Currency and money markets news scan: Three Fed reference rates see an uptick. China, Japan receive warning about weakening currency.

The takeaway: As Trump seeks to weaken the US currency, he calls out Japan and China for doing likewise. Joseph Adinolfi yesterday wrote for MarketWatch that supporters of President Trump as well as members of the administration would like the President to consider policy that would weaken the US dollar while maintaining the dollar’s status … Continue reading Currency and money markets news scan: Three Fed reference rates see an uptick. China, Japan receive warning about weakening currency.

Interbank market news scan: Two-year falls below four percent and Zelensky gets sonned.

The takeaway: Trump flexes his strongman muscle and boxing skills … Yesterday’s dressing down of Volodymyr Zelensky, president of Ukraine, by U.S. President Donald Trump, I am sure, caught many a viewer off guard. The sitting room where the President has a photo-op chit chat with other world leaders tends to look staged with phony … Continue reading Interbank market news scan: Two-year falls below four percent and Zelensky gets sonned.

Interbank market news scan: Will Trump’s reining in of independent agencies snare Federal Reserve monetary policymaking?

The Interbank Market U.S. Treasury rates The two-year, ten-year, and thirty-year Treasury rates all increased between 9:43 am this morning and 4:52 pm this afternoon. According to Treasury data, the two-year rate stayed relatively the same, moving from 4.26% to 4.29%. The ten-year rate increased from 4.47% to 4.55%, while the 30-year rate moved from … Continue reading Interbank market news scan: Will Trump’s reining in of independent agencies snare Federal Reserve monetary policymaking?

Interbank market news scan: The bitcoin bros need to make an argument as to why a bitcoin strategic reserve is constitutional.

Proponents of bitcoin were very excited about the prospects of President Donald Trump creating a bitcoin strategic reserve. This prospect was fueled by support from Senator Cynthia Lummis, Republican of Wyoming, who last year introduced S.4912, the BITCOIN Act of 2024. S.4912 would require the Secretary of the Treasury to establish a “decentralized network of … Continue reading Interbank market news scan: The bitcoin bros need to make an argument as to why a bitcoin strategic reserve is constitutional.

Interbank market news scan: On interest rates, traders be advised that Mr. Trump is out of his lane

Yesterday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he would demand that the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System lower interest rates. Mr. Trump’s off the cuff remarks reminded me of a scene from “Air Force One” where Harrison Ford’s character during a speech made in a central Asian country shared a position on … Continue reading Interbank market news scan: On interest rates, traders be advised that Mr. Trump is out of his lane

Interbank market news scan: Did Trump say anything scary to Davos participants? Nothing they have not heard before.

Speaking today via satellite before approximately 3,000 attendees at the World Economic Forum, President Donald Trump provided his agenda for where he wants to take the American and world economies. It was basically a rehash of some of his written executive orders over the last three days. Mr. Trump declared that the election provided him … Continue reading Interbank market news scan: Did Trump say anything scary to Davos participants? Nothing they have not heard before.

Trump’s America First Trade Policy: Applying Law to the Manifest Destiny Narrative.

There is mumbling amongst the narrative class that legal action is being prepared to address some of President Donald Trump’s executive orders issued yesterday. I cannot say with specificity that Mr. Trump’s America First Trade Policy is among the executive orders targeted for legal action. I am particularly focused on the portion of his America … Continue reading Trump’s America First Trade Policy: Applying Law to the Manifest Destiny Narrative.

Interbank market news scan: Trump makes an inflation promise that he can’t keep.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump promised today during his inaugural address that he would address the levels of inflation brought on by government overspending and high energy costs. He offered as a solution the old mantra, “Drill, baby, drill” implying that increases in the supply of American extracted and processed oil and gas would increase … Continue reading Interbank market news scan: Trump makes an inflation promise that he can’t keep.

Interbank market news scan: Is the U.S. House task force on monetary policy more political than monetary?

U.S. Representative French Hill, Republican of Arkansas and chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, announced earlier this week the formation of the Monetary Policy, Treasury Market Resilience, and Economic Prosperity Task Force. According to Mr. Hill’s statement: “The Committee’s new Task Force will conduct hearings looking into issues relating to monetary policy, … Continue reading Interbank market news scan: Is the U.S. House task force on monetary policy more political than monetary?