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World faces wave of epic debt defaults, fears central bank veteran

World faces wave of epic debt defaults, fears central bank veteran

Exclusive: Situation worse than it was in 2007, says chairman of the OECD’s review committee

Burning euro notes

The next task awaiting the global authorities is how to manage debt write-offs without setting off a political storm Photo: Rex

The global financial system has become dangerously unstable and faces an avalanche of bankruptcies that will test social and political stability, a leading monetary theorist has warned.

“The situation is worse than it was in 2007. Our macroeconomic ammunition to fight downturns is essentially all used up,” said William White, the Swiss-based chairman of the OECD’s review committee and former chief economist of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).

“Emerging markets were part of the solution after the Lehman crisis. Now they are part of the problem, too.”
William White, OECD

“Debts have continued to build up over the last eight years and they have reached such levels in every part of the world that they have become a potent cause for mischief,” he said.

“It will become obvious in the next recession that many of these debts will never be serviced or repaid, and this will be uncomfortable for a lot of people who think they own assets that are worth something,” he told The Telegraph on the eve of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

“The only question is whether we are able to look reality in the eye and face what is coming in an orderly fashion, or whether it will be disorderly. Debt jubilees have been going on for 5,000 years, as far back as the Sumerians.”

The next task awaiting the global authorities is how to manage debt write-offs – and therefore a massive reordering of winners and losers in society – without setting off a political storm.

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

Former BIS Chief Economist Warns “More Dangers Now Than In 2007”

Former BIS Chief Economist Warns “More Dangers Now Than In 2007”

Having warned in the past that “the system is dangerously unacnhored,” former chief economist of the Bank for International Settlements, William White, told Bloomberg TV overnight that the current situation “looks very similar to 2008,” adding that OECD sees “more dangers” today than in 2007.

The chairman of Economic and Development Review Committee at OECD, warned that prices are very high – in particular for high yield assets, VIX is very low, house prices are rising strongly, equity markets rising, and all these are a source of concern.

Additionally, White noted:

  • India’s debt problems go back a long way, and there are significant governance issues, including at state-owned banks.
  • China’s debt situation isn’t a lot different to India’s, but the acceleration of loans and credit growth in China is very fast
  • It’s not just the debt level in China that is worrisome, but the speed that it’s accumulating; maybe some of these loans won’t be repaid or serviced.
  • We don’t have a liquidity problem that central banks can solve – if we have too much debt, we have a debt resolution or insolvency problem and only governments can address problems like that.
  • World needs more fiscal expansion, structural reforms, and also have to look closely at debt write-off some of it and maybe recapitalize financial institutions.
  • We have got the mix of income that goes to capital versus labor wrong in many countries, and we need to look at that.
  • Central bank tightening is inevitable, but have to be careful.

“it is every man for himself. And we do not know what the long-term consequences of this will be,”

and it appears to be getting worse.

Top Economist – Who Predicted the 2008 Crash – Confirms What Alternative Financial Sites Have Been Saying for a Decade

Top Economist – Who Predicted the 2008 Crash – Confirms What Alternative Financial Sites Have Been Saying for a Decade

William White is one of the world’s top economists.

He was the head economist for the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) – the world’s most prestigious financial institution, called the “central banks’ central bank – comprised of the world’s central banks.  He is now the chief economist for OECD, made up of most of the world’s richest and most powerful countries.

As chief economist for BIS, White predicted the 2008 crash.

While the mainstream financial media like CNBC has been trumpeting fake, happy news for many years, White confirmed yesterday what the best alternative financial sites have said for a decade, telling the Telegraph (at the World Economic Forum in Davos):

The global financial system has become dangerously unstable [he’s right] and faces an avalanche of bankruptcies that will test social and political stability …. [Uhhuh]

“The situation is worse than it was in 2007. [Accurate] Our macroeconomic ammunition to fight downturns is essentially all used up” …. [True]

***

“Debts have continued to build up over the last eight years and they have reached such levels in every part of the world that they have become a potent cause for mischief,” he said.  [Indeed]

“It will become obvious in the next recession that many of these debts will never be serviced or repaid, and this will be uncomfortable for a lot of people who think they own assets that are worth something” [Yup]

***

“The only question is whether we are able to look reality in the eye and face what is coming in an orderly fashion, or whether it will be disorderly. Debt jubilees have been going on for 5,000 years, as far back as the Sumerians.” [Exactly!]

***

…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…

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