News

[ad_1] Bank of Mexico governor says pace of hikes may change as needed [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Union minister for commerce & industry, consumer affairs, textiles, food and public distribution Piyush Goyal on Friday strongly rebutted the notion of a slight protectionist twist in India’s foreign trade outlook and asserted that the country was actually looking for much greater engagement with the world markets with “definitive offensive interests”. The country’s combined goods-and-services exports would cross the $2-trillion mark in a decade or earlier, enabling it to blossom into the ‘big league’ of world trade, the minister said. Speaking at the fifth edition of the FE CFO Awards here, the minister said the flurry of free trade agreements being signed by New Delhi with its leading trade partners bore testimony to the country’s commitment to being an integral part of a global trading system so long as it was “rule-based, transparent and fair”. “It is (not going to be) an India which closes its doors to the rest of the world, but one that would engage with the world from a position of strength,” he said. He, however, made it clear that the Modi government won’t reconsider its decision to pull out of the China-dominated Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), as Beijing’s trade and pricing policies remained opaque. The recent Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE, India’s first shot at a bilateral trade deal in over a decade would be followed by an array of deals with the whole of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Australia, Canada, the UK, European Union and Israel, the minister said. Terming the India-UAE CEPA an ‘excellent pact’, he said, its full text would be made public in a couple of days. “We are emboldened with the success of (UAE pact) and it will help expand bilateral trade from around $65 billion now to $100 billion very soon,” he said, pointing out that the UAE would serve as a gateway for India to not only West Asia but also Africa and some European countries. India was poised to take huge strides towards Atmanirbharta (self-reliance), thanks to assorted policy steps meant for improving the scale and competitiveness of the Indian industry, the minister said, adding that this would help the country become a trusted trade partner of the developed world. gNo country in the world has achieved sustainable economic growth without international engagement. We are, therefore, keen to expand our footprint in the developed world.” he said. The minister, however, stressed that the interests of India’s small-scale industries and the farm sector would need to be safeguarded when multilateral/bilateral trade decisions were taken. India’s merchandise exports exceeded an ambitious target of $400 billion for FY22 nine days before the fiscal was set to end; the previous high was $330 billion exports recorded in FY19. Goyal said the country may end up with goods exports of $410 billion in the current fiscal, while services exports too would be a record $250 billion.These thresholds, the minister said, would serve as stepping stones for the country. India’s goods and services exports would ‘converge’ (to be on a par) in the next few years, the minister said, implying that the growth in services segment is expected to be much higher. The production-linked incentive schemes for 14 sectors involving government expenditure of Rs 2 trillion would enable the Indian industry to achieve economies of scale and global competitiveness, the minister said. These schemes, he noted, laid special emphasis on frontier sectors like technical textiles, drone manufacturing and specialty steel, in keeping with their vast potential. Goyal said the PM Gati Shakti mission would help India develop infrastructure in an organised manner and bring down the country’s high logistics costs.India had pulled out of the RCEP talks in Bangkok on November 4, 2019, and made its return incumbent on adequate redressal of its concerns. New Delhi was unwilling to budge on its demands for an “auto-trigger” mechanism for safeguarding its industry from dumping, and strict rules of origins of imported products to check the abuse of tariff concessions. Also, New Delhi was steadfast in certain demands, including credible steps and market access to address India’s $105-billion trade deficit with RCEP members, change in the base year to implement the tariff abolition from 2014 to 2019 and a more balanced deal on services. