HSBC is altering its oversight of safe-deposit boxes in Hong Kong. Governments are targeting safe-deposit boxes to look for cash that is hiding from taxation. HSBC, a U.K. bank, is now moving against claimed financial crimes by altering conditions for safe-deposit boxes. This is becoming a global trend. Anything of value that is stored in a […]

The familiar phrase “We the People” no longer means what it used to. The majority of Americans do not understand how the law is made and assume Congress proposes all legislation and therefore makes law. That is not the case. The president can refuse to enforce any law or impose it arbitrarily under the claim of discretion, […]

The Nikkei (cash) really hit the tiles today (-2.3%) having received confirmation of the delay to the Sales Tax and its two year reschedule. The JPY saw the flight to quality resulting in a 1% rally to hit a 108.50 high. 10yr JGB’s traded from -10bp to -11.5bp. As stated yesterday it will not be […]

As rumored, Japan’s PM Mr. Abe announced today that the Sales Tax increase is to be delayed for the second time. This will very likely have an impact on Ratings Agencies who will be waiting more details in regards to any change on fiscal impacts and their possible reaction. As a result the JPY moved […]

All the Asian indices performed well today and mainly off the back of the rumors that China -Shares are to be included in the MSCI soon. These were only rumors but we did see a 3.3% rally on the beck of the story. Also, on the back of a better than expected Japan Industrial Output […]

QUESTION: Mr. Armstrong; I have been trapped by these gold promoters and they indeed are like used car salesmen, worse since they are not regulated. I listened how they were wrong because the bankers were suppressing gold. If the bankers were eliminated, gold would soar to anything like $25,000 to $100,000. Well, the bankers have all been […]

QUESTION: Dear Mr. Armstrong, (a) You say that the world is losing confidence in governments and I do not question that for a minute. (b) BUT you also say that the dollar will strengthen for various probable sounding reasons, which it is presently doing. (whereas many think it will collapse). For the collapse theory: it appears […]

It was debated at length today whether the Nikkei leads JPY or the yen leads the stock market! Either way we saw cash equities lose 0.9% today whilst the Yen rallied 0.6% only to lose that after the cash close. In late US trading we are looking at 110 handle but the Nikkei futures have […]

QUESTION:  Martin– Your models seem to predict a Trump win. Given Trump’s stated preference for low interest rates, how does that jive with rates needing to go up to normalize things and save pensions in the next year or two? Would the Fed have to give in to President Trump? Thanks! RK ANSWER: Keep two […]

QUESTION: Mr. Armstrong, it seems that there is a cycle to everything. I am starting to notice there appears to be cycles in the use of words especially in a legal context. Your piece on “discretion” is interesting how it evolves to suit the times. Money Laundering began as a drug crime and now it […]