Connect with us

Economic News

The Global Financial Crisis’s Biggest Collapse Is Compared To Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX

Published

on

On Friday, FTX filed for bankruptcy after competing crypto exchanges failed to save it, raising concerns that the cryptocurrency economy is nearing its own Lehman Brothers moment.

Lehman piled up subprime mortgage debt before the Great Financial Crisis.

Is FTX that bad? Unlikely. But it’s troubling. The Federal Reserve saved Bear Stearns but let Lehman fail once the US home market collapsed. The fourth-largest US bank with $650 billion in assets collapsed in September 2008. The 2008 crisis destroyed trillions of dollars of wealth and caused a global recession. FTX filed Chapter 11 on Friday. Its bankruptcy petition lists $10 billion to $50 billion in assets and over 100,000 creditors.

Bankman-exchange, Fried’s though smaller than Lehman, has similar issues. Its FTT token, a fast depreciating asset, dragged down its balance sheet. Since a report from Coindesk revealed that Bankman-trading Fried’s firm, Alameda Research, classified billions worth of FTT as assets on its balance sheet, suspicions swirled over the health of both companies and caused a sell-off.
“It ended up being quite comparable to Lehman because of how over-leveraged it was,” said Umee founder Brent Xu.

To reduce losses and attract investors, FTX pledged clients’ funds as collateral. This week’s “bank run” left FTX without funds to process withdrawals. Solana and Ether fell, and Tether lost its dollar peg. In a recent interview, American University law professor and financial regulatory expert Hilary Allen said, “The crypto ecosystem has been made vulnerable by leverage and interconnection, much as the old banking system was fragile in 2008. FTX account holders and Alameda traders face serious risks. Allen claimed FTX’s collapse won’t cause a financial crisis like 14 years ago. She noted that the economy still uses traditional finance rather than crypto for credit and payment processing, so any repercussions is likely to stay in the industry.

“The major purpose of crypto is speculation, and hence its collapse is unlikely to have larger ramifications so long as the regular financial system has no significant exposure to crypto,” Allen said.

Even with the events of the previous week unsettling the crypto industry, it isn’t sure to have systemic ramifications, and dropping crypto prices could be a momentary, knee-jerk market reaction. “Companies and platforms can no longer hide their reserves and keep investors and customers in the dark.”

Advertisement

What happens next for crypto

More dominoes could fall after FTX’s collapse, starting a crypto reckoning. Who saves this week may be the biggest change from 2008. Crypto’s fall doesn’t concern the government like mortgages did in 2008. in “What makes this new wave of crypto deleveraging driven by the apparent collapse of Alameda Research and FTX more troubling is that the number of businesses with better balance sheets able to rescue those with low capital and high leverage is diminishing,” JPMorgan stated.

Regulators may tighten the screws to force corporations to adjust their conduct, when “Like Lehman, we will see an escalation of laws to protect market players, notably individual investors who yet again face the brunt of the damage,” Siemer said. He expects the most regulated and compliant corporations to dominate.

FTX’s implosion will continue to shake sector confidence. FTX instability forced crypto lender BlockFi to restrict client withdrawals and curtail platform activity this week.
“Given the lack of information on the status of FTX.com, FTX US and Alameda, we are not able to do business as usual,” BlockFi said, stressing its goal is to safeguard its clients and their interests.

“The market needs to develop before it can rebound, whether this comes through strengthened government laws on crypto or more skilled asset managers handling big sums of assets,” Siemer added.

Economic News

Globalization is a Critical Issue in Davos

Published

on

By

Globalization is a Critical Issue in Davos

Days long forgot.

A decade ago, political power brokers and corporate titans convened in the Swiss Alps under an optimistic banner, globalization. It was a time for “resilient dynamism,” declared the World Economic Forum‘s 2013 summit organizers. They argued that the globe has entered a “post-crisis” period following the travails of the global financial crisis. It was incumbent on the Davos elites to bring in additional reforms in the service of economic “sustainability” and “competitiveness,” recurrent WEF watchwords that tap into the liberal ethos that has long underpinned its proceedings, where doing good need not conflict with profit margins.

After ten years, there appears to be less optimism. Instead of a “post-crisis” time, it’s more usual to speak of a “permacrisis,” of a world teeming with calamity — war, climate catastrophe, energy price mayhem, inflation, epidemics of hunger and illness, political instability, and growing economic injustice. This year’s WEF theme, an impassioned plea for “cooperation in a fractured globe,” seemed to be more obsessed with the ruptures that have already occurred. Last week, WEF President Borge Brende told reporters that the meeting “will take place against the most complicated geopolitical and geoeconomic backdrop in decades.