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] With high inflation rates in Canada, you may be looking for creative ways to save money. And while a cash back credit card can be an easy way to put money back in your pocket from spending on essentials like groceries and gas, most cash back cards worth swiping come with a substantial annual fee. Enter: the Tangerine Money Back Mastercard. We like the generous welcome offer, solid earn rate and a few other perks. So, is the Tangerine Money Back Mastercard the best no-fee cash-back card for Canadians? We break down the online bank’s offerings and see how it stacks up against its competitors. Find your next credit card.What kind of credit card are you looking for? Get matched with the best cards for you in under 2 minutes at ratehub.ca. Let’s get started. I want to earn rewardsI want to pay low interest You will be leaving MoneySense. Just close the tab to return. Tangerine Money-Back credit card quick facts Tangerine Money-Back* Annual fee: $0 Interest rates: purchases 19.95%, cash advances 19.95%, balance transfers 19.95% Rewards: 2% cash back in up to three spending categories of your choice; 0.5% on all other purchases Welcome offer: Earn 10% cash back (up to $100) when you spend $1,000 on everyday purchases within the first 2 months of having the card. Must apply before March 31, 2022.. Balance transfers: This card also offers a promotional interest rate on balance transfers, allowing you to pay 1.95% on that transferred balance for 6 months (and 19.95% on any unpaid balances after 6 months) with a 1% fee on the amount transferred. Annual income requirement: $12,000 Best feature: The ability to choose your own bonus categories means you can customize the credit card to suit your spending habits and maximize your rewards Who it’s good for: Credit cardholders who aren’t interested in collecting points or pay an annual fee and prefer cash rewards; anyone who wants to supplement credit card rewards with a second card to maximize earnings; cardholders who might not qualify for premium cards with higher income requirements Accolades: Tangerine ranked first in the J.D. Power 2021 Canada Credit Card Satisfaction Study, for the third year in a row.  The Tangerine credit card was also named best no fee cash back card in MoneySense’s Best Credit Card rankings Get more details about the Tangerine Money-Back card* What does the Tangerine card offer? It offers cardholders an above-average 2% cash back rate in two out of 10 spending categories. When you open a Tangerine savings account, and have your cash back earnings deposited into it, you earn yourself a third category to earn 2% cash back in, too. For context, most other no-fee rewards credit cards either earn fewer rewards per $1 spent or offer less bonus categories. And there’s even more… Flexible categories What really sets the Tangerine Money-Back Mastercard apart from the rest is that it’s the only credit card in Canada that lets you pick your own bonus categories. You can align these with your spending and use this feature to maximize your rewards. (Speaking of inflation, gas and groceries could be savvy categories to earn cash back on.) With other cards, you may have a higher earn rate, but it could be for a category you barely use. Plus, the categories you choose aren’t set in stone. You can also switch up your cash back categories (via the app) every month if you want to. A competitive welcome offer The card’s welcome offer allows you to earn 10% cash back on up to $1,000 worth of purchases (so, $100). It’s almost like a reverse annual fee. You’re paid you to use the card—if you plan to spend that much in the first month anyway. No spending cap on cash back The cash back you earn from your customized categories is deposited in your account on a monthly basis. What’s more? There’s no limit to the cash back you can earn, which many comparable cash back cards do have limits on. Low interest on balance transfers Plus, if you’re wanting to consolidate debt from another credit card, the Tangerine card offers a super low interest rate on balance transfers (1.95%), which is another reason to consider it. Simply complete the balance transfer request within 30 days of opening your account, and then move your debt over to your Tangerine card. For the following six months, your transferred balance will accumulate a low 1.95% interest. Just be sure to pay off that balance within six months, when the promotional rate ends and the regular regular 19.95% rate is applied. Note: There is a flat balance transfer fee of 1%. For example, if you transferred $1,000, the fee is $10. If you’ve got an accumulated balance on another credit card, this promotion can help you consolidate your debt and pay it down at a fraction of the interest. How to get the most out of your Tangerine credit card categories Aside from being a good everyday credit card option for Canadians, it’s also extremely flexible, meaning that you can swap categories every month. Swaps take effect only once per billing cycle. This is when the Tangerine card really shines. Let’s say you have a big renovation coming up. If you’ve selected the home improvement category, you’ll get 2% back on those purchases. Booking a trip? Travellers will do well with the hotel-motel option. Those looking to buy new furniture stand to earn back a healthy percentage. (However, changes won’t come into effect immediately, so plan ahead.) The 10 Tangerine categories offer a lot of variety: Groceries Gas Restaurants Furniture Hotel-motel Recurring bills Drug store Home improvement Entertainment Parking/public transit With a bit of planning and selecting the right categories for you, you can stow away some extra money with cash rewards. There’s also another way to maximize your credit card rewards: Try pairing the Tangerine card with a second credit card to get the most cash back possible on every

