?1 = $1.44

[nico-t]

yippeeeeeeee!!!!

[VicD]

ai ai ai

[After Shock Media]

Ok yeah I get it, it feels like a pay cut. Though for a long time you all had the cash advantage and there was not a lot of americans bitching now was there?
Difference was that we took our money and dumped it onto a lot of Eastern Euro and European providers, designers, workers and such. Now you all could be doing the same and more. You have a chance to be buying up American shit left and right if you saved any dough over the years.

[polish_aristocrat]

nico, you are a SEO guru anyway, you must be making more in a month than your college friends in a year

[Shoehorn!]

I know what I would be doing right now if my main currency was the Euro.

[Marie]

It's dropping so fast it's ridiculous...

[peterk]

that is not good

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by nico-t

yippeeeeeeee!!!!

Wonderful - the only economy the govt could manage is how much leeching they can get off with in loans from other nations - pathetic.

[nico-t]

Originally Posted by polish_aristocrat

nico, you are a SEO guru anyway, you must be making more in a month than your college friends in a year

lol im not an seo guru i just know some things...

[calibra]

Originally Posted by peterk

that is not good

Not at all.

[Rui]

Awesome...

Makes me wanna travel to places where the USD is actually worth something...

[Rui]

Originally Posted by Shoehorn!

I know what I would be doing right now if my main currency was the Euro.

I'm all hears

[klinton]

Originally Posted by Rui

Awesome...

Makes me wanna travel to places where the USD is actually worth something...

exactly....

[KingK7]

It's just going to get worse

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by Rui

Awesome...

Makes me wanna travel to places where the USD is actually worth something...

Very valid point Rui And also invest in any market which is still valued in dollars (tho exclude the US for the moment for obvious reasons).

As of today the UK Pound has the dollar at the weakest in over a quarter century - here's the graph for this year alone -



Time for a currency change for signups yet?

[Snake Doctor]

Yeah I'm so glad that the overvalued U.S. dollar has finally come back down to a normal and reasonable level.
It's been great for our economy and our trade deficit.

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by Snake Doctor

Yeah I'm so glad that the overvalued U.S. dollar has finally come back down to a normal and reasonable level.
It's been great for our economy and our trade deficit.

Duh???

Damn.. it must be nice in the land of magic mushrooms to see roses growing in the garden. Clueless

[Redrob]

Ouch, What can I do to earn some Euros???

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by Redrob

Ouch, What can I do to earn some Euros???

Some sponsors actually charge and pay in Euros RR - can't remember em all, but think Payserve is one

If you have paysites - use a processor who has multi-lingual and multi-currency signup pages and change what would have been eg $30/month to $45 for the US (to give em a break), $50 for the UK (only 25 GBP/month) and whatever is reasonable/marketable in Euros - all expressed in local currencies on pages and not in dollars (apart from the US pages).

[Cash]

And I'm afraid the exchange rate will only get worse for the US$ ...

[nikolina]

the exchange rate is going to get worser for the usd currency that is for sure

[Snake Doctor]

Originally Posted by GreyWolf

Duh???

Damn.. it must be nice in the land of magic mushrooms to see roses growing in the garden. Clueless

A falling dollar has a stimulatory effect on our overall economy, that's an economic fact.

Americans have lost no purchasing power at home, and our exports are booming.

You say the dollar is falling like a stone.
I say it was overvalued and is simply correcting itself.

Prove that I'm wrong.

[teomaxxx]

there was another rate cut today in the US, the EUR/USD rate will lower once again...

[Mr.White]

i will buy the whole US and A!!!!!!!!!! no doubts!!!!!!!!!!

[Az A Bay Bay]

H A P P Y
H A L L O W E E N!!!

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by Snake Doctor

A falling dollar has a stimulatory effect on our overall economy, that's an economic fact.

Americans have lost no purchasing power at home, and our exports are booming.

You say the dollar is falling like a stone.
I say it was overvalued and is simply correcting itself.

Prove that I'm wrong.

Prove something? Do you read any financial reports or have an awareness of what is actually happening??? Trying to quote "economic facts" and forgetting the full scenario is pointless. Hang on... I'll gloat over the $4 profit on the corp P&L account and forget the $5mill bank loan

To say the dollar is "overvalued" would be correct - in that it is worth less now. Also do not claim the dollar is "falling like a stone" - it's not. It is in a downwards spiral.

