QUESTION: You have written about the collapse of the Byzantine monetary system. I also believe it fell to the Europeans in 1204 and the story was that the Germans were being aggressive back then demanding tribute. Was this also another monetary crisis at that time? Thank you JY Alexius III AV Hyperpyron ANSWER: Yes, there was […]
ASIA: Japanese PM Abe has been in advanced talks since the beginning of the week with European Leaders, discussions about protectionism and free trade agreements were at the forefront of the conversation. Due to current trade agreements savings in excess of 1.1billion Euros for European businesses exporting to Japan. The backdrop of the conversation was […]
ASIA: The bank of Japan announced they plan on keeping interest rates low until the spring of 2020, as weaker global demand and Chinese-US relations were taking a toll on the export reliant economy. China today announced that a French warship had entered the Taiwanese strait earlier this month. In a surprising move by the […]
ASIA: The North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits Russia for the first time near the city of Vladivostok. Talks are due to commence tomorrow between the two nations as Russia wishes to discuss North Korea’s nuclear problem. This, along with continued efforts to engage with China, is a continued effort for North Korea to hedge […]
Asia: Chinese coffee company Luckin filed papers for an IPO in the U.S. This is a big move for the Starbucks competitor, and follows other China-based companies who have listed in United States (Alibaba, Baidu, etc). The company is only 18 months old and has demonstrated fantastic growth with plans to open 2,500 additional shops […]
QUESTION: Everyone has a chart of the German DAX postwar. I have never seen a chart of the German stock market before the war. Do you have any? HVS ANSWER: Yes. However, you must understand that because the world was on a gold standard, the arbitrage volatility was reflected in the bond and share markets […]
Asia: The somewhat controversial Chinese company Huawei posted a 39% increase in first quarter revenue, despite pressure from the US government. Huawei is investing heavily in the realm of 5G networks, which offer speeds of up to ten times that of the current 4G technology. There are currently many scientists who are against the new […]
Easter is historically the most confusing holiday. Besides the calculation being complex, the traditions are also a blend of various different cultures. I have written how New Year’s Eve is really a Roman tradition celebrating the god Janus who was pictured with two faces one looking back and the other to the future. Christmas is […]
Asia: Amazon announced they will shut down its China marketplace business, effectively ceding the market to Alibaba and JD.com. The business will wind down in July, giving ample time for sellers using the services to transfer to other providers. Amazon does plan to continue to support “cross-border” business – that is, importing goods into China […]
Asia: China’s GDP rose 6.4% in the first quarter, outperforming many of analysts’ expectations. Some see this as a promising sign for China as last year the GDP decelerated every quarter. Prime Minister Mahathir of Malaysia has approved a “mega link” project that connects both sides of Malaysia, spanning up toward Thailand, as part of […]