[ad_1] The post A Guide to Financial Freedom Success appeared first on Millennial Money. As millennials, it can often feel like we’re shouldering the entire weight of the world on our shoulders. Rising inflation is outpacing salary increases, we have crushing student loan debt, and it’s more expensive for us to afford necessities like housing and transportation than it was for our parent’s generation.  So financial freedom might appear to be a pipe dream that only the rich can achieve. But what if I told you that you, too, could pursue financial independence? Is financial freedom possible? Yes. You can achieve true financial independence, even if it feels like you’re currently drowning. But first, you have to do some hard work.  Table of contents Determining What Financial Independence Means to You  Financial independence looks different for everyone  Why financial independence is beneficial for you  Tips for Making Financial Goals Ensure you’re setting realistic goals What happens when you set unrealistic goals   Critical Elements of a Strategy for Financial Freedom  1. A thorough discovery process 2. A timeline  3. A strategy to make and invest money  Steps to Achieving Financial Freedom 1. Get familiar with your finances 2. Make a budget 3. Track your spending 4. Build an emergency fund 5. Pay off any debt 6. Open the correct accounts 7. Set up a deposit schedule 8. Increase your salary 9. Start a side hustle 10. Create passive income Determining What Financial Independence Means to You  The first step to achieving financial independence is asking yourself, “What does financial independence mean to me?” It’s going to involve some lifestyle dreaming. If money were no object in a perfect world, what would you be doing?  For instance, if money were no object, I would spend a year as a digital nomad and then settle down, buy a house, and grow roots. But I need to create a financial lifestyle that supports this. That’s my first step toward financial freedom.  Maybe you already have a house and your dream is to take time off work to pursue a sport you’re interested in. Or maybe you want to put your time and energy into different, non-money-producing projects. That would be what financial independence means for you.  Whatever your life goals are, they will be the framework for your financial independence.  Financial independence looks different for everyone  Just as there’s no one right way to earn money, there’s no one right way to pursue financial independence. As you create your plan, check shame at the door. It’s not helpful here.  It can be so easy to compare ourselves to others and feel small about our dreams. If your vision of financial independence makes you feel inadequate, then it’s up to you to either work through your mindset around money or come up with something that feels more genuine and exciting. You won’t be motivated to achieve financial independence if you’re not thrilled about where it will take you.  Take some time to get excited about this goal — that motivation will carry you a long way. And once you achieve financial freedom, the psychological effects will be huge. Why financial independence is beneficial for you  The moment you achieve financial freedom will be a glorious one. Whether you choose to celebrate quietly and go out to dinner or throw an all-out rager to mark the milestone, one thing is clear: Your life will change forever when you achieve true financial freedom.  Financial independence allows you to live your life without being worried about money. It takes a long time to save, invest, and create passive income that supports this goal. But the destination is worth the journey — even if that journey is a long one.  Remember not to compare your journey to your peers’, because you don’t know their entire financial picture. And be happy with your path in life.  Tips for Making Financial Goals Start with where you want to be, and then work backward. This strategy might seem counterintuitive. But when you make goals, you want to have the bigger picture in mind.  If I want to be a digital nomad for a year before buying a house and settling down, my financial plan needs to reflect that. I need to have expenses saved for a year of travel, a house, and living expenses after I purchase the house.  I would focus on that first year first. Then, since I want to continue working, I would need to set a natural buffer between me and the world. I’m a bit of a worrywart, so my goal is $50,000 — or a year’s worth of my expenses. Your goals are allowed to be different. But, again, you must try not to compare your journey to someone else’s.  