In the short term, the process of de-dollarization is exploiting the current state of the business cycle in the US and EU. Just a small decrease in the number of transactions in which the dollar is denominated will cause a devaluation of the dollar and a prolonged state of higher interest rates in the US, together with quantitative tightening—all leading to a weakening of the economic position of the US, the EU, and the other G7 countries.
The Fed is not cutting the federal interest rate, and is keeping it at 5.5 per cent, the highest it has been since the early 2000s. Meanwhile in Hungary, the National Bank cut interest rates on 31 January.
The minister stressed the importance of maintaining disciplined fiscal policies this year, aiming for an annual average inflation rate of around 5 per cent. He firmly asserted that until the inflation rate returns to a more moderate range, fiscal spending should be limited.
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