Precious metals news

During President Joe Biden's tenure, over 3.7 million borrowers have seen their student loans forgiven, totaling $136.6 billion in relief. The Supreme Court thwarted Biden's proposal to cancel up to $400 billion for millions of Americans, prompting his administration to leverage every available avenue within its existing authority to reduce student debt burdens. The administration's proactive review of borrower accounts continues to identify those eligible for forgiveness, marking a period of unprecedented loan cancellation activity.

(Bloomberg) -- The deficit for the first four months of the 2024 fiscal year reached $532 billion, or 16% more than recorded in the same period in the prior year, according to data from the Treasury Department released Monday showed. Interest costs in the four months through January were $357 billion, a 37% jump from 2023.

When clients ask about the timing of selling their gold, I generally respond to their question with a question: "Do you have upcoming liquidity needs?" or "Is there a productive investment opportunity to deploy your capital?"

Gold has dropped below $2,000/oz as silver tests support at $22.25 after recent U.S. inflation data was higher than anticipated. Meanwhile, platinum pulled back below the $880 level.

On Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and other major stock indices experienced significant declines following the release of hotter-than-anticipated inflation data for January. Despite a modest easing of inflation rates, the figures remained persistently high, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising by 3.1% year-over-year and 0.3% from the previous month, surpassing economists' expectations for a slowdown to 2.9% annually and a 0.2% monthly increase. This unexpected inflation persistence led to a market downturn, with the Dow dropping by 490 points (or 1.3%), and similar declines in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite. The anticipation built around the Federal Reserve's potential interest rate cuts, now largely expected by traders to commence in June or July, reflects the market's reaction to inflation trends and monetary policy prospects.

The Federal Government publishes the spending and revenue numbers every month. The charts and tables below give an in-depth review of the Federal Budget, showing where the money is coming from, where it is going, and the surplus or deficit.
This month saw a $22B deficit.

New York Community Bancorp (NYCB) experienced a volatile trading day, ultimately closing with a slight decline of 0.2% at $4.89, despite an initial surge of over 7% earlier. This change reflects the bank's ongoing efforts to regain investor trust following a surprising quarterly loss reported on January 31, attributed to its loans connected to the troubled U.S. commercial real estate market. Additionally, the bank's decision to cut its dividend has played a significant role in the recent share price volatility. These moves are part of NYCB's strategy to stabilize its stock price and reassure shareholders of its financial health and strategic direction amid challenges in the real estate sector.

The January Consumer Price Index (CPI) report delivered a hotter than expected outcome, defying anticipations for a significant decrease in the year-over-year inflation rate. Instead of dropping to the forecasted 2.9% from the previous 3.4%, the CPI saw a year-over-year increase of 3.1%, dampening hopes for inflation cooling to below 3%. On a month-over-month basis, consumer prices rose by 0.3%, surpassing the expected 0.2%.

The landscape of the U.S. economy is currently a blend of optimism and caution, according to a recent survey by the National Association of Business Economics (NABE). Only about 25% of business economists anticipate the United States entering a recession this year, suggesting a more positive outlook compared to previous expectations. This optimism is rooted in the belief that if a downturn were to occur, it would likely be triggered by external shocks, such as geopolitical tensions with China, rather than domestic issues like the higher interest rates seen in recent times.

In January, the prices of goods went up a bit more than what experts thought they would, showing that inflation isn't slowing down as quickly as hoped. The Consumer Price Index (CPI), increased by 0.3% from December to January and was 3.1% higher than last January. This was more than the expected 0.2% monthly increase and 2.9% yearly increase. Without including food and gas, which can have big price changes quickly, prices still went up by 0.4% in just a month. Investors are watching these numbers to predict when the Federal Reserve might lower interest rates to make borrowing money cheaper.

The S&P 500 hit a record high, closing above 5,000 for the first time after a strong few weeks driven by better-than-expected company earnings and the Federal Reserve's consistent message on inflation. This week, all eyes are on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for January, with experts predicting a year-on-year increase of 2.9%, down from December's 3.4%. This suggests that while inflation is expected to have slowed, careful monitoring continues. The CPI measures changes in the price level of a basket of consumer goods and services, including food and energy, providing a key indicator of inflationary trends.

Jamie Dimon and other financial leaders warn that the U.S. debt, exceeding $34 trillion with a debt-to-GDP ratio of around 120%, is leading to a crisis deemed the "most predictable" in history. Despite the bipartisan nature of this issue, political action remains insufficient. This situation calls for urgent dialogue on fiscal responsibility to avoid the forecasted economic "death spiral" and global market backlash.

Mike and Alan dissect the troubling developments within the banking industry, honing in on NYCB's drastic stock price fall.

The article discusses the potential for silver prices to reach $30 in 2024, driven by a supply deficit and bullish market fundamentals. Despite the physical silver market's shortfall and silver being undervalued relative to gold, there's a strong case to be made that silver is deeply undervalued at its current price. New data from the Silver Institute suggests that considering the historical undervaluation and supply shortages, silver is significantly undervalued, hinting at much higher future prices beyond the conservative estimates.

Physically-backed gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) play a significant role in the gold market, attracting both institutional and individual investors who incorporate them into diversified investment portfolios. With data on over 100 physically-backed gold ETFs globally, the World Gold Council is back with some detailed analysis on what you should know before you invest in one.

The Bible features more than 700 references to gold and silver, emphasizing their timeless significance. The term ‘gold' alone appears in 47 of the 66 books of the Bible.
Beyond their current cultural relevance, these precious metals play a crucial role in scripture, highlighting three key attributes: their divine origin, intrinsic value, and monetary quality.

Zimbabwe is exploring the option of backing its currency with gold to stabilize its exchange rate, according to Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube. This announcement comes as part of efforts to address the ongoing instability of the Zimbabwe dollar, which has struggled since its reintroduction in 2019 after a period of hyperinflation. President Emmerson Mnangagwa also indicated plans for a "structured currency" to overhaul the current system. Despite previous attempts, including the introduction of gold coins and digital tokens, to support the currency, the Zimbabwe dollar continues to perform poorly. These efforts have faced criticism from the International Monetary Fund, which has questioned the unconventional methods employed by Zimbabwe to improve its currency's value.

In the Year of the Dragon, historically known for bringing prosperity and strength, the U.S. stock market is anticipated to continue its upward trajectory, according to Tom Lee of Fundstrat Global Advisors. Analysis of market performance since 1871 shows that during Dragon years, U.S. equities have seen an average gain of 12.7%. For 2024, the Year of the Dragon, which starts on February 10, Lee predicts the S&P 500 could rise to as high as 5,350 points, marking a 6.4% increase from its recent closing.

In recent years, central banks across the globe have significantly increased their gold acquisitions, with purchases surpassing 1,000 tonnes annually in both 2022 and 2023. TD Securities analysts forecast this upward trend in gold buying to persist, driven by a growing consensus among central banks regarding a potential decline in the dominance of the US Dollar in the future. This shift in perspective, highlighted by recent surveys indicating a rise in skepticism towards the dollar's prevailing role, is expected to be a major catalyst for sustained gold demand. This insight underscores the strategic move by central banks to diversify their reserves amidst evolving economic forecasts.

The dollar saw a slight increase as many Asian markets were closed for a holiday, setting the stage for a potentially eventful week focused on U.S. inflation data. This data is crucial because it could hint at when the Federal Reserve might begin reducing interest rates. The euro fell slightly, while the pound also dropped. In contrast, the Japanese yen gained a bit of strength. The financial world is closely watching changes in central banks' interest rate plans, especially with recent strong job data suggesting the Fed might not cut rates until possibly May.