In his customary slot on Friday lunchtime, Marc Faber closed out the 23rd Investors Forum. He argued that we are living in turbulent and uncertain times where the influence and dominance of the West is declining. Previously rising standards of living, which the capitalistic system brought about for the last 200 years, is now stagnating or declining. In emerging market economies, and in particular in the former socialist or communist countries, there is the first generation of people who will enjoy a noticeable better life than their parents.
At the same time, the economic and military superiority of the West is diminishing relative to the rest of the world. Geopolitical tensions will likely follow and the transition from a unipolar to a multipolar reality has already changed many aspects of international relations. In order to combat the relative decline of the advanced economies, the West and Japan have embarked on desperate and destructive economic, fiscal and monetary policies. Central bankers have not generated any real improvements in economic growth but created a myriad of unintended conditions and consequences.
The most obvious is the movement to zero or negative interest rates, which has never happened in human history. At the same time, this has led to unpleasant results like growing income inequality around the world. Marc believes that these bankers have plenty of ammunition left and room to keep expanding their balance sheets. Dont expect this trend to reverse course anytime soon. In fact the biggest winner from zero interest rates and mild inflation is governments themselves.
On a more bullish note, he is positive on Russia, Brazil, Asian emerging markets and gold.