What Happens When the Manipulation Ends?

What happens when our financial markets are no longer being manipulated?  We have never experienced the unwinding of an entirely manipulated financial system, so we can't predict for sure what will happen.  But at this point, a total collapse of our financial markets seems entirely plausible.  I know what many of you are saying – “Here he goes again.  The same old stuff and the market continues to go higher and higher!”  To a certain extent, you are correct in that this does not matter to anyone until it matters to everyone.  However, by then, it will be too late to take the necessary defensive measures to protect your financial assets. 

But, you ask how is it that our financial markets are being manipulated?  On October of 2011, Mr. Bernanke states that the purpose of QE1 and QE2 is to raise asset prices.  And, if I remember correctly, equities and bonds are financial assets.  Then, on March 1, 2012, Bloomberg reported that the Bank of Israel and Switzerland’s Central Bank began a pilot program to invest a portion of their foreign currency reserves in U.S. equities.  Incidentally, it is illegal for our Federal Reserve to invest in equity markets.  However, I see exactly what has been happening.  Our Fed, which cannot directly purchase equity shares, has created billions of dollar swap lines with foreign central banks.  Then, these central banks take the dollar swap lines and purchase equity shares on the New York Stock Exchange.  Therefore, our Fed has indirectly been manipulating the stock market through equity purchases of these foreign central banks.  (See my blog posting of March 3, 2012 entitled, “Manipulation of Equity Markets by Central Bankers.”)