The next part of my goal would be to purchase a house. I live in a pretty rural area of America, so I’m looking at $150k-$250k for a place. I’m okay having a mortgage while I pursue financial independence, but I would want to put 20% down on a home. So that’s another $50k.  Finally, I’d need to save for my living expenses. They’re $50,000 a year, and let’s say I set a 25-year time horizon. That’s $1.25 million. Add everything together, and I’m looking at $1.35 million to be financially free.  Your numbers might look similar to mine — or they might not. The idea here is that you want to…  Ensure you’re setting realistic goals Notice that everything in my goals is realistic. Financial planning needs to be. These are things that people have done before and will continue to do. I didn’t decide that I wanted to fly to space and live on the moon — something I could never afford, even if I saved for it.  You have audacious goals. But they shouldn’t be unrealistic.  That means the math should work out. There are plenty of retirement calculators that can help you determine if what you want to achieve is practical

[ad_1] If you need a new mattress, don’t miss this HOT deal you can score right now on these highly-rated Milliard Memory Foam Mattresses! {Sponsored by Milliard.} Milliard is offering our readers an extra 30% off their memory foam mattresses of all sizes when you use code 30IGN3WJ right now! These mattresses get amazing 5-star reviews and come in four different sizes: Twin Size for $139 shipped + after code Full Size for $209 shipped + after code Queen Size for $230 shipped after code King Size for $279 shipped after code These are amazing prices on a quality memory foam mattress that gets great reviews! Note that these prices do not include sales tax. Shipping is FREE. Don’t forget to use code 30IGN3WJ at checkout to get these low prices. Valid through March 28th, while supplies last. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] U.S., Japanese, South Korean officials condemn North Korea's missile launch -State Dept [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] University Grants Commission has issued a notice against admission to various degree programmes in the Univerisities in China for the current and upcoming academic years. The commission has warned students that China has imposed travel restrictions due to Covid-19 and all visas have been suspende since Novemner 2020. Further the document stated that so far there has been no relaxation in the travel and several Indian stuents couls not continue their studies in China. However, Chinese authorities conveyed that the course will be conduct online. The commission has warned students that UGC and AICTE do not recognise any such degree course done online without any prior approval. Therefore, students are advised to carefully choose the place for higher studies. Below is the detailed public notice. “In a public notice document the commission stated that “It has come to notice that a few Universities in People’s Republic of China have started issuing notices for admission to various degree programmes for the current and upcoming academic years. In this context, any prospective student needs to be aware that the Government of People’s Republic of China has imposed strict travel restrictions in the wake of COVID-19 and suspended all visas since November 2020. A large number of Indian students have not been able to return to China to continue their studies due to these restrictions. Thus far, there has been no relaxation in the restrictions. Further, the Chinese authorities have conveyed earlier that courses will be conducted online. As per the extant rules, UGC and AICTE do not recognize such degree courses done only in online mode without prior approval. In view of the above, students are advised to exercise due diligence in choosing where to pursue higher education to avoid further problems in employment or higher studies.” Read also: Indian medical students abroad can now finish their incomplete internship in the country [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Each week, Cut the Crap Investing founder Dale Roberts shares financial headlines and offers context for Canadian investors. Redrawing the world’s trade map It’s the end of globalization as we know it. We will reorder production and supply routes and networks. The redrawing of the world’s trade map was all already in play—thanks to the pandemic for exposing our fragile supply chains. Companies and countries were looking to bring production close to home and source materials closer to home as well.  Now, geopolitical concerns are accelerating the event. We may no longer want to trade extensively (or at all) with autocracies such as Russia, China and other rogue nations.  