The fall in dollar currency is directly associated with a failure to produce a sustainable fiscal policy over a fairly long timespan during which both govt and public have been living on credit - basically a national credit card. During that period, the borrowing from other nations has been at an unsustainable level - around $10-12billion/day - and with around 30% of that being borrowed from the Central Bank of China alone.

At the same time the country has never actually had a trade surplus for almost 40 years (last was around 1968) and where no segment of industry or agriculture has shown a trade surplus - other than two items - wheat and arms. It is more than obvious that this scenario is financially unsustainable.

It is correct to say that "a falling dollar has a stimulatory effect on our overall economy" and this has shown a positive side in that there has been approx $150bill extra in exports over the last year. However, to put this in perspective, when borrowings run at an average of around $11bill/day. What is the significance of $150bill against that level of borrowing? Peanuts. Also, when the Fed dumps around $80bill in fresh current to keep the banks liquid and in the same week China dumps.. think $65billion in their dollar reserves - that alone, wipes the whole extra exports of $150bill for the year into the trash bin.

As comparison... China alone produces around $890 billion exports every month - forgetting the other Asian countries. This again, tho more subtle, is a reason for the weakening of the dollar - and this element affects all western countries, not just the US. There has been a global shift of what is now an economic powerhouse to both Asia and China and this will continue. The challenge for western industrialized countries is to be in a fit economic state to manage that change. The US is currently very noteable in that it is currently prob the one country of all western industrialized nations to not be in a position to easily cope with economic change.

The dollar is falling, not because the Fed want it to drop, but thru lack of confidence in the economy from other markets/countries/bankers. The Federal Reserve (and the Treasury) would be very happy to see a stronger dollar, especially when the main problem with balancing trade is attributable to oil imports. The weaker the dollar, the higher oil prices rise and the cost of imports will rise when a weak dollar is used to pay for these imports.

It would be correct to say that the economy has performed well in the last 90 days at a level of 3.9%, and better than forecast. However, the fundamental core problem remains - unsustainable debt, and the next 90 days is expected to result in a poor economic performance (at a level worth hiding under the carpet).

The other main factor for the current weaken of the dollar is due to the home market slump which was an attempt by Wall Street to get too greedy and issue loans to people who had little chance of repaying these loans - and it bounced back in their face and is starting to show serious asset value losses. One such company wiped off $8bill of it's assets this week and expects to wipe off more. Foreign funding has been withdrawn by hedge fund managers and others because of the obvious risk - that also is a reflection of the confidence in the dollar and in the economy as a whole. The effects of the home market problem ripple outwards to affect almost 24% of the economy and hit all industries from construction, retailers to furniture manufacturers.

On market performance, this has been totally abysmal over the last five years and has shown returns of under 3.5% on an annual average basis. If you compare that to eg Canadian and other markets - Canada has a 12% annual gain over the same period, the UK has a 12.8% gain etc etc. The US market has been living in a fantasy and this appears to be much in line with struggling to earn a dime from sub-prime mortgages. The next "scam" to entice unsuspecting investors is to repackage a portfolio and describe this as "prime investment". It is not prime investment and, when examined, contains substantial amounts of sub-prime problems where it is more than obvious any investor will lose money. In effect, brokers are hiving off bank debts and problems and calling them "prime investments" - this does nothing for any economy and only causes investors further problems. Ironically, the US market once was one of the best for investment prospects ever. That is no longer the case.

On the debt itself - this is around $9trillion and a few people far more qualified to discuss economics are having doubts on the ability to pay the interest on this debt - forget capital repayment. This is topic I'd guarantee you will hear more of shortly.

In the spring of 2002 (or may have been 2003), the US Treasury produced the most extensive report on the economy ever. It took 15 years to prepare. In simplified terms, it mean't (at that time) that 94% of all homes and the contents therein was debt. (This is obviously far higher now and probably a deficit). The Treasury recommendation as a solution to this problem was, quote, to "raise taxation immediately to 60% and hold this level for the foreseeble future". Of course, no politician could stomach proposing this to the electoral, especially when they were verbalising tax cuts in another attempt to stimulate the economy. So... that was hidden under the carpet, but, will have to be addressed at some future time.

On your claim of "Americans have lost no purchasing power at home" - this is clearly total fantasy and ludicrous. Oil prices are now $94/barrel and will increase further as the dollar weakens. All imported product will rise in price - manufacturers in other nations do not cover the losses of a weak currency. Shipment of product into the country will cost more - and this also, will be passed on to consumers.

