Precious metals news

Jerome Powell's 60 Minutes portrayal of the national debt crisis as a distant concern starkly contrasts with the urgent reality we face. Peter Schiff doesn't mince words in his most recent podcast when he highlights the immediate threat:

There's a Major Disconnect today between the Broader Stock Markets and the silver price.  The primary silver miners struggle to produce silver with non-existent profit margins while the S&P 500 hit a new high today.  Something has to give, and the better fundamental value is in silver...

The United States is making a big change to how fast stock trades happen, cutting down the time to just one day for a transaction to be completed, known as T+1. This change, happening in less than four months, is causing a lot of work for CLS, the biggest company in the world for settling foreign-exchange trades. Since the currency market usually takes two days to settle trades, this new faster stock trade time could lead to problems, especially for international investors who need to get their hands on dollars quickly to buy US stocks.

In the last quarter 2023, credit card debt in the U.S. hit a new high, reaching $1.13 trillion. This marks a $50 billion increase, or 4.6%, from the third quarter, as reported by the New York Federal Reserve Bank's quarterly analysis on household debt and credit. Not only did credit card balances spike, but overall household debt also went up by 1.2%, totaling $17.5 trillion.

China's economy is facing challenges as consumer prices have fallen at the quickest rate in nearly 14 years, signaling a tough road ahead for its economic recovery. In January, the consumer price index, which measures the average change in prices paid by consumers for goods and services, decreased by 0.8% compared to a year earlier, marking the most significant drop since September 2009. This decline in consumer prices, more than what economists had anticipated, suggests China is under deflationary pressure, meaning prices are decreasing across a wide array of goods and services.

One year since the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, the bank that acquired Signature Bank's assets is showing signs of collapsing.

In Egypt, the soaring prices and a declining currency have shifted a long-standing tradition. Traditionally, Egyptian women receive a gold jewelry set during their engagement, known as "shabka." However, due to economic difficulties, with inflation over 30% and the currency losing half its value against the dollar, many are now receiving silver instead.

Goldman Sachs is sticking to its positive outlook on gold, predicting it will hit $2,175 in the next year. This confidence is driven by ongoing demand and global political tensions.The market's hesitance, influenced by the Federal Reserve's tough stance and the postponement of interest rate reductions till June 2024, hasn't dampened Goldman Sachs' optimism. They believe that solid demand for physical gold and geopolitical concerns will keep gold's price from falling too much, keeping their $2,175 target firmly in view.

The U.S. deficit is expected to significantly increase over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Interest payments on government debt are set to consume an unprecedented portion of the budget. This year's deficit of $1.6 trillion is projected to jump to $2.6 trillion by 2034, despite a slightly more optimistic outlook than earlier predictions. The deficit as a percentage of GDP is forecasted to rise from 5.6% this year to 6.1% in 2025, maintaining that level through 2034, a situation typically only seen during economic crises. With projected low unemployment rates, these large primary deficits are notably concerning.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has issued a warning that the cost of servicing the US government's debt will reach a new high next year and will continue to increase. This situation raises concerns about the government's borrowing pace. US debt held by the public is expected to reach $45.7 trillion, or 114% of GDP by 2033, according to the CBO’s latest forecasts. That’s actually down from the 118% projection for 2033 released a year ago.

To help you stay ahead of potential trouble in the markets, we're closely monitoring the commercial real estate sector, which is under stress from decreasing demand and soaring lending costs. Banks supporting the sector, including NYCB, are on the brink -- will it be an isolated event or a contagion that could infect the financial system?

New York Community Bank is in the midst of a financial storm, and we've got you covered with a dedicated website at GoldSilver.

While broader macroeconomic trends are always what’s most significant for the gold price during any given election, some interesting trends emerge when you look at the numbers. And when an election is contentious, historic, or chaotic as 2024’s promises to be, the outcome is all the more significant for gold.

As forecasted, the U.S. Natgas price has now fallen below the $2 level and will likely continue even lower.  Unfortunately, the ENERGY CLIFF is impacting the Natgas Market the most as the U.S. Henry Hub price is now falling below the total cost of production...

In response to declining sales driven by increased menu prices, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski has announced a strategic pivot towards affordability in 2024. The announcement comes after the fast-food giant faced backlash for pricing a Big Mac combo meal at nearly $18, a move that alienated its core customer base. Despite achieving a 3.4% growth in global same-store sales for the latest quarter, McDonald's fell short of the anticipated 4.7% growth, a shortfall attributed to both the price hikes and impacts from Middle Eastern conflicts on overseas franchisees. This resulted in a nearly 4% drop in McDonald's stock price to $285.97.

The US commercial real estate market's difficulties have now spread to Europe. Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG in Germany has become the latest bank to face challenges, with its bonds dropping due to its significant exposure to the troubled real estate sector. The bank has had to unexpectedly increase its financial cushions because of the “persistent weakness of the real estate markets.” It described the current turmoil as the “greatest real estate crisis since the financial crisis.” The situation is made even worse by rising interest rates, which have lowered property values worldwide. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen acknowledges the concern but believes the issue is manageable, even as the US office market suffers from decreased values post-pandemic, with predictions of further declines ahead.

Total gold demand hit an all-time high in 2023, according to a recent report released by the World Gold Council.
Last week, the World Gold Council (WGC) released its Gold Demand Trends report, which tracks developments in the demand for and use of gold around the world. Excluding over-the-counter (OTC) trade, 2023 gold demand fell slightly from 2022 to just under 4,500 tonnes. With OTC demand accounted for, last year’s demand peaked at 4,899 tonnes, the highest figure ever recorded.

Despite indicators of a strong economy, including brisk consumer spending, moderated inflation, and an unemployment rate holding below 4% for two years, Americans remain pessimistic about their economic future. This paradox has left economists, investors, and business owners puzzled. However, when digging deeper, it becomes clear that this sentiment is rooted in concerns over long-term financial security, which many feel is threatened by broader social and political issues...

While it doesn't approach having the same wealth-protecting power of gold or silver, platinum is a precious metal that just never quite gets the love it deserves. Practically speaking, other than jewelry, platinum is best known as a crucial element for catalytic converters for cars. But it’s also used in manufacturing everything from jet engines and missiles to semiconductors and fertilizers. 

New York Community Bancorp (NYCB) is actively working to calm investor nerves during a tumultuous week that saw its stock plummet by 60%. The turmoil was made worse when Moody's decided to downgrade the bank's credit rating to junk. In a late-night press release, NYCB disclosed that its total deposits have increased since the close of 2023, and its total liquidity pool of $37.3 billion now surpasses its uninsured deposit levels. This move is seen as an effort to restore confidence and stability in the face of recent financial challenges.