Via Seeking Alpha, here is a quote from Oaktree Capital’s Howard Marks:  “The availability of ever-cheaper goods like cars, appliances and furniture produced abroad was a major contributor to the benign U.S. inflation picture in this quarter-century. On the other hand, offshoring also led to the elimination of millions of U.S. jobs, the hollowing out of the manufacturing regions and middle class of our country, and most likely the weakening of private-sector labor unions. Rather than the cheapest, easiest and greenest sources, there’ll probably be more of a premium put on the safest and surest.” The world might split into two major blocks: Democracies; and autocracies and other non-democracies. You might even see it as good vs evil.  With less economic interconnectedness, the world will see slower growth and less innovation. We are likely to see the returns on our investments somewhat diminished.  Forbes quotes BlackRock CEO Larry Fink:  “The world is undergoing a transformation: Russia’s brutal attack on Ukraine has upended the world order that had been in place since the end of the Cold War, more than 30 years ago. The magnitude of Russia’s actions will play out for decades to come and mark a turning point in the world order of geopolitics, macro-economic trends and capital markets.” The article continues: “The war will have many long-term economic consequences, Fink warns, as de-globalization pushes inflation even higher, leaving central banks with a tough choice between higher prices or lower economic activity.” Decoupling from cheap-labour Chinese suppliers would be difficult, in the short term, for Canada and the U.S.  On the other hand, splitting from the United States, Canada and from countries in Europe would be catastrophic for China’s economy, since it would cut Chinese manufacturers off from the some of richest markets in the world, leaving them with emerging markets as the buyers of their goods.  The tectonic shift and economic process will likely not go smoothly. We have to redraw the global trades routes and rewire the supply chain processes. There is opportunity for error. And as I wrote above, there will be costs.  Final tweet/thought on this, from David Roseneberg of Rosenberg Research and Associates.  Globalization is so dead, in fact, that Canada and the U.K. have opened up free-trade talks. Not to mention Canada stepping into the void by boosting oil shipments by 5%. Maybe this crisis ends up bringing the West closer together, and not the opposite. #RosenbergResearch — David Rosenberg (@EconguyRosie) March 25, 2022 The smart U.S. ETFers are moving to value stocks  It is my opinion that exchange-traded fund (ETF) investors are much “smarter” and more aware than those who buy or were sold mutual funds. Perhaps we are seeing more evidence of ETF investor superiority in the U.S. From 2021 and into 2022, investors are embracing the U.S. value indices that are outperforming in 2022.  Value indexes continue to lead YTD, but growth indexes picking up ground over past month@Bloomberg @TheTerminal pic.twitter.com/etm9O2h2Fv — Liz Ann Sonders (@LizAnnSonders) March 24, 2022 Vanguard’s ETF, VOO, blows away all other ETFs, in terms of investor flows in 2022. That’s perhaps an attempt to avoid another lost decade for U.S. stocks. VOO replicates a value index.  Here’s a clip from Seeking Alpha: “The ETF has attracted US$23.43 billion in net new investor capital this year, double the inflows of the second-place competitor fund iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV), which has taken in $11.54B, per Bloomberg data. “To put VOO’s capital flow injection into perspective, the ETF led all ETFs in 2021 as it garnered $46.9B. With the first quarter of 2022 not even complete, VOO has already halved what it accomplished in the previous year, and there are still more than nine months to go in the year. Moreover, VOO’s 2021 inflows was a record for inflows to an ETF, which looks to be shattered in 2022 if the pace keeps up.” I really like the sector construction. The P/E ratio is a respectable 21. But that might still be considered elevated for a value index. We find even greater value in the U.S. high-dividend space (VYM). Here are the characteristics for Vanguard’s VYM, including the P/E ratio, at 15.6.  Source: iShares Yet another lost decade for the 60/40 portfolio?  This is your friendly reminder that the traditional stock and bond balanced portfolio can and does struggle. Stocks and bonds can fall at the same time.  This clip comes from a Fortune (pay wall):  “During the ‘lost decade’ of the 2000s, the 60/40 portfolio returned just 2.3% to investors annually, and lost value on an inflation-adjusted basis, according to what Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s Nick Cunningham wrote in October, Bloomberg reported.”  We have a situation where rising rates hurt bonds. Remember, as bond yields increase the price of the bonds (value) will decrease. Those rising rates are also a threat to the economy and stocks over the longer term.  A typical Canadian-dollar balanced portfolio was down almost 8% into 2022, but it has recovered modestly over the last two weeks. Vanguard’s VBAL and BMO’s ZBAL are in the same boat.  Source: iShares  The downward trend could continue for stocks and bonds. Inflation will be the big tail that wags the 60/40 portfolio dog. How far will central banks have to go using raising rates to fight inflation? Only time will tell if we