There is no point in detailing what is obvious when any one "banker" has control of significant volumes of currency and where that banker can dump currency and cause dollar damage. The same risks apply to OPEC where they have, in effect, been supporting the US since around 1970 and are 'unofficially' rumbling over using another currency to replace the petro-dollar - the effects of that would be dramatic and doubt there would be *any* recovery.

So.. overall - from the comments in your post, you think this is simply a matter of an "overvalued" currency?? I don't think so

[V_RocKs]

Originally Posted by GreyWolf

Prove something? Do you read any financial reports or have an awareness of what is actually happening??? Trying to quote "economic facts" and forgetting the full scenario is pointless. Hang on... I'll gloat over the $4 profit on the corp P&L account and forget the $5mill bank loan

To say the dollar is "overvalued" would be correct - in that it is worth less now. Also do not claim the dollar is "falling like a stone" - it's not. It is in a downwards spiral.

The fall in dollar currency is directly associated with a failure to produce a sustainable fiscal policy over a fairly long timespan during which both govt and public have been living on credit - basically a national credit card. During that period, the borrowing from other nations has been at an unsustainable level - around $10-12billion/day - and with around 30% of that being borrowed from the Central Bank of China alone.

At the same time the country has never actually had a trade surplus for almost 40 years (last was around 1968) and where no segment of industry or agriculture has shown a trade surplus - other than two items - wheat and arms. It is more than obvious that this scenario is financially unsustainable.

It is correct to say that "a falling dollar has a stimulatory effect on our overall economy" and this has shown a positive side in that there has been approx $150bill extra in exports over the last year. However, to put this in perspective, when borrowings run at an average of around $11bill/day. What is the significance of $150bill against that level of borrowing? Peanuts. Also, when the Fed dumps around $80bill in fresh current to keep the banks liquid and in the same week China dumps.. think $65billion in their dollar reserves - that alone, wipes the whole extra exports of $150bill for the year into the trash bin.

As comparison... China alone produces around $890 billion exports every month - forgetting the other Asian countries. This again, tho more subtle, is a reason for the weakening of the dollar - and this element affects all western countries, not just the US. There has been a global shift of what is now an economic powerhouse to both Asia and China and this will continue. The challenge for western industrialized countries is to be in a fit economic state to manage that change. The US is currently very noteable in that it is currently prob the one country of all western industrialized nations to not be in a position to easily cope with economic change.

The dollar is falling, not because the Fed want it to drop, but thru lack of confidence in the economy from other markets/countries/bankers. The Federal Reserve (and the Treasury) would be very happy to see a stronger dollar, especially when the main problem with balancing trade is attributable to oil imports. The weaker the dollar, the higher oil prices rise and the cost of imports will rise when a weak dollar is used to pay for these imports.

It would be correct to say that the economy has performed well in the last 90 days at a level of 3.9%, and better than forecast. However, the fundamental core problem remains - unsustainable debt, and the next 90 days is expected to result in a poor economic performance (at a level worth hiding under the carpet).

The other main factor for the current weaken of the dollar is due to the home market slump which was an attempt by Wall Street to get too greedy and issue loans to people who had little chance of repaying these loans - and it bounced back in their face and is starting to show serious asset value losses. One such company wiped off $8bill of it's assets this week and expects to wipe off more. Foreign funding has been withdrawn by hedge fund managers and others because of the obvious risk - that also is a reflection of the confidence in the dollar and in the economy as a whole. The effects of the home market problem ripple outwards to affect almost 24% of the economy and hit all industries from construction, retailers to furniture manufacturers.

On market performance, this has been totally abysmal over the last five years and has shown returns of under 3.5% on an annual average basis. If you compare that to eg Canadian and other markets - Canada has a 12% annual gain over the same period, the UK has a 12.8% gain etc etc. The US market has been living in a fantasy and this appears to be much in line with struggling to earn a dime from sub-prime mortgages. The next "scam" to entice unsuspecting investors is to repackage a portfolio and describe this as "prime investment". It is not prime investment and, when examined, contains substantial amounts of sub-prime problems where it is more than obvious any investor will lose money. In effect, brokers are hiving off bank debts and problems and calling them "prime investments" - this does nothing for any economy and only causes investors further problems. Ironically, the US market once was one of the best for investment prospects ever. That is no longer the case.

