Where finance and media intersect with reality.

In the Blind Spot (Swiss neutrality, inflation truthers, Czechia)

This edition of the Blind Spot Wrap was compiled by Izabella Kaminska (IK) and Dario Garcia Giner (DGG). Markets, finance, economics etc… Sri Lanka’s economy faces complete collapse. There is an inflation in the number of stories noting “politicians and central bankers” were complacent on inflation. Probably time to do a roll-call of the media […]

In the Blind Spot (Aircraft carriers, Rouble, Larry Fink )

This edition of the Blind Spot Wrap was compiled by Izabella Kaminska (IK) and Dario Garcia Giner (DGG). Markets, finance, economics etc… Russian rouble hits near 7-year high vs dollar as tax payments loom (chart courtesy of CNBC). Putin has been indulging in the schadenfreude. Here’s what he’s been saying in his domestic channels. The […]

Spot Markets Live Transcript: 20/06/22

Comments IK – I’ve decided to post today’s comments after all, but only as an example of what you will see when you are in the live chat. I have, however, obscured the identities with initials for privacy reasons. (Apart from Graham from Coodash.) They’re also in reverse chronological order. 12:08 Graham Halliday: Thanks for […]

Spotlight on mass-market satellite access

When a snapshot of a mirrored monolith was posted by state biologists conducting a survey on local bighorn sheep in November 2020, it ignited what would soon become one of the most intensive open-source pursuits for topological intelligence the world has ever seen. Within hours, thousands of amateur sleuths were dissecting the image (which was […]

Is the ECB’s anti-fragmentation tool a CBDC?

The most intriguing news that came out of the ECB’s ad hoc meeting on Wednesday was that the governing council had accelerated work on a new “anti-fragmentation instrument” to help it cope with diverging sovereign bond valuations as it moves into a tightening phase. The exact wording was this: In addition, the Governing Council decided […]

ALTIF transcripts: Twilight of the private equity gods

ALTIF

Twilight of the Private Equity Gods Private equity firms have amassed vast fortunes for their owners by snapping up companies in a rising stock market using ultra cheap debt. But what happens when values go down and interest rates rise? We talk to US investor and private equity sceptic Dan Rasmussen about the coming buyout Götterdämmerung. […]

Rationist No. 2: That mankind is programmed for political revolution

This is the second in a series of essays by Tim Ferguson, founder of the Anacyclosis Institute, arguing in favour of Rationism, a middle class-oriented political theory that advocates benchmarking the national economy against the national median household net worth. Izabella Kaminska has also described Rationism as Vitruvian Capitalism, based on its promotion of the […]

In the Blind Spot (Anti-fragmentation, NATO, crypto)

This edition of the Blind Spot Wrap was compiled by Izabella Kaminska (IK) and Dario Garcia Giner (DGG). Markets, finance, economics etc… The Fed decision was anything but a Volcker shock. Basel committee goes knee-deep into overseeing climate-related financial risk. The Tesla Hype Complex. What exactly is the ECB’s anti-fragmentation instrument? The Blind Spot will […]

What the Fed giveth, the Fed taketh away

The outcome of Wednesday’s FOMC decision could possibly end up being one of the most important in recent history. Thanks to some tactically positioned media guidance, the market is, as of Monday, expecting the Fed to go as far as a 75 basis points hike when It concludes its June FOMC meeting. The up-turn in […]

Coinbase as a pathway to “tradfi” crypto contagion

When Coinbase direct-listed on the Nasdaq on April 14, 2021, it did so with a valuation of $85.8bn. The listing came at what might retrospectively be considered the peak of crypto market exuberence and the height of the NFT craze. The nuts price tag at the time somewhat remarkably put the crypto trading platform ahead […]