Through data from France, Austria, Switzerland, and the UK, Christensen, Lopez, and Mussche determined that the U.S. Treasury could issue 50-year bonds without significant cost increases (currently, the longest-term U.S. Treasury bond is 30 years). The cost of issuing 50-year bonds is similar (France and Austria, both E.U. countries) or perhaps even cheaper (Switzerland and the U.K.), as these long-term bonds have lower yields. Ultimately, the authors concluded that should the federal reserve introduce 50-year bonds, they would see an almost negligible 0.2% cost difference increase to the 30-year bonds. Read full article here
History
Remembering When America Banned Sliced Bread
Rationing was not new to the world when the US decided to ban sliced bread during WW2, but it caused an uproar. Already burdened by previous sugar, butter, and nylon rationing, American households made their anger known. Sliced bread was considered something of a household staple; their breakfast and lunch featured sliced bread, and it was too time-consuming to slice bread in the morning. The ban ended two months later, when officials finally claimed there was enough wax paper—used to keep sliced bread fresh—to go around. Read full article here
Merv
November 23, 2022
