Appreciated Quote by Paul Volcker
“That day the U.S. announced that the dollar would be devalued by 10 percent. By switching the yen to a floating exchange rate, the Japanese currency appreciated, and a sufficient realignment in exchange rates was realized. Joint intervention in gold sales to prevent a steep rise in the price of gold, however, was not undertaken. That was a mistake.”
About This Quote
Source Testimony: Congressional hearing, 1998
He describes a policy mistake: not intervening in gold sales after currency adjustments.
In simple terms: He says not intervening in gold sales was a mistake.
Consider proactive interventions in markets.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- central banking
- exchange rate management
- investment strategy
- risk assessment
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria should trigger market intervention?
- How to balance short‑term fixes with long‑term stability?
Intervention can have unintended side effects.