5 Central Banks Hold the Global Economy in Their Hands (2024)

5 Central Banks Hold the Global Economy in Their Hands (1)

From Birch Gold Group

Following the 2008 crisis, the Federal Reserve wasn’t the only central bank to implement extreme measures in an effort to prop up an economy. In fact, the Fed’s example led other global central banks to do the same. As a result, the five largest central banks now hold the global economy in their hands.

What global central banks do next could impact our economic future for decades. Let’s examine why that’s the case, and how Americans could shield their savings…

Following the Fed

When people dropped out of the market after 2008, the Fed used Quantitative Easing (QE) to buy up stocks and bonds in an effort to keep the economy above water. When other central banks saw this trick, they quickly put it to use in their own national economies.

As a result, five global central banks now represent the largest holders of private equities around the world, with an astounding$14.6 trillion in total assets on their balance sheets. And they’re on track to purchase $3.6 billion more in 2017 alone.

To put this in perspective, the Swiss National Bank holds more publicly traded shares of Facebook than Mark Zuckerberg, and the Bank of Japan is a top-five owner in Japan’s 81 largest firms. (It’s set to become the #1 owner in 55 of those firms soon.)

The trend of central banks buying up private equities to prop up their economies spans the globe. And it all started with the Fed’s precedent-setting actions after 2008.

But now the Fed is being forced to unwind its mess of QE equities buying. Fed officials have already announced the central bank’s balance sheet will be trimmed, and details on how they’ll do it are emerging now.

How long will it be until other central banks stop their buying sprees and do the same as what the Fed is doing now? When that time comes, they’ll have to tread lightly…

The Risks

Experts are already concerned about what may happen as the Fed reverses its heavy QE from the past several years. As the central bank’s equities positions get pared down, private demand in the market must be sufficiently strong to fill the gap. If it’s not, another painful recession could be waiting at our door.

The situation is worrisome enough when we just consider the Fed’s actions. But it’s even more troubling when we account for other central banks.

Eventually, other global central banks will be shouldered with the same challenges the Fed is dealing with now. QE can only go so far. At some point, they’ll be forced to stop artificially supporting their economies with these reckless asset purchases. And those assets must be sold to restore balance.

But that’s easier said than done. Even under a conservative approach — selling off central bank assets in a slow, gradual drip — the process could quickly go awry. Alternatively, some commentators suggest central banks could throw caution to the wind, and frame President Trump’s policies for the fallout.

1 Safeguard Against This Central Banking Nightmare

We’re floating in uncharted waters with today’s global economy. Never before have global central banks purchased such vast amounts of private equities, and subsequently been liable for the damage of selling them.

In the same way central bank officials had no idea what would happen in response to their experimental and heavy-handed QE after 2008, nobody can predict what the results of undoing those measures will be.

But if economic history has taught us anything, we should always be prepared for the worst. So unless you trust global central bankers to keep you safe, it’s time to hedge your risk with an investment that their policies can’t destroy.

We’ve seen gold thrive in the face of economic adversity for centuries. It’s survived every central banking debacle thus far. And in 10 years, when we look back at the one that’s brewing now, gold will be the proven winner once again. If you want to keep your savings on the right side of history, buying gold today may be the smartest way to do it.

central banks, Featured, federal reserve, global economy

or

REQUEST YOUR
FREE INFORMATION KIT

By submitting this form, you agree to receive automated text messages. This agreement is not a condition of any purchases. Msg & Data rates may apply. Reply STOP at any time to unsubscribe.

FREE MARKET
UPDATE EMAIL

Get weekly updates on Gold and Silver. Sign up to receive our free market update email.

Popular Articles

5 Central Banks Hold the Global Economy in Their Hands (2)

The clock is ticking... Photo by Artem Kniaz

Social Security to Be Drastically Cut, Here’s When

June 29, 2022

5 Central Banks Hold the Global Economy in Their Hands (3)

Photo by Ivan Bandura

More Nightmare Shortages Are Coming Thanks To This Emerging Conspiracy

August 3, 2022

5 Central Banks Hold the Global Economy in Their Hands (4)

Photo by Zlaťáky.cz

With Stagflation Ahead, How Will Gold Respond?

