Policy & Regulation

The Plaza Accord: When Five Nations Moved the Dollar (1985)

How five finance ministers secretly agreed at the Plaza Hotel to depreciate the US dollar, triggering a 50% decline against the yen and setting in motion the chain of events…

Market Histories Research

Policy & Regulation2026-03-25

Explainer

The Glass-Steagall Act (1933): The Wall Between Banking and Speculation

How the Banking Act of 1933 erected a firewall between commercial and investment banking, reshaping American finance for over six decades before its repeal.

Market Histories

Policy & Regulation2026-03-07

Historical Narrative

The Volcker Shock: Breaking Inflation at Any Cost (1979-1982)

How Paul Volcker's Federal Reserve raised interest rates to 20% to crush runaway inflation, triggering a brutal recession but transforming the credibility of central banking forever.

Market Histories Research

Policy & Regulation2026-03-01