Issues that are still hounding the WEF.

Concerns about a probable global recession are high on the agenda. There’s also the perplexing issue of climate change, as well as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and its ramifications, such as the snarling of the global grain trade, which contributed to the development of famine conditions in large parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Underneath it all is a deeper Davos anxiety: few institutions are more inextricably linked to neoliberalism and the globalization movement than the conference. Where does globalization go in an age of rising nationalism and great power competition, when the United States itself is launching trade wars?

The Economist’s recent cover story, which attempts to describe the Davos zeitgeist each year, criticized the “new logic that threatens globalization.” It criticized the Biden administration’s “abandonment of free-market standards in favor of an aggressive industrial policy,” citing subsidy-laden programs to support the country’s green transition as well as new efforts to make the country a semiconductor manufacturing hotspot.

All of this, according to the historically liberal Economist, has “kicked off a perilous spiral into protectionism worldwide,” fraying the global order that the US spent decades constructing and securing in the aftermath of World War II. It may potentially jeopardize “liberal democracy and market capitalism’s causes.”

The Davos hosts want to maintain the status quo.

Tuesday’s launch panel, comprising economic historians Adam Tooze and Niall Ferguson, will debate “de-globalization or re-globalization.” The latter approach mirrors current developments, with governments and multinational corporations redirecting supply chains away from conflict zones and unfriendly states. It is visible with the exit of a large number of Western corporations from Russia and China.

I would say we are in a re-globalizing moment,” Malaysian Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz told me at his country’s pavilion along Davos’ snow-lined central promenade. He believes that while companies and enterprises may benefit in the near term from shifting away from China and into Southeast Asian markets, the larger picture is more concerning.

Advertisement

People are getting more compartmentalized,” he remarked. “In the long run, we are concerned about rising trade expenses.

Notable absentees.

According to the forum, this year’s attendance includes more than 50 heads of state or government, 56 finance ministers, 19 governors of central banks, 30 trade ministries, and 35 foreign ministers, making it the largest gathering of political and business leaders ever.

The majority of the world’s leading economic leaders, though, are conspicuously absent. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be the only Group of Seven leaders to attend, with his European peers presumably keen to avoid the optics of rubbing shoulders with the global elite while their own populations deal with cost-of-living difficulties. The key officials from the Biden administration are US climate envoy John F. Kerry and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who, given the current state of affairs, may find herself in some heated discussions over the week.

Following a pause caused by the pandemic, China has dispatched its own high-level delegation, led by Vice Premier Liu He, who is scheduled to deliver one of the event’s major keynote addresses on Tuesday. It is a revival of Beijing’s engagement with the forum, albeit not at the level seen in 2017 when Chinese President Xi Jinping keynoted events with a speech championing globalization that portrayed China as an upholder of the liberal system. It was interpreted at the time as a declaration of intent by a leader eager to take the mantle of global leadership, as well as a thinly veiled jibe at the recently appointed ultranationalist Trump government bent on populist disruption.

That occasion at Davos was perhaps a watershed moment for Xi on the global scene.

His dictatorial hand has tightened at home in the years afterward, while many nations worldwide regard China under his leadership as a threat, if not necessarily a foe. Whatever the World Economic Forum’s pleas for discussion and collaboration, there is a growing consensus in the West that Xi’s ambitions for Taiwan must be checked. There is now an emerging consensus that China’s admittance to the World Trade Organization two decades ago — possibly the single most momentous event in the history of globalization — was a mistake.

In 2013, WEF organizers praised Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s participation as a national leader who grasped “global obligations.” Of course, Medvedev and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as the entourage of Russian billionaires and business leaders who used to throw some of the most expensive parties on the fringes of the forum, are now all persona non grata in Davos. The conflict in Ukraine will cast a shadow over the talks, with a large delegation from Kyiv, including Ukrainian First Lady Olena Zelenska, in attendance.

Looking into the future.

A large portion of the discussion has little to do with politicians’ or pundits’ doom-mongering. There will be hundreds of lectures and events highlighting various examples of private-sector innovation and collaboration on topics ranging from food security to youth education to forestry (WEF has pledged to restore and plant a trillion trees around the world). WEF organizers describe the forum’s attendees as enabling “systems positive change” and guiding the globe toward a better, more sustainable future in rosy technocratic language.

There’s skepticism around Davos; they can say it’s a talk shop,” Penjani Mkambula, who works at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition on fortifying grains with minerals and vitamins in the developing world, told me. “However, there are numerous advantages that emerge. A lot of alliances are formed, a lot of work is done, and the effects are sometimes visible years later.

