In the Blind Spot (Operational naked shorting)
SNEAK PEEK — Why is it so hard to get to the bottom of what’s really going on in Slovakia via Western reports? Dario investigates. — It turns out Elon Musk reformed Twitter just the way Jack Dorsey would have had he been able to take the company private himself.— Memestock hero Roaring […]
EIB, Brussels hatch plan to reduce defense investing stigma (POLITICO)
By Bjarke Smith-Meyer · May 16, 2024 There are four “sin stocks” that most European lenders won’t touch: Gambling, pornography, tobacco and weapons. But morality is a luxury many cash-strapped EU finance ministers can no longer afford as Russia pursues its war of attrition in Ukraine. Starved of weapons, policymakers across the bloc and in […]
In the Blind Spot (Why the entire economy is an influence op)
SNEAK PEEK — Izzy argues that the real economy is being stifled by management techniques inherited from the activist and civil society realm that turns everything into a data-driven influence op. — Dario updates readers on the new space race to conquer the moon. — Why the Vatican has created a renAIssance foundation to […]
In the Blind Spot (Trader justice)
SNEAK PEEK — A SocGen trader flung out of the bank for unauthorised risk-taking takes to social media to call for “trader justice” and new dismissal rules. — Georgia’s foreign agent bill is causing havoc on the streets of Tbilisi again. — Dario argues that Chinese EV competitiveness isn’t down to subsidies or forced […]
Better collateral pre-positioning regime could have saved Credit Suisse (POLITICO)
By Izabella Kaminska · (First published on Politico Pro, Apr 25, 2024) Banks need to pre-position as much collateral as possible at the central bank to avoid regulators being caught out by illiquid and unacceptable assets, such as yachts or ships, former Bank of England deputy governor Paul Tucker told a high level central banking […]
In the Blind Spot (G42’s Deep Thought)
Our one-stop source for central banking & monetary policy news. SNEAK PEEK — Why Sam Altman’s chip-building coalition paves the way to a chipdollar interdependence deal. — The BoE’s Paul Tucker blames yachts and wealth management for Credit Suisse’s collapse as he renews pre-positioning call. — Is corruption just a norm in Spain? Dario […]
In the Blind Spot (Cloudbusting, but not the Kate Bush version )
Our one-stop source for central banking & monetary policy news. SNEAK PEEK — Donald Trump’s Trump Media channels the Gamestop playbook as it calls for an investigation into naked short selling of its stock. — The House of Lords hears about how disinformation controls are being politicised. — In the wake of the Dubai […]
Not so fast, Ireland’s Makhlouf warns ECB doves (POLITICO)
WASHINGTON — Ireland’s central bank governor pushed back strongly against colleagues looking to lock in a sequence of interest rate cuts in the second half of the year, stressing that the uncertainties around the economy are still far too great. “It is speculating a bit too far to say ‘I feel confident enough about the […]
In the Blind Spot (The return of political Romanticism)
SNEAK PEEK — Ecuador’s new president Daniel Noboa may be the real beneficiary of the gang violence that gripped the country earlier this year. — The Houthis are more interested in revenue generation at this point than siding with Iran, argues Dario. — Polish culture wars channel old romantic strategies in their bid to […]
In the Blind Spot (States within states)
Our one-stop source for central banking & monetary policy news. SNEAK PEEK — Who really controls Kaliningrad? Dario takes a look at how the Russian exclave became a hotbed of illicit activity, while retaining a surprising amount of German influence. — What’s the difference between an investment zone and a special economic zone? Dario ponders […]