TomK

charts_and_numbers

Ancient Roman 'Cold Storages'

econ

Unemployment Claims Drop, But Long-Term Claims Rise: Economic Signals Mixed

I am hopeful that the new gov will pop the artificial state job bubble and let the  private sector grow  

The ancient Romans already knew cold storages. Due to enormous demographic problems (deflation as in China today), invasions from the north and east of the empire, recurring waves of plague and economic crises, the Roman Caesars massively inflated their currency, especially in the third and fourth centuries, which led to valuable coins that were still pure in content being hoarded and hidden by their owners. 

Over 18,200 such coin hiding places have been discovered and archived by archaeologists around the Mediterranean. The photo here shows an amphora of 10 found by construction workers in Tomares in Spain in 2016. The owner of this 'cold storage' had kept coins, which today are worth around half a million dollars, safe from the authorities and confiscation. History may not repeat itself in detail, but it rhymes in a wonderfully harmonious way.

![](https://m.stacker.news/69757)

As a supplement: for those of you who are interested, this map shows the current locations of hoarded Roman coins, over 18,200 in number and over 6 million individual coins have been found so far. People tried everything to keep their savings safe from the state and invaders.
https://chre.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/


U.S. initial unemployment claims fell to 219,000 last week, surpassing expectations set at 224,000. However, this positive development is overshadowed by an increase in continuing claims, which climbed to 1,910,000, exceeding both forecasts and figures from the same period last year. This discrepancy suggests a complex economic landscape where short-term joblessness decreases while long-term unemployment grows.

news

Argentinian President Javier Milei clearly has the momentum on his side. Having succeeded in presenting a positive national budget in a very short space of time, combating inflation and now also achieving real growth for the entire country, is now taking the next step, this time in the field of energy policy. A massive investment in nuclear energy is planned, just like nuclear energy, which industry spurned in Germany a few months ago and now has to watch as half the world turns to this much more advanced form of energy. 

No wonder that the already pre-selected next Chancellor of Germany, Fritze Merz of the Merkel party CDU, drew a picture of Miley as the libertarian-right devil par excellence. The European Union, led by the socialist chaos band in Berlin, is going in exactly the opposite direction and opting for the establishment of a new control collectivism, as we have seen time and again in Europe's recent history over the decades. 

By the way: in addition to the investment and so-called SMRs, i.e. small nuclear reactors, to make the existing capacities future-proof and to expand them further, Milei announced the repayment of the state surplus to the taxpayers - something that European politicians would do at the very last in their lives. The voluntary return of power to the private sector through self-limitation this day is truly an amazing move, but it must be defended by sovereign individuals, we must not be dependent on politicians, even if they mean well by us. The next degenerate politician will trample these actions underfoot and ensure that we are returned to the slavery of thought and an economy of the gulag.

https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/milei-unveils-ambitious-nuclear-plan-position-argentina-global-energy-player

Javier Milei - The Antichrist For EU Globalists

Politics_And_Law

What is social justice?

Bell_curve

A socialist fight narrative to destroy voluntary order like the free market

USA became Europe's largest trade partner again. I would say: 'well played!' Cutting out russian gas off the ecuation was a game changer so far.

![](https://m.stacker.news/69031)

US became Europe's Largest Trade Partner Again

President-elect Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to the European Union, demanding an increase in the purchase of American oil and gas to offset the trade deficit. Trump made it clear through his social media platform, stating that failure to comply would lead to the imposition of tariffs on European imports. 

"Buy our energy, or brace for tariffs," was the essence of Trump's message, highlighting his intent to leverage economic policy as he prepares for his second term in office starting January. 

This move signifies Trump's ongoing strategy to use tariffs as a tool for rebalancing trade relations, which he considers pivotal for U.S. economic interests.

Trump Warns EU: Buy More U.S. Energy or Face Tariffs

New data reveals a slight cooling in U.S. inflation rates for November, with the PCE and Core PCE indices both falling short of forecasts. 

PCE Price Index showed a year-over-year increase of 2.4%, undercutting the expected 2.5% and slightly above last month's 2.3%.
Core PCE, excluding volatile food and energy prices, rose by 2.8% annually, below the anticipated 2.9% and consistent with the previous month.

Month-to-month figures also indicated a slowdown:
PCE growth was only 0.1%, missing the 0.2% prediction and down from last month's 0.2%.
Core PCE similarly grew by just 0.1%, against an expected 0.2% and down from 0.3% last month.

