Human beings are suckers for a story. The story peddled by mainstream economic commentators goes that the US Federal Reserve and its international cousins have acted boldly to prevent a second Great Depression by stepping in to support the banks (and not coincidentally the government bond markets) by printing trillions of dollars of ex nihilo money which, through the mechanism of quantitative easing, will mysteriously reflate the economy. It's a story alright, but more akin to a fairy story. We favour an alternative narrative, namely that with politicians abdicating all real responsibility in addressing the financial and economic crisis (see this article), the heavy lifting has been left to central bankers, who have run out of conventional policy options and are now stoking the fire for the next financial crisis by attempting to rig prices throughout the financial system, notably in property markets, but having a grave impact on volatility across credit markets, government bond markets, equities, commodities.. As politicians might have told either them, or Steven Ricchiuto of Mizuho Securities, it's quite easy to be brave when you're spending other people's money.

David Fuller's view No one knows exactly how all this will play out, although Fullermoney continues to expect a somewhat bumpy ride.

(See also, 'Buffett Calls Federal Reserve History's Greatest Hedge Fund', and 'Bernanke Recouples With World Offering Bond Yield Relief Abroad', and 'The Fed Chairman's quantitative easing (QE) programme has certainly had its critics'.)