Monday, August 7, 2017

There Goes the Dollar

The Russian government will intensify efforts to cut the country’s dependence on US payment systems and the dollar as a settling currency, said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov on Monday, as quoted by RIA Novosti.

“We will, of course, speed up the work on import substitution, reduce dependence on US payment systems, on the dollar as a settling currency and so on. It is becoming a vitally important,” said Ryabkov. “The US is using its dominating role in the monetary and financial system to impose pressure on foreign business, including Russian companies,” added the deputy minister.

After Washington imposed sanctions on Moscow in 2014, the MasterCard international payment system stopped serving clients of seven Russian banks without warning.

In response, the Russian government ordered the creation of a national payment system. With the support of the country's banking system, the Mir charge card was introduced in 2015.

[...]

Shortly after the new law was passed, Standard & Poor's said the measure would not affect Russia's sovereign credit ratings.

[...]

At the same time, the European Union expressed concerns the new penalties may undermine the bloc’s energy security. European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker pledged to prepare an “adequate” response and “within days” if the measure hurt the interests of European companies.

  RT
And while Trump is pissing off China, it's probably a good time for Chinese currency to take the place of the dollar in international trade.

 ...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.

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