On the debt itself - this is around $9trillion and a few people far more qualified to discuss economics are having doubts on the ability to pay the interest on this debt - forget capital repayment. This is topic I'd guarantee you will hear more of shortly.

In the spring of 2002 (or may have been 2003), the US Treasury produced the most extensive report on the economy ever. It took 15 years to prepare. In simplified terms, it mean't (at that time) that 94% of all homes and the contents therein was debt. (This is obviously far higher now and probably a deficit). The Treasury recommendation as a solution to this problem was, quote, to "raise taxation immediately to 60% and hold this level for the foreseeble future". Of course, no politician could stomach proposing this to the electoral, especially when they were verbalising tax cuts in another attempt to stimulate the economy. So... that was hidden under the carpet, but, will have to be addressed at some future time.

On your claim of "Americans have lost no purchasing power at home" - this is clearly total fantasy and ludicrous. Oil prices are now $94/barrel and will increase further as the dollar weakens. All imported product will rise in price - manufacturers in other nations do not cover the losses of a weak currency. Shipment of product into the country will cost more - and this also, will be passed on to consumers.

There is no point in detailing what is obvious when any one "banker" has control of significant volumes of currency and where that banker can dump currency and cause dollar damage. The same risks apply to OPEC where they have, in effect, been supporting the US since around 1970 and are 'unofficially' rumbling over using another currency to replace the petro-dollar - the effects of that would be dramatic and doubt there would be *any* recovery.

So.. overall - from the comments in your post, you think this is simply a matter of an "overvalued" currency?? I don't think so

Did someone strike a nerve?

[GAMEFINEST]

the us dollar is correcting itself , its the nature of business, what comes up must come down....

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by V_RocKs

Did someone strike a nerve?

Well.. in a way Patience and tolerance is a wonderful concept, but just find tolerance of idiots is zilch

But hell - they can be amusing...

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by GAMEFINEST

the us dollar is correcting itself....

Mmmm... Sure!

[halfpint]

I think China is going to be the worlds strongest economic nation very soon if not already

[djroof]

poor dollar...

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by halfpint

I think China is going to be the worlds strongest economic nation very soon if not already

No doubt about that halfpint - they have more trade delegations floating around the globe than I've had breakfasts (and I kinda like breakfast )

Can't remember the extact percentage, but they are using up something like 40+% of the world's cargo fleet to ship their production - and this is pressuring shipping costs upwards on the remaining percentage.

Where I am, they just dumped another $50mill in trade deal "aid" to complete a major road and other elements. They are not doing that for nothing - the road is the main route from a suitable Chinese landing port to deliver product and runs into the heart of the country.

In Pamana - they now own the place (kinda!) and dumping many millions into renovating the Panama Canal - to cut their shipping time/costs.

The moment any HSBC bank (Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) opens in any country - you can be sure there are trade deals in progress.

They never stop

[yys]

Originally Posted by halfpint

I think China is going to be the worlds strongest economic nation very soon if not already

Please, something like 800 million Chinese who don't live in the coastal regions are dirt poor. They are one crisis away from food riots and their stock market is a big ole bubble waiting to burst.

China may well be the big boy one day but that day is still decades off.

[halfpint]

Originally Posted by GreyWolf

The moment any HSBC bank (Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) opens in any country - you can be sure there are trade deals in progress.

You know i never knew that HSBC bank stood for Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation..lol I always thought they were a British bank. My misses has an account with them and they are pretty good... well you learn something new every day

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by yys

Please, something like 800 million Chinese who don't live in the coastal regions are dirt poor. They are one crisis away from food riots and their stock market is a big ole bubble waiting to burst.

Oh dear....

There are poor people, no doubt, - there is also a very strong and highly educated workforce and, especially in younger people - they are keen to learn.

Don't worry too much about the stock market - they are fine

The relentless increase in stock prices in both Shanghai and Shenzhen ? the former has tripled in value in just the last 18 months ? has triggered a stampede of companies in China to offer their shares to a public that has a ravenous appetite for them. Astonishingly, according to a forecast just out from Price Waterhouse Coopers, a global consulting firm, the two main equity markets in China will raise $52 billion in capital this year in initial public offerings (IPOS), more than double the amount forecast at the start of the year. That makes it likely that China will raise more money in IPOs in 2007 than every other major market in the world did in 2006.

