Thursday , 21 November 2024

What Does QE Really Do – and NOT Do?

[As you know, earlier] this week the Federal Reserve…promised to keep short-term interest rates low through late 2014 … up from a previous pledge of 2013. Not only that, the Fed also said it would continue with its “Operation Twist” policy of selling shorter-term Treasuries and buying longer-term ones. The goal [is to] hold down long-term interest rates but what does QE really do – and not do? [Let me explain.] Words: 500

So says Mike Larson (www.moneyandmarkets.com) in edited excerpts from his original article*.

 Lorimer Wilson, editor of www.FinancialArticleSummariesToday.com (A site for sore eyes and inquisitive minds) and www.munKNEE.com (Your Key to Making Money!) has edited ([ ]), abridged (…) and reformatted (some sub-titles and bold/italics emphases) the article below for the sake of clarity and brevity to ensure a fast and easy read. The article’s views and conclusions are unaltered and no personal comments have been included to maintain the integrity of the original article. Please note that this paragraph must be included in any article re-posting to avoid copyright infringement.

Larson goes on to say, in part:

What is QE – REALLY?

QE is money printing by a country’s central bank – and…

  • it devalues the currency of the country doing the printing,
  • it erodes the purchasing power of the country’s citizens,
  • it inflates the price of commodities, making every gallon of gas you buy and many of the groceries you purchase more expensive,
  • it drives down the yield on virtually all of your savings vehicles, forcing you to scrounge for pennies in your couch cushions or take on huge risks to generate the same amount of income you made previously and
  • it artificially boosts the value of paper assets, including everything from junky bonds to stocks.

In other words, if you’re an average American, you get screwed, but if you’re a seven-figure-salary investment banker at Goldman Sachs, you hit paydirt. You can peddle more stocks and bonds, make a lot of money doing so, and maybe afford a new Ferrari or house in the Hamptons. Ain’t life grand?

Who in the world is currently reading this article along with you? Click here

The fatal flaw of QE, though, at least in terms of its impact on the REAL economy, is those pesky side effects. Sure, QE temporarily juices stock prices but because it also drives up the cost of living, it drives down the disposable income of everyday citizens. Eventually prices rise so high that no one can afford them, and that’s when the economy collapses…

What to Do

Never mind that [QE] won’t work, at least if by “work,” you mean help the real economy. Fed policymakers like Ben Bernanke aren’t going to let the facts get in the way of a good story. They need to look like they’re not just sitting on their hands so they’re going to keep doing the same wrong things, expecting a different result.

The best way to protect yourself is to own some gold, own select fixed income investments that do NOT pose excessive risk, and own select stocks with solid fundamentals.

*http://www.moneyandmarkets.com/fed-pledges-low-rates-forever-what-it-means-48834?FIELD9=2

Why spend time surfing the internet looking for informative and well-written articles on the health of the economies of the U.S., Canada and Europe; the development and implications of the world’s financial crisis and the various investment opportunities that present themselves related to commodities (gold and silver in particular) and the stock market when we do it for you. We assess hundreds of articles every day, identify the best and then post edited excerpts of them to provide you with a fast and easy read.

Sign-up for Automatic Receipt of Articles in your Inbox or via FACEBOOK | and/or TWITTER so as not to miss any of the best financial articles on the internet edited for clarity and brevity to ensure you a fast an easy read.

Related Articles:

1. 2012: More Money-printing Leading to Accelerating Inflation, Rising Interest Rates & Then U.S. Debt Crisis! Got Gold?

inflation

Evidence shows that the U.S. money supply trend is in the early stages of hyperbolic growth coupled with a similar move in the price of gold. All sign point to a further escalation of money-printing in 2012…followed by unexpected and accelerating price inflation, followed by a rise in nominal interest rates that will bring a sovereign debt crisis for the U. S. dollar with it as the cost of borrowing for the government escalates…[Let me show you the evidence.] Words: 660

2. IMF Begs Policymakers to Prevent World Economy From Falling into a 1930s-style Death Spiral!

Earth-e1321574345681

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) painted a stark picture of the global economy this week slashing the outlook for world growth while forecasting a damaging recession in Europe that will leave no country, including Canada and the U.S., unscathed. The report stated that financial conditions have deteriorated, growth prospects have dimmed, and downside risks have escalated and, as such, policymakers must immediately move forward together to save the world economy from falling into a 1930s-style death spiral because the longer corrective action is put off the worse it will actually get. Words: 640

3. Why More QE is Coming and What That Means for the Future Price of Gold

Gold_intro

Most traders and some economists believe the Fed will step in with another round of Quantitative Easing (QE3) in the first half of 2012. This will pump up the stock market, particularly bank stocks, giving the impression that the US economy can’t be that bad, after all, [but in the process] debase the dollar and reduce purchasing power. [This, in turn, will result in higher]…inflation causing prudent investors to buy more gold. [Let me explain further what I see transpiring this quarter and why.] Words: 718

4. These 5 Apocalyptic Engines Causing Hyperbolic Growth in US Money Supply

I recently wrote an article showing how US True Money Supply (TMS) appeared to be growing at a hyperbolic rate [see here], and that gold was also on a hyperbolic course…Hyperbolic growth in the quantity of money ends with hyperinflation… [and] both TMS and the dollar price of gold are pointing to a hyperinflationary outcome. This article explains why this might be so. Words: 764

5. Economic System a Legal Ponzi Scheme on the Verge of Collapse!

global_economic_crisis

Countries around the world, particularly in the West, are hopelessly in the red, with debt rising every day. Even worse, politicians seem paralyzed, unable — or unwilling — to do anything about it. It is a global disaster that threatens the immediate future… [Let me explain.] Words: 1132

6. What is Money – Really – and Why Do We Need to Own Gold – Really?

Ways-to-make-money-1

Have you ever wondered what money really is [and why we need to own some gold as a result]? You’ll notice that everyone you read has a strong opinion , but who’s right? [Let look at the situation and see if we can come to an answer that we both can agree on.] Words: 3086

7. Egon von Greyerz Interview on Future QE, Hyperinflation and the Price of Gold

global_economic_crisis

A final or total catastrophe of the currency system will occur as a result of unlimited money printing that will lead to hyperinflation. Stock markets will benefit temporarily from this QE [but we expect that the] markets will fall 90% against gold in the next few years. The correction in the precious metals [will] likely [soon] be over and we should see the metals going to new highs in 2012. Words: 450