporting the price for the domestically produced metal, or part of a complex strategy in the economic standoff with the developed world. This way or another, there are voices suggesting its high time for Russia to introduce a gold exchange rate for the nation’s currency amid the prolonged ruble’s plunge in order to boost living standards, consumer demand and spur manufacturing sector.

Gasoline Prices Are Not Rising, the Dollar Is Falling

Panic is in the air as gasoline prices move above $4.00 per gallon. Politicians and pundits are rounding up the usual suspects, looking for someone or something to blame for this latest outrage to middle class family budgets. In a rare display of bipartisanship, President Obama and Speaker of the House John Boehner are both wringing their hands over the prospect of seeing their newly extended Social Security tax cut gobbled up by rising gasoline costs.

Unfortunately, the talking heads that are trying to explain the reasons for high oil prices are missing one tiny detail. Oil prices aren’t high right now. In fact, they are unusually low. Gasoline prices would have to rise by another $0.65 to $0.75 per gallon from where they are now just to be “normal”. And, because gasoline prices are low right now, it is very likely that they are going to go up more—perhaps a lot more.

What the politicians, analysts, and pundits are missing is that prices are ratios. Gasoline prices reflect crude oil prices, so let’s use West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil to illustrate this crucial point.

Full article: Gasoline Prices Are Not Rising, the Dollar Is Falling (Forbes)

The Federal Reserve’s Explicit Goal: Devalue The Dollar 33%

The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) has made it official: After its latest two day meeting, it announced its goal to devalue the dollar by 33 percent over the next 20 years. The debauch of the dollar will be even greater if the Fed exceeds its goal of a 2 percent per year increase in the price level.

An increase in the price level of 2 percent in any one year is barely noticeable. Under a gold standard, such an increase was uncommon, but not unknown. The difference is that when the dollar was as good as gold, the years of modest inflation would be followed, in time, by declining prices. As a consequence, over longer periods of time, the price level was unchanged. A dollar 20 years hence was still worth a dollar.

But, an increase of 2 percent a year over a period of 20 years will lead to a 50 percent increase in the price level. It will take 150 (2032) dollars to purchase the same basket of goods 100 (2012) dollars can buy today. What will be called the “dollar” in 2032 will be worth one-third less (100/150) than what we call a dollar today.

Full article: The Federal Reserve’s Explicit Goal: Devalue The Dollar 33% (Business Insider)

The World Continues Preparations for the End of the Global Dollar-Based Ecosystem

As the Western world enjoyed their Christmas holidays, news broke in Asia of something that was reported in the media but received very little attention.

History may treat this event as something all together of much larger importance than is currently understood. Future Americans will ask why the U.S government could not see the writing on the wall? That is, tools are being put in place that will end the global dollar-based ecosystem.

Continue reading article: The World Continues Preparations for the End of the Global Dollar-Based Ecosystem (Financial Sense)