Podcasts

Jim Willie on currency wars and the rejection of the US dollar

Episode 98: GoldMoney’s Alasdair Macleod talks to Jim Willie of GoldenJackass.com, publisher of the “Hat Trick Letter”. They discuss his recent article on the currency wars and the rise in non-US-dollar-based trading.

They talk about China’s increasing use of yuan swaps in bilateral trade. Sanctions on Iran have led to an increase in trade settled in gold, with Willie pointing out the intermediary role of Turkey in this matter. Jim and Alasdair also discuss deindustrialisation in the United States and the subsequent destruction of capital; with Willie mentioning the mysterious outflow of gold classified as “industrial supplies” out of the US.

They discuss the pressure on the dollar due to the declining importance of the dollar in international trade, and how the US Dollar Index (USDX) is understating the true decline in the dollar’s value. Willie also talks about the Treasury Bond bubble and how interest-rate swaps are supressing yields.

Finally they talk about China, and the possible introduction of a gold trade note by which gold could become the basis of trade settlement. Willie speculates about the actual non-reported amount of gold held by China.

This podcast was recorded on 8 February 2013.