A Look At Who In The World Has The Money (In One Chart)

Zero Hedge: All Of The World's Money And Markets In One Visualization

Millions, billions, and trillions...

When we talk about the giant size of Apple, the fortune of Warren Buffett, or the massive amount of global debt accumulated – all of these things sound large, but they are actually extremely different in magnitude.

That’s why, as Visual Capitalists' Jeff Desjardins explains, visualizing things spatially can give us a better perspective on money and markets.

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WNU Editor: The derivative market is huge. You have to go here to check out the chart .... (click here).

A Look At The History Of Money And Its Relation To War

A far cry from the Federal Reserve. (Reuters)

What The Islamic State’s Currency Tells Us About The Bloody Origins Of Money -- Matt Phillips, Quartz

The propaganda war from ISIL, the Sunni jihadist group controlling swaths of northern Iraq and Syria, took a somewhat expected turn last week. The black-clad fighters best known for their months-long jag of mass killings and filmed beheadings suddenly wanted to talk about monetary policy.

On Thursday, the group’s heretofore unknown finance ministry announced vague plans to mint a series of gold, silver, and copper coins for its own currency, to be called Islamic dinars. Accord to a translation from Site Intelligence, a group that tracks jihadist activity, the shadowy leader of ISIL (a.k.a. the Islamic State or ISIS) had ordered such coins to be minted as “it is far removed from the tyrannical monetary system that was imposed on the Muslims and was a reason for their enslavement and impoverishment.”

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My Comment: Some intriguing info on the history of money and war in this short article.

Apple Has More Cash Reserves Than These Countries

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Apple Has More Cash On Hand Than All These Different Countries -- Business Insider

Companies still haven't forgotten about the credit crunch that occurred during the financial crisis. At the time, even the healthiest companies had a tough time meeting their short-term financial obligations.

As such, companies have spent much of the economic recovery building up their balance sheets with mountains of cash. Check out this table from U.S. Trust showing Apple's corporate cash hoard against the cash balances of various countries.

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My Comment: This is an incredibly revealing chart. For a complete list of countries by foreign-exchange reserves .... go here.

The Search For The Wealth Of Fallen Arab Dictators Is Now Facing Obstacles

Obstacles Mar Quest For Arab Dictators’ Assets -- New York Times

TRIPOLI, Libya — Soon after the revolt against Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi began in Libya last year, foreign banks and governments began freezing billions of dollars in assets held by his family and government, just as they had frozen accounts of the toppled governments in Tunisia and Egypt.

But the dictators and their inner circles had spent decades amassing and hiding vast fortunes, and much of the wealth was not easy to find. Libyan investigators say they have identified tens of billions of dollars in Swiss banks alone that was never frozen — all of it skimmed from Libya’s vast oil wealth and disguised under innocuous names. In Tunisia and Egypt, the new governments are pursuing foreign real estate, yachts and bank accounts that are also said to be worth billions.

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My Comment: I assume that much of this wealth will ultimately be retrieved ... but it is probably going to take a long time.

Will A Weakening Of The U.S. Dollar Bring More Peace Or Will It Bring More War And Conflict?

Is The Almighty Dollar Doomed? -- Time Magazine

I got an unexpected lesson in the power of the U.S. dollar during a visit to Tashkent, the dreary capital of Uzbekistan, several years back. While heading into town from the airport, my babbling taxi driver kept one hand (barely) on the steering wheel while his other shoved a stack of local currency, the som, into my face. He insistently urged me to trade the money for dollars. After checking in at the grim Hotel Uzbekistan, a nattily clad porter showed me and my wife to a room, fiddled with a broken TV set, and then reached into his jacket pockets for large bricks of som. He, too, persistently begged me for greenbacks. In Uzbekistan, the dollar ruled.

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My Comment: Throughout history, peace and war has always been directly linked to currency stability and/or instability. But in the 20th century, the U.S. dollar became the refuge for people suffering in a war environment and/or in a country state that is undergoing a political/economic conflict. This unique situation did not only help to make the U.S. a world super power, but it also assisted countless of millions to survive in conflict zones or in countries whose governments have all but destroyed their nation's currency.

This situation is now changing. With massive budget deficits and no control over spending the U.S. dollar will be weakened and .... maybe .... even doomed. Will the world be better off because of this .... I do not think so. Instead of dollars people will rely on gold, precious metals, and diamonds for their safety and security. And for the U.S. .... loss of military and economic power will be translated into a loss of political power .... an outcome that would not be favorable in any situation.

So in answer to the question .... "Will A Weakening Of The U.S. Dollar Bring More Peace Or Will It Bring More War And Conflict?" .... the answer (to me) is very clear. Expect more war.