Originally published at: https://peakprosperity.com/daily-digest/fed-loses-176b-as-others-shift-to-gold-x-defies-cnn/
The Federal Reserve has been grappling with consistent monthly operating losses since September 2022, amounting to $176 billion as of June 2024. These losses stem from the Fed paying higher interest rates on reserves held by banks and on reverse repo operations than it earns on its debt securities. Major banks like JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America benefit from these rates, which have not been passed onto customersâ savings accounts. Researchers Paul Kupiec and Alex Pollock from the American Enterprise Institute argue that these losses have constrained the Fedâs monetary policy options, forcing it to avoid selling its System Open Market Account (SOMA) securities to prevent turning unrealized losses into actual cash losses. Instead, the Fed plans to let these securities mature over time. If interest rates remain high, the Fedâs operating losses could persist, with taxpayers ultimately bearing the burden.
In a related financial shift, central banks have been moving away from US Treasuries as the global reserve asset, favoring gold instead. Since 2014, central banks have sold $400 billion in Treasuries and bought $600 billion in gold. This trend is driven by geopolitical risks, the high US debt-to-GDP ratio, and the increasing costs of commodities like oil and copper. Gold purchases by central banks have reached record levels, indicating a significant shift towards gold overtaking US Treasuries as the primary reserve asset. The discussion also touches on the potential repricing of the dollar and the role of Bitcoin as a digital gold-like asset, suggesting that increased dollar liquidity and weaker dollar scenarios could benefit Bitcoin and gold prices.
Meanwhile, the yen has dropped to „160.8 against the USD, its weakest since 1986, marking a 34% decline since 2020. This depreciation is attributed to the Bank of Japanâs (BOJ) aggressive monetary policies initiated under Abenomics. Despite interventions and warnings from Japanese authorities, efforts to stabilize the yen have been largely ineffective. Japanâs trade deficit, exacerbated by the weak yen, has led to higher import costs, particularly for energy. The BOJâs delayed response to global inflation trends has further weakened the yen, with recent policy changes proving insufficient to stabilize it. The BOJ plans more significant steps, such as further rate hikes and quantitative tightening, but these measures come late as inflation rises globally.
In the realm of media and technology, Elon Musk has clarified that his platform, X, will not block or remove live streams and footage of the Presidential debate, despite demands by CNN. Podcaster Tim Pool claimed that CNN had informed him he would not be legally allowed to simulcast the debate with his own commentary. Muskâs stance on this issue highlights the ongoing tension between traditional media outlets and new media platforms over content control and distribution.
The meanings of words in agriculture have evolved, with terms like âfamily farmâ and âfactory farmâ becoming contentious. While 97% of U.S. farms are family-owned, this statistic includes large-scale industrial operations, often referred to as factory farms or CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations). These operations focus on maximizing economic efficiency at the expense of natural animal behaviors and environmental health. In contrast, traditional, independent family farms allow animals to engage in natural behaviors and use sustainable practices. The term âfamily farmâ has been co-opted by the CAFO industry to evoke positive imagery, despite the industrial nature of their operations.
Solar farming is increasingly competing with traditional agriculture for land, raising concerns about the loss of farmland. In Douglas County, Kansas, a 1,105-acre solar farm was approved on highly productive farmland, sparking debate about the best use of such land. One proposed solution is agrivoltaics, which combines solar power generation with agricultural activities. Researchers at Iowa State University are experimenting with agrivoltaics to determine if crops can thrive under solar panels and if the shade provided by the panels can help plants during heat spells. However, challenges remain, such as increased humidity and reduced airflow under the panels, which could lead to plant diseases. Despite these challenges, some farmers may find agrivoltaics financially viable due to lease payments from power companies, although skepticism remains about its practicality on high-quality farmland.
Sources
Fed Faces Unprecedented $176 Billion Losses Amid High Payouts to Banks
According to Federal Reserve data, for the first time in its history, the Fed has been losing money on a consistent monthly basis since September 28, 2022.
Source | Submitted by rhollenb
Gold Glitters as U.S. Treasuries Tarnish: Central Banks Shift Reserves Amid Geopolitical and Economic Shifts
âSince 2014, global central banks have sold $400 billion of Treasuries on net and bought $600 billion worth of gold on net.â
Source | Submitted by rhollenb
The Forgotten Lessons of Spainâs Empire: A Cautionary Tale for Modern America
âMaybe itâs just me, but I see an awful lot of food for thought for todayâs Americans in the history summarized above.â
Source | Submitted by AaronMcKeon
Elon Musk Defies CNN: X to Allow Presidential Debate Streams Despite Networkâs Demands
âDMCA Does Not Applyâ: Musk Says X Will Not Remove CNN Debate Streams, Footage
Source | Submitted by nickythec
Yen Plummets to 37-Year Low: Bank of Japanâs Monetary Missteps Under Fire
The problem for the yen is the Bank of Japanâs reckless monetary policy, and that cannot be resolved by blowing tens of billions of dollars in ultimately useless market interventions.
Source | Submitted by rhollenb
Factory Farms vs. Family Farms: The Battle Over Definitions in Modern Agriculture
Factory farms are not farms. They are industrial livestock production facilities built and operated to gain the most economic benefit using the least amount of resources raising livestock in the least natural state possible.
Source | Submitted by Barbara
Can Solar Farms and Agriculture Coexist? The Quest for Agrivoltaics
One answer is agrivoltaics â the idea that production agriculture can coexist with utility-scale solar power.
Source | Submitted by Barbara