Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries • Hacker News Board

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#151

Post by technotony » Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 4:14 PM UTC

btbuildem wrote: post #73

afavour wrote: post #42

It's symbolism. But it's important symbolism. Far more notable, I think, is Macron saying this morning that Europe needs more investment from China. Canada signing a deal with China to allow their cars to be sold in the country. It's all a sliding slope until it reaches a breaking point and falls off like a cliff. EDIT: to quote the Canadian PN earlier today: “American hegemony in particular helped provide public goo…

It's not pure symbolism. The most effective way to reduce the global threat the US is appearing to pose more as of late, is to hit the dollar. The US economy is in a very precarious state, tensions along political ideology lines are high, and it would not take much more than a worsening of economic conditions plus a catalyst event to kick off armed unrest within the country. A new civil war that drives the US to frag…

How would a USA civil be the best scenario globally? Who knows what wars that would trigger globally

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#152

Post by g_delgado14 » Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 4:14 PM UTC

btbuildem wrote: post #73

afavour wrote: post #42

It's symbolism. But it's important symbolism. Far more notable, I think, is Macron saying this morning that Europe needs more investment from China. Canada signing a deal with China to allow their cars to be sold in the country. It's all a sliding slope until it reaches a breaking point and falls off like a cliff. EDIT: to quote the Canadian PN earlier today: “American hegemony in particular helped provide public goo…

It's not pure symbolism. The most effective way to reduce the global threat the US is appearing to pose more as of late, is to hit the dollar. The US economy is in a very precarious state, tensions along political ideology lines are high, and it would not take much more than a worsening of economic conditions plus a catalyst event to kick off armed unrest within the country. A new civil war that drives the US to frag…

> A new civil war that drives the US to fragment into several independent regions over the course of the next ~five years would kind of be the best scenario from a global perspective.

The US isn't going to passively give up its hold on the world order. You don't think this would trigger a world war?

And if / when the US does topple (whether in 10 years or in 1000 years), at the moment it looks like the only viable next leaders in the world order are autocratic dictatorships.

How is this a best scenario from a global perspective?

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#153

Post by treis » Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 4:15 PM UTC

hightrix wrote: post #138

whimsicalism wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m curious when people make comments like this, do they actually live in the US and believe this or has the media environment gotten so bad in Europe+ that people have no clue what’s real or not?

Do you have any criticisms to the parent comment? As an American, they seem pretty spot on to the current climate. I'd argue we've never been closer to civil war than we are today[0], primarily due to trumps regime invading cities around the country, kidnapping citizens utilizing a bounty program, and killing people in concentration camps. Ediot: [0] - Since the last civil war. I thought that was obvious, but it seem…

We've literally had a civil war so I'd say your argument is a bit off the mark.

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#154

Post by wtcactus » Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 4:15 PM UTC

afavour wrote: post #42

It's symbolism. But it's important symbolism. Far more notable, I think, is Macron saying this morning that Europe needs more investment from China. Canada signing a deal with China to allow their cars to be sold in the country. It's all a sliding slope until it reaches a breaking point and falls off like a cliff. EDIT: to quote the Canadian PN earlier today: “American hegemony in particular helped provide public goo…

With Trump pressuring the independence of the central bank, this doesn't seem symbolism at all.

It might very well be that the USA will face a period of high inflation soon if we continue down this path of high government spending and no independent central bank to put a break on it.

And I can't even understand why this obsession of lowering interest rates in the USA. The economy is doing great, there's no shortage of investment money going around. There's really no reason to lower in the interest rates before we tackle the leftover inflation that still comes from the COVID measures.

It's Trump's personal insecurities playing again and not allowing anyone to tell him "no". What a child.

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#155

Post by JumpinJack_Cash » Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 4:15 PM UTC

inetknght wrote: post #57

JumpinJack_Cash wrote: post #37

This divestment is so little and with so little aim. The whole situation is been caused by a single guy and 400 enablers, whereas the US is a 400 million people country. The correct form of reaction is a punch in the face during a bilateral meeting, Zelensky came close to doing it but unfortunately he resisted his impulse , that's where the epicenter of all newly generated global problems in the last 10 years lies, i…

[flagged]

The GOP is the bicentennial institution , the anchor that 50% of the country see as the bastion against progressivism

Conservatism vs. Progressivism will keep raging on for the whole eternity.

Trumpism is for sure made up of the 400 enablers who took control of the bicentennial institution that is the GOP

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#156

Post by whimsicalism » Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 4:15 PM UTC

hightrix wrote: post #138

whimsicalism wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m curious when people make comments like this, do they actually live in the US and believe this or has the media environment gotten so bad in Europe+ that people have no clue what’s real or not?

