You are here

Daily Dispatches

Alasdair Macleod: Designing a new currency is impractical

Section: Daily Dispatches

By Alasdair Macleod
GoldMoney, Toronto
Friday, March 25, 2022

Rising interest rates threaten to destabilise both financial asset values and the fiat currencies in which they are priced. This outcome is feared by the chattering classes who increasingly speculate about currency resets.

So far, we have seen cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, plans for the introduction of central bank digital currencies, plans to de-dollarise Asian trade, and even El Salvador adopting bitcoin as legal tender. 
But are these resets valid?

U.S. dollar's dominance is being stealthily eroded

Section: Daily Dispatches

By Enda Curran
Bloomberg News
Thursday, March 24, 2022

The dollar's share of global reserve currencies has been in steady decline over the past 20 years as central banks turn to nontraditional currencies, including the renminbi, to diversify their holdings. 

Reserve managers have moved out of dollars in two directions, with one quarter headed into the renminbi and three quarters into currencies of smaller countries that have traditionally played a limited role as reserve assets.

Sanctioning Russia's gold won't work but may prompt repatriation from NY Fed, Lundin says

Section: Daily Dispatches

What Traders Think of U.S.-led Efforts to Block Gold Transactions by Russia's Central Bank

By Myra P. Saefong
MatketWatch, New York
Thursday, March 25, 2022

The U.S. made it clear on Thursday that any transaction involving gold related to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation is covered by existing sanctions, but that's unlikely to have an immediate impact on the gold market despite Russia's estimated $132 billion in gold stockpiles.

Ronan Manly: Russian palladium and platinum are too important to sanction

Section: Daily Dispatches

12:01a ET Friday, March 26, 2022

Dear Friend of GATA and Gold:

Bullion Star's Ronan Manly reports tonight that, like Russian oil and gas, Russian palladium and platinum have been determined by the London Platinum and Palladium Market to be too important to sanction.

Manly's report is headlined "Russian Palladium and Platinum -- Too Important to Sanction" and it's posted at Bullion Star here:

So why doesn't the U.S. Mint try buying silver via futures contracts?

Section: Daily Dispatches

11:51p ET Thursday, March 25, 2022

Dear Friend of GATA and Gold:

Responding tonight to Patrick Heller's explanation for the U.S. Mint's suspension of silver coin production -- that the mint is legally required to pay futures market prices for silver even as real metal isn't immediately available at those prices --

https://gata.org/node/21813

-- some friends raise a good question.

... Dispatch continues below ...


... ADVERTISEMENT ...

Russian parliamentarian envisions selling oil and gas for bitcoin and gold

Section: Daily Dispatches

By MacKenzie Sigalos
CNBC, New York
Thursday, March 24, 2022

Faced with stiffening sanctions from Western countries over its invasion of Ukraine, Russia is considering accepting bitcoin as payment for its oil and gas exports.

In a videotaped news conference held on today, the chair of Russia's Duma committee on energy said in translated remarks that when it comes to "friendly" countries such as China or Turkey, Russia is willing to be more flexible with payment options.

... Dispatch continues below ...

Patrick Heller: When it comes to buying silver, U.S. Mint's hands are tied

Section: Daily Dispatches

8:16p ET Thursday, March 25, 2022

Dear Friend of GATA and Gold (and Silver):

Writing today at Numismatic News, veteran numismatist Patrick Heller explains that federal law is actually preventing the U.S. Mint from minting silver coins in a couple of usual series.

That is, Heller writes, the law forbids the mint from paying more for silver than the "average world price" as "determined by a widely recognized commodity exchange."

... Dispatch continues below ...


... ADVERTISEMENT ...

G7 to crack down on Russia's ability to sell its gold

Section: Daily Dispatches

How, exactly? By imposing comprehensive sanctions on China? That will make the current trade disruptions seem like a picnic. What if Russia starts demanding gold as payment for its oil and gas, which Europe already has exempted from sanctions?

* * *

James Politi and Sam Fleming
Financial Times, London
Thursday, March 24, 2022

Commodity traders sound alarm on plunging market liquidity

Section: Daily Dispatches

By Archie Hunter and William Mathis
Bloomberg News
via Yahoo Finance, Sunnyvale, California
Thursday, March 24, 2022

Whipsawing commodity prices and eye-watering margin calls are forcing traders to reduce their activity, driving liquidity out of markets and exacerbating price swings, according to some of the world’s biggest trading houses.

Hackers claim to be preparing to reveal Bank of Russia's secrets

Section: Daily Dispatches

Now how about the Federal Reserve?

* * *

Anonymous Claims It Has Hacked Russia's Central Bank and Will 'Release 35,000 Files with Secret Agreements' in 48 Hours

By Tom Pyman
Daily Mail, London
Thursday, March 24, 2022

International hacking collective Anonymous claims to have exploited Russia's central bank -- and is threatening to release 35,000 files which include "secret agreements," in the next 48 hours.

Pages