Advertisement

For More Economic News, Click Here.

 

Continue Reading

Economic News

Population in China Declines for the First Time in Decades, Alarms Starting to Ring

Published

on

By

Population in China Declines for the First Time in Decades, Alarms Starting to Ring

China’s population decreased for the first time in six decades last year, a historic reversal that is believed to signal the start of a long era of fall in its citizen numbers with far-reaching ramifications for the country’s economy and the rest of the world.

Economic Ramifications

The dip, the worst since 1961, the final year of China’s Great Famine, adds credence to forecasts that India would overtake China as the world’s most populous country this year.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s population would have decreased by approximately 850,000 to 1.41175 billion by the end of 2022.

Long-term, UN scientists predict that China’s population would fall by 109 million by 2050, more than double the decline predicted in 2019.

Domestic demographers are worried that China may become old before it becomes rich, stalling the economy as revenues fall and government debt rises due to rising health and welfare bills.

China’s demographic and economic prospects are far worse than anticipated. China’s social, economic, defense, and diplomatic policies will all need to be adjusted” Yi Fuxian, a demographer, stated.

He went on to say that the country’s declining labor force and manufacturing slump would worsen high pricing and rising inflation in the United States and Europe.

Advertisement

Birthrate keeps on falling

Last year, China’s birth rate was 6.77 births per 1,000 people, down from 7.52 births in 2021 and the lowest rate on record.

The death rate was 7.37 fatalities per 1,000 people, the highest since 1974 during the Cultural Revolution, compared to 7.18 deaths in 2021.

Much of the demographic collapse is the result of China’s one-child policy, which was implemented between 1980 and 2015, as well as sky-high education expenditures, which have discouraged many Chinese from having more than one child if any at all, and had long-term effects on the population.

Following the release of the results on Tuesday, the data became the top trending subject on Chinese social media. One hashtag, “#Is it really necessary to have children?” received hundreds of millions of views.

The primary reason why women do not want to have children is due to society’s and men’s unwillingness to take on the task of parenting children. Women who give birth have a significant drop in their quality of life and spiritual life ” Joyful Ned, a netizen, shared his thoughts.

Impact of regulations

According to population experts, China’s strict zero-COVID regulations, which have been in effect for three years, have harmed the country’s demographic outlook.

Since 2021, local governments have implemented policies to encourage families to have more children, such as tax breaks, extended maternity leave, and housing subsidies. President Xi Jinping also stated in October that the government would implement additional helpful policies.

However, thus far, measures have done little to halt the long-term trend.

Advertisement

Searches for baby strollers on China’s Baidu search engine fell 17% in 2022 and are down 41% since 2018, while searches for baby bottles have declined by more than a third since 2018. Searches for aged care facilities, on the other hand, increased eightfold last year.

In India, Google Trends reveals a 15% year-on-year growth in searches for baby bottles in 2022, while searches for cribs increased nearly fivefold.

For More Economic News, Click Here.

 

Continue Reading

Economic News

China’s Quick Reopening Pace Brings a Mixed Bag of Emotions Globally

Published

on

By

China's Quick Reopening Pace Brings a Mixed Bag of Emotions Globally

The quick reopening of China’s economy from COVID lockdowns brightens the outlook for global investors eager to leave behind one of the worst years on record, but it may also exacerbate the inflationary pressures policymakers think are subsiding.

The impact of the world’s second-largest economy reopening on financial markets, which suffered double-digit losses last year as inflation and interest rates rose, is critical.

Emerging markets, commodity currencies, oil, travel, and European luxury companies are among the top buying bets on recovery optimism.

It will undoubtedly be a rocky voyage. COVID instances, deaths, and the economic impact on China from epidemic infections have yet to be seen, but commodities prices are already rising, raising the likelihood of inflation.

For the time being, investors are focused on the positives, anticipating additional stimulus measures from Beijing with the health crisis and economic impact on China peaking in the first quarter.

The reopening story is looking fairly positive, and… China is pouring a lot of credit and fiscal stimulus into the economy,” said Edward Al Hussainy, senior interest rate and currency strategist at Columbia Threadneedle, which oversees $546 billion in assets.

That boost is permeating global asset values.

Advertisement

The reopening of China also alleviates the sting of recessionary threats. Goldman Sachs forecasts the eurozone economy to grow by 0.6% this year, up from a previous projection of a decline.

According to Chris Iggo, chief investment officer for core investments at AXA Investment Managers, “Chinese demand will offset the story in the West…” as consumer demand and company spending have decreased, while interest rates have risen.