USD and yields should moderate now

US: Inflation Metrics Dip Below Expectations

bitcoin_beginners

What things did you have to unlearn?

cryotosensei

Well, to be honest: btc. But I had strong libertarian tendencies before and knew in my bones that it was flaw. The btc community put my thinking in the right direction

Oh yes. Where to start... the fundamentals of economics in academia are keynesian theories which implies a crucial function of gov intetvention. The illusion that it's possible to implement makro management successfully via the yield and spending channels. No austrian school theory, no praxeological analysis, no real mikroeconomic thinking

Japan's Central Bank Holds Steady at 0.25%, Eyes on Future Rate Hike

The Container Throughput Index remained stable in November at 131.9 points, according to the RWI Leibniz Institute for Economic Research and the Institute of Shipping Economics and Logistics (ISL). 

While European ports reported a robust increase in activity, continuing their recovery trend, Chinese ports experienced a significant decline, with the index falling from 142.2 to 141.1 points, marking a continuous drop since August.

The North Range Index, which signals economic health in Northern Europe and Germany, also saw an increase, moving from 114.5 to 115.9 points.

RWI's chief economist, Torsten Schmidt, highlighted the contrast between the weakening Chinese container traffic and the strengthening European ports.



November Container Traffic: European Surge Amid Chinese Decline

The Bank of Japan (BoJ) has maintained its interest rate at 0.25% for the third consecutive meeting, signaling caution amidst global monetary policy shifts. While the Federal Reserve cut rates by 25 basis points, the BoJ's decision was not unanimous, with one board member advocating for an increase to 0.5%. Naoki Tamura, formerly of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, highlighted upward inflation risks as his rationale.

Insiders suggest that BoJ officials are confident that Japan's economy is on track for stable inflation supported by wage growth. However, they remain watchful of domestic and international political developments, including the economic policies of President-elect Donald Trump and tax reform discussions in Japan. Recent positive economic indicators support the argument for a tighter monetary policy.

Marcel Thieliant of Capital Economics noted, "Consumer prices have regained momentum in recent months. With inflation in services broadening, the BoJ should trust that price pressures are domestic rather than imported."

Keynesianism which they implemented in our virgin brains at university

1913 has been a pivotal year in US history. It was the year when the great theft had been institutionalized by establishing the fed and starting to implement european socialusm step by step. 

Take taxation. The trend of household income tax return filings from 1913 to 2008 presents a compelling narrative of state expansion and the erosion of individual liberty. The data, as illustrated in the chart, reveals a stark reality: the growth in tax compliance is not merely a reflection of economic prosperity but rather an indicator of the state's increasing reach into the personal lives of its citizens.

When the 16th Amendment was ratified in 1913, allowing for a federal income tax, the number of households filing returns was negligible. This was a time when the government was relatively minimal in its scope, and individual freedoms were less encumbered by federal mandates. However, as the graph shows, this changed dramatically with the onset of the Great Depression and World War II, where the state's need for revenue escalated, leading to a dramatic increase in tax filings.

From a libertarian standpoint, this surge in compliance is not a victory for societal order but a testament to the coercive power of the state. The spikes in compliance during wartime and economic crises suggest that compliance was driven by necessity or force rather than voluntary participation. The libertarian ethos champions voluntary interactions; yet, here, we see the state imposing its will upon the populace, not through persuasion but through obligation.

The period post-WWII, where the percentage of households filing tax returns peaks before stabilizing, indicates a new norm where the state has embedded itself into the everyday lives of Americans. This normalization of tax filing, reaching near 100% compliance, could be viewed as a loss of freedom, where citizens are not merely participating in a social contract but are compelled to do so under threat of penalty.

This level of state control over personal finances is antithetical to the principles of liberty. The graph does not just show economic history; it reflects the gradual, often forced, expansion of the state's influence over individual lives, where the line between voluntary participation and coercion becomes blurred.

![](https://m.stacker.news/68355)

USA: The Illusion of Voluntary Taxation

In November, U.S. industrial production saw a slight decline of 0.1% compared to the previous month, defying economists' forecasts of a 0.3% increase, according to the Federal Reserve. Capacity utilization also dropped to 76.8%, down from October's revised 77.0%, missing expectations of 77.2%.  

On a brighter note, U.S. retail sales rose 0.7% in November, surpassing the anticipated 0.5% increase. Excluding auto sales, the gain was a modest 0.2%, falling short of the predicted 0.3%, as reported by the Commerce Department.  

These figures reflect a mixed economic picture, with industrial output faltering while consumer spending remains resilient.  

US Manufacturing Dips in November, Retail Sales Defy Expectations

As already indicated yesterday, we are currently experiencing a massive narrative change in Europe regarding Bitcoin. First the debate in the German Bundestag, then today a contribution in the European Parliament, and the media sector now portraying Bitcoin mining as a net positive for the European energy grid. Amazing! 

![](https://m.stacker.news/68219)