The media obsesses over whether Powell should cut rates, but they're missing the bigger story entirely…Since 2022, the Federal Reserve has fundamentally lost its ability to control long-term interest rates - and that might be the best thing to happen to American monetary policy in decades.
Joe Withrow from the Phoenician League returns to break down the most important financial shift you've never heard of: the transition from LIBOR to SOFR. While everyone argues about Fed policy, a quiet revolution has returned actual market forces to interest rate setting. The days of European banks manipulating global rates through sealed envelope submissions are over, replaced by real transactions from real institutions with real obligations.
This episode examines the mechanics of interest rates, repo markets, and why Trump's demands for rate cuts might not matter as much as everyone thinks. From the $9 trillion debt rollover crisis to the geopolitical implications of monetary independence, Hans and Joe connect the dots between outdated financial instruments and your personal investment strategy.
Chapters:00:00 - Intro
04:05 - The five pillars and financial security foundation
07:30 - Interest rates overview and Fed manipulation myths
11:15 - LIBOR vs SOFR transition and why it matters
14:45 - Setting aside preferences for objective analysis
17:45 - Central bank money vs commercial bank money explained
19:05 - LIBOR calculation method exposed
22:25 - The shocking truth about rate manipulation
25:45 - Ben Bernanke's "globally coordinated monetary policy"
28:20 - COVID awakening and financial system skepticism
29:20 - Fed funds rate mechanics and overnight lending
31:10 - The $9 trillion debt rollover crisis
32:20 - Powell vs Yellen: American vs globalist monetary policy
35:10 - Balance sheet reduction and QE reversal
36:30 - SOFR liberation from European bank control
39:10 - World Economic Forum and "own nothing, be happy"
40:25 - Immigration and cultural hierarchy discussion
42:25 - SOFR based on actual market transactions
44:30 - Repo market mechanics explained
47:40 - Market forces vs manipulation in rate setting
48:20 - Baseball card analogy for repo transactions
52:00 - 10-year treasury as global risk-free rate
53:30 - Market forces returning to long-term rates
54:40 - Powell's rate cuts and opposite market reaction
57:25 - Stephen Moran appointment and dollar devaluation strategy
59:30 - Manufacturing reshoring and central planning concerns
01:01:15 - Federal Reserve independence vs political control
01:03:25 - Board of Governors structure and 14-year terms
01:04:55 - Rate policy and asset price manipulation
01:07:10 - Phoenician League membership and strategy sessions
01:11:15 - Low stress trading strategy integration
01:15:50 - Closing thoughts and next steps
Key Takeaways:
- LIBOR was manipulated by 17 banks submitting sealed envelope "guesses" with no binding obligations
- SOFR is based on actual overnight lending transactions between real institutions
- This shift has fundamentally severed the Fed's control over long-term interest rates
- Powell's 1% rate cut in 2024 caused long-term rates to go UP, proving the new dynamic
- Fed only controls short-term rates (up to 2 years) through the Fed funds rate
- Traditional "refinance when rates drop" assumptions no longer reliable
Got Questions? Reach out to us at info@remnantfinance.com or book a call at https://remnantfinance.com/calendar!
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