WINNERS

Emerging markets, which are expected to profit from tourism and trade with China, were at the top of the buy list.

The Thai baht was a favorite of Hussainy and other investors. It has risen to its highest level since March and is up about 5% since the beginning of December.

Prior to the pandemic, Chinese tourists accounted for a quarter of all annual visitors to Thailand.

Amundi, Europe’s largest investor, believes the reopening may signal a “turning moment” for emerging market shares, a trade also supported by BlackRock’s investment institute.

According to Goldman Sachs, company earnings in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand should increase.

Chile, the world’s largest copper producer, is another investment favorite. Its peso has risen 7% since early December, as copper prices have risen near $9,000 for the first time since June.

Advertisement

According to BlueBay Asset Management fund manager Zhenbo Hou, the commodity-driven Australian dollar could appreciate further.

HOLIDAY?

Prior to the pandemic, China was the world’s largest outbound travel market.

Chinese customers “will rush to Beijing International Capital Airport and flee the country as quickly as they can because they want to travel,” according to Alison Shimada, head of overall developing markets at Allspring Global Investments.

Travel may also boost European luxury stocks, as Chinese demand has dropped since the outbreak began, according to UBS, accounting for approximately 17% of industry sales vs 33% in 2019. This should increase valuations.

LVMH shares (LVMH) reached a new high this week.

The reopening of China was expected to weaken the safe-haven currency while benefiting the euro. China is the European Union’s most important trading partner, accounting for around 16% of total goods trade.

According to Barclays analysts, China’s slowing was responsible for more than half of the euro’s loss against the dollar last year.

According to them, the reopening boosts the outperformance of European stocks and calls into question the consensus underweight strategy. UBS is also bullish on European materials, industrials, and consumer discretionary stocks.

Advertisement

CAUTION ON INFLATION

However, the boost from China’s reopening raises fears about inflation.

China is the world’s largest importer of oil and other commodities; oil prices have jumped 10% since mid-December to almost $84 per barrel.

One thing we need to keep an eye on is if China’s resurgence adds to global inflationary pressures,” AXA’s Iggo added.

The aim is that the global economic slowdown will offset China’s increased commodity consumption, reducing the inflationary impact.

According to Goldman Sachs, a return to regular travel and transportation behavior in China might increase oil demand by 1.5-2 million barrels per day. Still, slower global growth implies oil prices won’t reach $140 highs until 2022.

At this point in time, the rate hike is really starting to have the anticipated impact on inflation, which I think should play out over the course of the year, even with China reopening,” said Jason Pride, Glenmede’s chief investment officer of private wealth.

For More Economic News, Click Here.

 

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 | All Rights Reserved RISK DISCLAIMER There is a very high degree of risk involved in trading. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Financial Wars and all individuals affiliated with this site assume no responsibility for your trading and investment results. All the material contained herein is believed to be correct, however, Financial Wars will not be held responsible for accidental oversights, typos, or incorrect information from sources that generate fundamental and technical information. Options trading carries significant risk. Futures and futures options trading carries significant risk. Trading securities, security options, futures and/or futures options is not for every investor, and only risk capital should be used. You are responsible for understanding the risk involved with trading options. Prior to trading any securities products, please read the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options and the Risk Disclosure for Futures and Options. The indicators, strategies, columns, and all other features are for educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. Information for futures trading observations are obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but we do not warrant its completeness or accuracy, or warrant any results from the use of the information. Your use of the trading observations is entirely at your own risk and it is your sole responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of the information. You must assess the risk of any trade with your broker and make your own independent decisions regarding any securities mentioned herein. Affiliates of Financial Wars may have a position or affect transactions in the securities described herein (or options thereon) and/or otherwise employ trading strategies that may be consistent or inconsistent with the provided strategies. All of our partners or affiliated companies are in no way associated with the proprietary information provided by the Financial Wars Trading Method or software. All returns are based off buy side analysis and do not include commission costs. All projections are based on current returns. The projections do not account for any possible draw down effects on performance and performance projections. Actual returns and projected returns may fluctuate over the course of the service. "VIP" or "Lifetime" designation refers to the lifetime of the product only and not to be assumed to be the lifetime of any individual. Any person who chooses to use this information as a basis for their trading assumes all the liability and risk for themselves and hereby and absolutely agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Financial Wars, its principals, agents and employees. As a Student and Chat Subscriber, we ask that you please cross check the information posted here. We ask that you challenge any information you feel is incorrect. We do not guarantee any of the information that is posted in the chat. All company names are trademarks or registered trademarks if their respective holders. Use of a mark does not imply any affiliation or endorsement by them.

Social Media Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com