[ad_1] This is the question commonly associated with cryptocurrency, and not an unreasonable one to ask. After all, unlike commodities, crypto has no physical substance. And since it isn’t issued by banks or central governments, there’s no institutional entity upholding its value. So why is crypto valuable at all? We could ask the same question about any other asset class, or even national currency. And the answer would be the same: cryptos – like other assets – derive their value from the price people are willing to pay for it. Lately, people have been willing to pay a lot for the more popular cryptos. But even if they are, how much value does it really have given that cryptocurrency has only been around for about a dozen years? If you’re planning to invest in cryptocurrency soon, and especially if you’re already doing it, the answer to this question needs serious consideration. After all, if you’re investing, it’s important to know what it is you’re actually investing in. The answer to that question isn’t always obvious when it comes to cryptocurrency. #ap18734-ww{padding-top:20px;position:relative;text-align:center;font-size:12px;font-family:Lato,Arial,sans-serif}#ap18734-ww #ap18734-ww-indicator{text-align:right}#ap18734-ww #ap18734-ww-indicator-wrapper{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-end}#ap18734-ww #ap18734-ww-indicator-wrapper:hover #ap18734-ww-text{display:block}#ap18734-ww #ap18734-ww-indicator-wrapper:hover #ap18734-ww-label{display:none}#ap18734-ww #ap18734-ww-text{margin:auto 3px auto auto}#ap18734-ww #ap18734-ww-label{margin-left:4px;margin-right:3px}#ap18734-ww #ap18734-ww-icon{margin:auto;padding:1px;display:inline-block;width:15px;height:15px;min-width:15px;min-height:15px;cursor:pointer}#ap18734-ww #ap18734-ww-icon img{vertical-align:middle;width:15px;height:15px;min-width:15px;min-height:15px}#ap18734-ww #ap18734-ww-text-bottom{margin:5px}#ap18734-ww #ap18734-ww-text{display:none}#ap18734-ww #ap18734-ww-icon img{text-indent:-9999px;color:transparent} Ads by Money. We may be compensated if you click this ad.Ad #ap18734-w-map{max-width:600px;padding:20px 0 10px;margin:0 auto;text-align:center;font-family:”Lato”, Arial, Roboto, sans-serif}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-title{color:#212529;font-size:18px;font-weight:700;line-height:27px}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-subtitle{color:#9b9b9b;font-size:16px;font-style:italic;line-height:24px}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-disclosure{margin-top:10px;font-size:12px;color:#9b9b9b}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map{max-width:98%;width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:65%;margin-bottom:20px;position:relative}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map svg{position:absolute;left:0;top:0}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map svg path{fill:#e3efff;stroke:#9b9b9b;pointer-events:all;transition:fill 0.6s ease-in, stroke 0.6s ease-in, stroke-width 0.6s ease-in}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map svg path:hover{stroke:#1261C9;stroke-width:2px;stroke-linejoin:round;fill:#1261C9;cursor:pointer}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map svg g rect{fill:#e3efff;stroke:#9b9b9b;pointer-events:all;transition:fill 0.6s ease-in, stroke 0.6s ease-in, stroke-width 0.6s ease-in}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map svg g text{fill:#000;text-anchor:middle;font:10px Arial;transition:fill 0.6s ease-in}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map svg g .ap00646-w-map-state{display:none}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map svg g .ap00646-w-map-state rect{stroke:#1261C9;stroke-width:2px;stroke-linejoin:round;fill:#1261C9}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map svg g .ap00646-w-map-state text{fill:#fff;font:19px Arial;font-weight:bold}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map svg g:hover{cursor:pointer}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map svg g:hover rect{stroke:#1261C9;stroke-width:2px;stroke-linejoin:round;fill:#1261C9}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map svg g:hover text{fill:#fff}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-map svg g:hover .ap00646-w-map-state{display:initial}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-btn{padding:9px 41px;display:inline-block;color:#fff;font-size:16px;line-height:1.25;text-decoration:none;background-color:#1261c9;border-radius:2px}#ap18734-w-map #ap18734-w-map-btn:hover{color:#fff;background-color:#508fc9} Diversify your portfolio with