China sold a record $53.3 billion of US Treasury and agency bonds in the first quarter of 2024, likely due to escalating trade tensions and a desire to diversify its assets. This move is raising concerns as China is a major holder of US debt and its actions could impact the US economy. Additionally, China has been increasing its gold reserves, potentially as a way to mitigate sanctions risk.

https://archive.ph/6f6XN

  • Dimmer06 [he/him,comrade/them]
    ·
    1 month ago

    The US is ruled by the logic of finance capital because it is ruled by finance capitalists. Buy low, sell high, and let someone else get stuck holding the bag. The actual concerns of production or running a society are irrelevant because long before production breaks down the current owners have dumped their stake for a comfy profit and bought some other industry.

    • BurgerPunk [he/him, comrade/them]
      ·
      1 month ago

      That really puts it in perspective. That's why their viewpoint and the narratives they push about the "booming economy" are so divorced from reality. They don't live in the same reality as us.

    • Tankiedesantski [he/him]
      ·
      1 month ago

      Agreed. If you look at what's left of the US industrial capitalist class - Musk, Tim Cook, etc., they're still very much trying to keep the supply lines open and relationships good. But such is America now that even the industrial capitalists can't compete against the alliance of the finance capitalists and the MIC.

    • flan [they/them]
      ·
      edit-2
      1 month ago

      I am not an expert here but naively finance seems like it would be the most vulnerable to a shrinking economy. That's why I'm thinking this makes no sense because if you maintain good relations maybe you can keep the party going for another decade or two before you have to deal with reality.

      • Dimmer06 [he/him,comrade/them]
        ·
        1 month ago

        Maybe it's more vulnerable but by the time that's a problem the profit will already be somewhere else and then whoever gets the short end of the stick will get a taxpayer bailout as a consolation prize. They're not doing economics, they're gambling with other people's money.

      • Sodium_nitride@lemmygrad.ml
        ·
        1 month ago

        A shrinking real economy is not as big of a problem for the American ruling class as you might think. Their lifestyles will remain comfortable no matter how much the economy degrades. Their only worry is maintaining power for themselves, and that requires them to make moves that are economically irrational.