We published an analysis on "Dollar
Myths" in which we criticized spending habits in Washington:
"Interestingly, nobody seemed to focus on the fact that there is an unconventional
solution to foreigners holding too much of our debt: live within your means
and do not issue debt. Such an old fashioned concept would indeed strengthen
the dollar. Unfortunately, none of the presidential candidates at either
side of the aisle seem to have heard of this notion."
We missed that there is indeed a presidential candidate who believes in the
old fashioned view to "live within your means." Our apologies go to Congressman
Ron Paul, who threw his hat in the ring on March 12, 2007, announcing is
candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination. Ron Paul is the one member
of Congress who is a true fiscal conservative. As a member of the House Committee
of Financial Services, he does not hesitate to speak out against inflationary
policies. On his campaign website, Ron
Paul 2008, he writes:
"Real conservatives have always supported low taxes and low spending.
But today, too many politicians and lobbyists are spending America into
ruin. We are nine trillion dollars in debt as a nation... If we don't cut
spending now, higher taxes and economic disaster will be in their future
- and yours.
In addition, the Federal Reserve, our central bank, fosters runaway debt
by increasing the money supply - making each dollar in your pocket worth
less."
It is not our role to endorse a presidential candidate, especially not this
early in the process. We don't agree with all of his views, but highly respect
his no-nonsense approach to fiscal and monetary policy issues. We encourage
everyone to familiarize themselves with the fiscal views of Congressman Ron
Paul. He is living proof that it is possible to be a fiscally conservative
politician with integrity.
If you have not read our analysis on "Dollar Myths", please do so by clicking
here. We manage the Merk Hard Currency Fund, a fund that seeks to profit
from a potential decline in the dollar. To learn more about the Fund, or
to subscribe to our free newsletter, please visit www.merkfund.com.
Axel Merk, President & CIO of Merk Investments, LLC,
is an expert on hard money, macro trends and international investing. He is
considered an authority on currencies.
The Merk Absolute Return Currency Fund seeks to generate
positive absolute returns by investing in currencies. The Fund is a pure-play
on currencies, aiming to profit regardless of the direction of the U.S. dollar
or traditional asset classes.
The Merk Asian Currency Fund seeks to profit from a rise
in Asian currencies versus the U.S. dollar. The Fund typically invests in a
basket of Asian currencies that may include, but are not limited to, the currencies
of China, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,
South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The Merk Hard Currency Fund seeks to profit from a rise
in hard currencies versus the U.S. dollar. Hard currencies are currencies backed
by sound monetary policy; sound monetary policy focuses on price stability.
The Funds may be appropriate for you if you are pursuing
a long-term goal with a currency component to your portfolio; are willing to
tolerate the risks associated with investments in foreign currencies; or are
looking for a way to potentially mitigate downside risk in or profit from a
secular bear market. For more information on the Funds and to download a prospectus,
please visit www.merkfunds.com.
Investors should consider the investment objectives,
risks and charges and expenses of the Merk Funds carefully before investing.
This and other information is in the prospectus, a copy of which may be obtained
by visiting the Funds' website at www.merkfunds.com or calling 866-MERK FUND.
Please read the prospectus carefully before you invest.
The Funds primarily invest in foreign currencies and
as such, changes in currency exchange rates will affect the value of what
the Funds own and the price of the Funds' shares. Investing in foreign instruments
bears a greater risk than investing in domestic instruments for reasons such
as volatility of currency exchange rates and, in some cases, limited geographic
focus, political and economic instability, and relatively illiquid markets.
The Funds are subject to interest rate risk which is the risk that debt securities
in the Funds' portfolio will decline in value because of increases in market
interest rates. The Funds may also invest in derivative securities which
can be volatile and involve various types and degrees of risk. As a non-diversified
fund, the Merk Hard Currency Fund will be subject to more investment risk
and potential for volatility than a diversified fund because its portfolio
may, at times, focus on a limited number of issuers. For a more complete
discussion of these and other Fund risks please refer to the Funds' prospectuses.
This report was prepared by Merk Investments LLC, and reflects
the current opinion of the authors. It is based upon sources and data believed
to be accurate and reliable. Opinions and forward-looking statements expressed
are subject to change without notice. This information does not constitute
investment advice. Foreside Fund Services, LLC, distributor.