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by halfpint

You know i never knew that HSBC bank stood for Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation..lol I always thought they were a British bank. My misses has an account with them and they are pretty good... well you learn something new every day

Yep.. very good bank! HSBC was founded by a Brit (Sutherland) and used to be based in Hong Kong, but moved their HQ to in Docklands, London. They have extensive dealings with Asian countries and particularly with China and do the "facilitating" of transfers for major Chinese trade deals and commerce. In asset value they are around 3rd or 4th largest corp in the world.

The nearest to me was Panama, but now got an HSBC opened here and throwing out credit cards like confetti. So, expect a load of Chinese product next and exporting coffee, microprocessors, fruit and stuff to China

[halfpint]

Originally Posted by yys

Please, something like 800 million Chinese who don't live in the coastal regions are dirt poor. They are one crisis away from food riots and their stock market is a big ole bubble waiting to burst.

China may well be the big boy one day but that day is still decades off.

They must be one of the worlds biggest exporters, They produce goods at a very low price because thier workers are low paid. The goverment dont care about people, they are over populated as it is, look at what happened when the students tried to protest, they bought the army in. The fact that China can produce large amounts of goods that we consume and even when being exported around the world is cheaper than buying goods from the UK or the USA. makes countrys buy from them. They have a very strong export economy as compared to the USA or the UK.

[yys]

Originally Posted by GreyWolf

Oh dear....

There are poor people, no doubt, - there is also a very strong and highly educated workforce and, especially in younger people - they are keen to learn.

Don't worry too much about the stock market - they are fine

Good for the young strong highly educated workforce. It's too bad they only make up a tiny percentage of the total Chinese population. The rest are dirt poor subsistence farmers who can barely feed themselves.

Are you invested in the Chinese market or this just more of the shit you've read somewhere on the interweb and regurgitated here?

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by halfpint

They must be one of the worlds biggest exporters...

Last figure I know of for exports was $890 billion/month, but that was increasing at 20%ish/month - so hell knows what it is now.

[xmas13]

Originally Posted by GreyWolf

Oh dear....

There are poor people, no doubt, - there is also a very strong and highly educated workforce and, especially in younger people - they are keen to learn.

Don't worry too much about the stock market - they are fine

Let me translate:

- "DONT PANIC, ITS JUST A BUBBLE"

- "PEASANTS ARE VERY EDUCATED".

Don't you see some contradiction?

[XMaster]

fuck fuck fuck

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by yys

Good for the young strong highly educated workforce. It's too bad they only make up a tiny percentage of the total Chinese population. The rest are dirt poor subsistence farmers who can barely feed themselves.

I'm sure they will manage fine without attempts to denegrate and demean. Tho, sure, agree there are poor people and they will benefit from the ecomomic success.

The only noteable point about China was the obvious economic success which is well-known and one of my partners worked three/four years with the Chinese govt to develop an infrastructure to accomodate millions of Chinese people when they wanted to have a vacation. I'll let him know that there are so many "dirt poor subsistence farmers who can barely feed themselves."

No, have no investment in China - already got better investments locally thanks.

[xmas13]

Originally Posted by GreyWolf

Last figure I know of for exports was $890 billion/month, but that was increasing at 20%ish/month - so hell knows what it is now.

900b a month? 20% monthly growth in exports?

What a fucking retard

[halfpint]

Originally Posted by GreyWolf

Last figure I know of for exports was $890 billion/month, but that was increasing at 20%ish/month - so hell knows what it is now.

Here is some info on that figure

GUANGZHOU, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's total volume of foreign trade is expected to exceed 2.1 trillion U.S. dollars, up 20 percent over last year, according to a report issued by the Ministry of Commerce during the ongoing 102nd China Import and Export Commodities Fair.

the link to it is here

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...nt_6966139.htm

[xmas13]

There Are 12 Months In A Year, Asshole.

[GreyWolf]

Originally Posted by xmas13

Let me translate:

- "DONT PANIC, ITS JUST A BUBBLE"

- "PEASANTS ARE VERY EDUCATED".

Inaccurate translation

[xmas13]

It's one trillion per year not per month lol.

[xmas13]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ies_by_exports

1 Germany 1,133,000 2006 est.
2 United States 1,024,000 2006 est.
3 People's Republic of China 974,000 2006 est.

[xmas13]

It sounds like a lot, but China has a population of one billion and three hundred million people.