Axel Merk

Merk Funds

Contributor since: 26 Feb 2010

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• Credit Easing Goodbye - Quantitative Easing Ahoy!

  Published 10 August 2010 | viewed 0 times

  The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) has decided to reinvest any proceeds from maturing securities acquired through its $1.25 trillion mortgage-backed security (MBS) purchase program.…

• U.S. Dollar Stress Next?

  Published 28 July 2010 | viewed 0 times

  The crisis is dead! Long live the crisis! In an attempt to address the debt crises swirling around the globe, policy makers have responded with…

• Switzerland Under Siege: Free Markets May Yet Save the Swiss Franc

  Published 20 July 2010 | viewed 0 times

  Efforts are underway to undermine Switzerland's rock solid reputation as a safe haven. The alpine nation, famous for its readiness against enemies with citizens storing…

• ECB Urges Bank Recapitalizations

  Published 08 July 2010 | viewed 0 times

  European Central Bank (ECB) President Jean-Claude Trichet, in his press conference following the central bank's monthly meeting, built on the more confident tone set in…

• U.S. Fights Global Hangover: Getting Drunk in the Process?

  Published 17 June 2010 | viewed 0 times

  To understand how the ongoing global credit crisis may evolve, let's look at some cultural and structural considerations. Last decade, despite being told that there…

• ECB Inflexibly Flexible - a Turning Point for the Euro?

  Published 10 June 2010 | viewed 0 times

  Following the European Central Bank's (ECB) press conference following its monthly meeting, President Trichet's main task was to boost credibility. As Trichet makes abundantly clear,…

• Critical Juncture - Update on the Euro, Australian Dollar and Japanese Yen

  Published 27 May 2010 | viewed 0 times

  Our long-term outlook on the euro remains more positive than that of many market participants. There are numerous reasons for our view, amongst others because…

• Europe's Bazooka

  Published 10 May 2010 | viewed 0 times

  French President Sarkozy wasn't kidding when he promised to shock the markets with a series of measures aimed at containing the sovereign debt crisis. Europe…

• Greece Requires Conservatorship

  Published 28 April 2010 | viewed 0 times

  In our assessment, Greece should be placed into conservatorship by the European Commission. Greece's liquidity issues have morphed into a solvency crisis. Greece's challenges are…

• Implications of Chinese yuan Appreciation

  Published 27 April 2010 | viewed 0 times

  Recently, there has been a lot of news and evidence supporting the likelihood of the Chinese authorities allowing the Chinese currency, the yuan or renminbi…

• U.S. Dollar - Grave Concerns Remain

  Published 15 April 2010 | viewed 0 times

  We continue to see risks ahead for the U.S. economy, and in particular, the U.S. dollar. Significant global imbalances remain - indeed; the recent global…

• Life/Euro Beyond Greece - Crystal Clear

  Published 08 April 2010 | viewed 870 times

  Focus at today's European Central Bank (ECB) press conference was on the continued tremors rattling Greece. A couple of key points: The ECB refinancing collateral…

• European Central Bank - Seize the Opportunity!

  Published 06 April 2010 | viewed 1,897 times

  For better or worse, any support to Greece is a political matter. However, in the absence of a political process, much of the focus has…

• Is the IMF to Greece what China is to the U.S.?

  Published 24 March 2010 | viewed 1,114 times

  If Greece eventually gets funding from the International Monetary Fund ("IMF"), it may not be so different from the U.S. getting its funding from China.…

• Eurozone Needs Markets Not Bailouts

  Published 18 March 2010 | viewed 968 times

  Deutsche Bank Chief Josef Ackermann is looking after his own house rather than the eurzone's interests in calling for a Greek bailout. If there is…

• Strong Yuan in China's Interest

  Published 15 March 2010 | viewed 1,929 times

  The U.S. has pressured China for some time to allow its currency, the yuan, to appreciate. China, in our assessment, will not allow the yuan…

• ECB - Greece is Convincing

  Published 04 March 2010 | viewed 1,486 times

  At its monthly press conference, European Central Bank (ECB) President Trichet announced a further gradual reduction of emergency lending facilities. Focus of the meeting was…

• Greece - From Hard Money to Fool's Gold

  Published 02 March 2010 | viewed 852 times

  When Greece invented the Olympic Games in 776 BC, the top prize was an olive wreath, not gold. And in those days, Greece sought out…

• Euro - Anchor of Stability?

  Published 07 February 2010 | viewed 2,832 times

  The world's attention is on the fiscal malaise in Greece and Portugal. Just a few months ago, policy makers told banks to shore up their…

• What's Next for the Dollar?

  Published 02 February 2010 | viewed 3,659 times

  The Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee (FOMC) is sticking to its course for phasing out the additional purchases of Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS). Notably however,…