Business

Japan’s GPIF is the elephant in the room when it comes to investing with about $1.4 trillion of pension assets under the management. In October 2014, the fund announced a dramatic shift in its asset mix, cutting its holdings in domestic bonds to 35% from 60%, increasing international bonds from 11% to 15%, increasing domestic stocks from 12% to 25%, same for international stocks and removing its 5% allocation to short-term debt.

Morgan Stanley's Chetan Ahya, global co-head of economics, who undeterred by Morgan Stanley's dire credit outlook, is especially optimistic about the coming year, and in today's Sunday Start writes that the bank's key call for 2018 is that "the global cycle will stay stronger for longer" and explains that his constructive view is borne out of the confidence that "five critical factors will evolve in a benign fashion."

Here are the 5 factors that form the basis for and Morgan Stanley's optimistic outlook:

Both CME and CBOE Bitcoin Futures contracts opened above $20,000 this evening (with Bitcoin spot hovering around $19,000).

However, as soon as trading started, Bitcoin futures got hammered lower...

Submitted by Shant Movsesian and Rajan Dhall MSTA
from fxdailyterminal.com

Via GEFIRA,

In a recent paper - The Macroeconomics of De-Cashing, Alexei Kireyev of the International Monetary Fund advises abolishing cash without having the citizens aware of the process.

First, large banknotes are to be withdrawn from circulation, next limits on cash transactions are to be imposed, then computerization of the world’s financial system and control of international cash transactions are to be enforced and, finally, private companies are to be encouraged to avoid cash transactions.