Cryptocurrency Investments. Online trading platforms offer a wide variety of cryptocurrencies for trading. Click on your state to start investing today! HawaiiAlaskaFloridaSouth CarolinaGeorgiaAlabamaNorth CarolinaTennesseeRIRhode IslandCTConnecticutMAMassachusettsMaineNHNew HampshireVTVermontNew YorkNJNew JerseyDEDelawareMDMarylandWest VirginiaOhioMichiganArizonaNevadaUtahColoradoNew MexicoSouth DakotaIowaIndianaIllinoisMinnesotaWisconsinMissouriLouisianaVirginiaDCWashington DCIdahoCaliforniaNorth DakotaWashingtonOregonMontanaWyomingNebraskaKansasOklahomaPennsylvaniaKentuckyMississippiArkansasTexas Trade Today Why Traditional Currencies Have Value Traditional currencies, like the US dollar, euros, yen, and the British pound, have value for largely the same reasons other assets do. But when it comes to national currencies, the value is more formalized. Historically, people and businesses have engaged in transactions using barter. It’s the process of exchanging one item of value for another. For example, a farmer might have exchanged bushels of wheat for an agreed-upon number of horseshoes from a blacksmith. Even during the era of barter, certain commodities arose as mediums of exchange. These included, most commonly, gold, silver, and copper. They were valued because of their rarity and portability and could readily be used in everyday transactions. And because they held their value, precious metals also served as a store of value, much like a bank account does today. Barter worked well for thousands of years, but it worked in less sophisticated economies, where most people earned their living producing goods. But as global economies began to industrialize, and most people became employees, barter was less practical. That brought about the rise of paper money. For the first century or so of the Industrial Revolution, it was used concurrently with gold and silver. Having no intrinsic value itself, paper money was usually issued in denominations of a specific amount of gold or silver. Enter Sovereign National Currencies As the 20th century unfolded, and demand for government services – and money – increased dramatically, countries gradually shifted over to national currencies. One by one, governments in the major countries declared government-issued money to be sovereign currency. That is, it was declared the only legal currency within the nation’s borders. For that to happen, national currencies required general public acceptance. But since those currencies circulated for decades before becoming sole legal tender, that acceptance was already firmly in place. Today, people and businesses transact in national currencies without giving it much thought. The major limitation of national currencies is that there are dozens of them around the world. While each currency works well enough within its own borders, payment of foreign debts and obligations is a bit of a complication. That issue has been resolved by the status of the US dollar as the international reserve currency. Because the US has the world’s largest economy, and the largest and most liquid financial markets, the dollar has been the primary international reserve currency for nearly 100 years. Other major currencies also fill this role, but the US dollar accounts for 60% of all international reserves. A handful of other major currencies make up the rest. As a result, most countries settle their foreign obligations in US dollars. What Makes Crypto Different from Traditional Currency? It’s probably best to say that crypto is in the early stages of becoming a currency. Though it is accepted for payment with certain transactions, it isn’t accepted at grocery stores, gas stations, or by government tax authorities. At the moment, crypto enjoys only limited status as a medium of exchange. But that level of acceptance is ultimately what gives crypto its value. Though it has been functioning primarily as a speculation in the last few years, activity has been based largely on the promise that it will eventually become a standard form of exchange, possibly even replacing national currencies. At this point in time, at least, it’s not known if that will happen, nor is it 100% certain governments will allow it. After all, the ability of a government to issue its own currency is one of the basic foundations of its power. That’s not an advantage that will be given up easily. What Crypto Already has in Common with Traditional Currencies If cryptocurrency gains widespread acceptance – especially in international transactions – it may ultimately evolve into something like a global currency, hence its potential value. This transition would hardly be unprecedented in human history. After all, we started with barter, moved to a hybrid system of paper money and precious metals, then to paper money only,

[ad_1] Get a free subscription to Architectural Digest magazine! Sign up for a free one-year subscription to Architectural Digest magazine! Thanks, Freebie Shark! [ad_2] Source link