October 4, 2021

One Guaranteed Outcome For the Next President

November 6, 2020

5 Central Banks Hold the Global Economy in Their Hands (6)

What Record Coronavirus Cases and Swooning Stocks Mean for After Election Day

October 30, 2020

5 Central Banks Hold the Global Economy in Their Hands (2024)

FAQs

What is the role of central banks in the global economy? ›

Central banks use monetary policy to manage economic fluctuations and achieve price stability, which means that inflation is low and stable. Central banks in many advanced economies set explicit inflation targets.

How do central banks control the economy? ›

Their tools include influencing interest rates, setting reserve requirements, and employing open market operation tactics, among other approaches. Having the right quantity of money in circulation is crucial to ensuring a stable and sustainable economy.

What are the five ways central bank control commercial banks? ›

Central bank controls the activities of the commercial banks through the folloeing; 1) Open market operations 2) Special deposit 3) Bank rate 4) Special directives 5) Cash reserve or Cash ratio.

What are the main functions of a central bank Quizlet? ›

The central bank keeps a record of the government's financial activities and maintains the government's accounts. The central bank acts as an economic agent for the government. The government uses the central bank to carry out its monetary policies which include controlling money supply and interest rates.

What is the role of central banks in the global economy quizlet? ›

How do central banks impact the global economy? They influence the national money supply, which affects the volume of international trade.

What is the role of the bank in the economy? ›

Although banks do many things, their primary role is to take in funds—called deposits—from those with money, pool them, and lend them to those who need funds. Banks are intermediaries between depositors (who lend money to the bank) and borrowers (to whom the bank lends money).

Which best describes a central bank's primary role? ›

A central bank is a financial institution that is responsible for overseeing the monetary system and policy of a nation or group of nations, regulating its money supply, and setting interest rates.

How the central bank plays the role of control of credit in an economy? ›

Central Banks are supposed to regulate and control the volume and direction of the credit by using the:i Quantitative techniques- are those techniques which influence the quantutm of credit in the economy like open market operations bank rate policy repo and reserve repo rate policy etc.

How do central banks control how much money circulates in the economy? ›

By buying or selling bonds, bills, and other financial instruments in the open market, a central bank can expand or contract the amount of reserves in the banking system and can ultimately influence the country's money supply. When the central bank sells such instruments it absorbs money from the system.

Which of the following is controlled by the central banks? ›

The central bank controls the money and monetary policies of a country.

How can a central bank control inflation? ›

The central bank achieves that control by keeping the public's expectation of inflation equal to its inflation target and by varying the funds rate in a way that causes the real interest to track the natural rate.

How are banks controlled? ›

Both the federal and state governments issue bank charters for "public need and convenience," and regulate banks to ensure that they meet those needs. The Federal Reserve controls the money supply at a national level; the nation's individual banks facilitate the flow of money in their respective communities.

What are the most important functions of the central bank? ›

Central banks are responsible for overseeing the monetary system for a nation (or group of nations), along with a wide range of other responsibilities, from overseeing monetary policy to implementing specific goals such as currency stability, low inflation, and full employment.

What are the two most important functions of central banks? ›

A central bank is a public institution that is responsible for implementing monetary policy, managing the currency of a country, or group of countries, and controlling the money supply.

What are three key functions of a central bank? ›

The five functions of a central bank are:
  • maintaining macroeconomic stability;
  • lender of the last resort for financial stability;
  • being a bank to the government;
  • implementing monetary policy;
  • regulating the financial sector.

What are the main roles of a central bank? ›

A central bank is a public institution that is responsible for implementing monetary policy, managing the currency of a country, or group of countries, and controlling the money supply.

What is the central bank of the United States and what functions does it perform? ›

The U.S. central banking system—the Federal Reserve, or the Fed—is the most powerful economic institution in the United States, perhaps the world. Its core responsibilities include setting interest rates, managing the money supply, and regulating financial markets.

How does central bank make money? ›

The Federal Reserve is not funded by congressional appropriations. Its operations are financed primarily from the interest earned on the securities it owns—securities acquired in the course of the Federal Reserve's open market operations.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kelle Weber

Last Updated:

Views: 5952

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kelle Weber

Birthday: 2000-08-05

Address: 6796 Juan Square, Markfort, MN 58988

Phone: +8215934114615

Job: Hospitality Director

Hobby: tabletop games, Foreign language learning, Leather crafting, Horseback riding, Swimming, Knapping, Handball

Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.