Do you have any criticisms to the parent comment? As an American, they seem pretty spot on to the current climate. I'd argue we've never been closer to civil war than we are today[0], primarily due to trumps regime invading cities around the country, kidnapping citizens utilizing a bounty program, and killing people in concentration camps. Ediot: [0] - Since the last civil war. I thought that was obvious, but it seem…

[flagged]

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#157

Post by alephnerd » Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 4:15 PM UTC

sekai wrote: post #131

alephnerd wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The EU can't mend ties with China without giving up on Ukraine as China's FM Wang Yi has stated [0] on multiple occasions [1]. Additionally, in the Chinese foreign policy space, the EU is viewed as weak [2], and largely through the lense of the US-China rivalry (which is how the US views the EU as well now). [0] - https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3316875/ch... [1] - https://www.reuters.com/world/chin…

> The EU can't mend ties with China without giving up on Ukraine as China's FM Wang Yi has stated [0] At the end of the day China cares more about Europe than Russia. Because that's where the real money is.

At the end of the day, their Foreign Minister and their entire foreign policy apparatus has consistently stated they will prioritize Russia over the EU for national security reasons (Central Asia, North Korea, Japan).

The EU signing an FTA with India on Jan 27th is also a negative sign for China-EU relations.

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#158

Post by toomuchtodo » Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 4:15 PM UTC

whimsicalism wrote: post #146

toomuchtodo wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe you'd trust Blackrock's CEO instead? I live in the US and I have rotated away from US equities and treasuries to derisk from volatility of poor governance (both this administration and long term fiscal policy). BlackRock CEO delivers blunt warning on US national debt - https://www.thestreet.com/investing/blackrock-ceo-delivers-b... - January 18th, 2026 The U.S. Deficit Will 'Overwhelm This Country': BlackRock C…

I don’t disagree that our fiscal situation is unsustainable. I’m curious specifically about the people envisioning (with barely disguised glee) the US erupting into a civil war within 5 years, as they seem somewhat to have lost touch with reality.

In longitudinal surveys, typically, about 5% of folks elect the "some men want to watch the world burn" option. I cannot speak to the glee component you mention, I know these people exist, but they are a minority. I can speak to the ongoing political polarization that treats national politics as a sport and is avoiding course correcting fiscal policy trajectory. And this fiscal policy is going to lead to widening wealth inequality, a continuation of a K shaped economic recovery, and pushing the electorate to more extreme options besides the voting booth. No one is "winning", there is no moderate middle ground any more, and I don't see how this trajectory will change. Thanks Gingrich (who set us on this path decades ago)!

Nearly 40% of Young Americans Say Political Violence Is Acceptable in Certain Circumstances, Harvard Poll Finds - https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/12/4/hpop-poll-polit... - December 4th, 2025

Americans say politically motivated violence is increasing, and they see many reasons why - https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/10/23/americans... - October 23rd, 2025

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#159

Post by u8080 » Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 4:15 PM UTC

whimsicalism wrote: post #126

btbuildem wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not pure symbolism. The most effective way to reduce the global threat the US is appearing to pose more as of late, is to hit the dollar. The US economy is in a very precarious state, tensions along political ideology lines are high, and it would not take much more than a worsening of economic conditions plus a catalyst event to kick off armed unrest within the country. A new civil war that drives the US to frag…

I’m curious when people make comments like this, do they actually live in the US and believe this or has the media environment gotten so bad in Europe+ that people have no clue what’s real or not?

This is truth since it was fact-checked by leading independent EU fact-checkers.

Re: Danish pension fund divesting US Treasuries

#160

Post by spamizbad » Tue, Jan 20, 2026, 4:15 PM UTC

epolanski wrote: post #113

alphazard wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's symbolism. It's not. This is where the financial rubber meets the road, actions have consequences, and the rest of the world is looking at the US as increasingly unlikely to pay above inflation on its debts. The people managing the pension funds (if they are acting in good faith) really want to generate yield, and really want to preserve capital for the Danish people. They don't want to symbolically do those t…

There's no chance US will default on its debts, all it has to do is to print more money. Inflation may spirale, but it's going to be a US citizens problems (as well as US bond holders) in terms of inflation and budget cuts.

> There's no chance US will default on its debts

Until Trump says he's going to, then his boosters will declare its a genius maneuver and actually its Joe Biden's fault (Joe made him do it!)