The decision of the Bank of Japan last week to up the ante on asset purchases and to extend the maturity of purchases was a truly remarkable surprise to the financial markets. From many perspectives it could be considered an unprecedented monetary policy decision with deep repercussions to being felt around the world. Market expectations […]
Bend It Like… Corning?
The idea of making a type of flexible glass that does not break easily is centuries old and already in the Ancient Roman age the idea of creating such glass was mentioned in several accounts. According to historian Petronius, a glassmaker was granted an audience with Emperor Tiberius to showcase his invention. Unfortunately, the emperor […]
Apple – Don’t Show Me The Money… But The Products!
Apple Inc. is not only one of the largest and most iconic corporations in the world. To my eyes, it is also a stockholders’ darling trying to regain its shining reputation. Seems only yesterday that the Apple share price was ripping through new highs for several years in a row, reaching an all-time high of […]
Bitcoin, New Virtual Currency, Or Digital ‘Tulip’ Bubble?
The Bitcoin frenzy has officially taken off in grand style this month, on the back of the Euro debacle in Cyprus and the stark realization that blind trust in the monetary authorities that regulate fiat currencies (including the Eurozone) can be rather costly to savers. It is no coincidence that Bitcoin was created in 2008, […]
Gold Price Tumbles From Multi-Year High. End Of The Line For The Secular Bull Market?
Over the last few centuries, gold has earned its status as the King of precious metals. Although its relevance as a currency has disappeared in our modern age, its reputation as a store of value and as a hedge against the risk of loss in purchasing power is hard to shake. This is despite the […]