Macro Hive Conversations With Bilal Hafeez

Ep. 334: Mark Farrington on Dollar Dominance, China's Gold Play and Crisis Catalysts

8 snips
Nov 14, 2025
Mark Farrington, a global macro and geopolitical strategist, shares insights on the enduring dominance of the US dollar and China's strategic shift towards gold. He discusses the complexities of China's supply chain strategies and its challenges in internationalizing the RMB. Farrington delves into the evolution of US industrial policy, emphasizing self-sufficiency, and explores the fragility of Europe amid potential crises triggered by inflation and volatility. He also touches on the implications of AI on future job markets and offers career advice for new graduates.
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INSIGHT

Dependency As A Strategic Weapon Backfires

  • China built deep supply-chain dependencies to maximize leverage and then revealed that leverage during trade retaliation.
  • Mark Farrington argues this revelation likely backfired by prompting rivals to reduce dependency.
INSIGHT

Gold As China's Reserve Workaround

  • China may be pivoting to gold as a neutral, country-agnostic anchor for international finance.
  • Farrington suggests gold could support digital tokens, stablecoins, or invoicing where RMB convertibility is limited.
INSIGHT

Dollar Still Dominates China-Led Lending

  • China's development banks often lend in dollars because borrowers earn dollars to repay.
  • Farrington says this practical reality limits RMB internationalisation despite China's institutional efforts.
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