Precious metals news

I've written several Fun on Friday columns about eating gold.  I told you about the golden goose. I told you about the LA steakhouse that will serve you a nicely cooked steak garnished with gold flakes. I even told you about an Indian caterer who responded to a couple's request to "stun" their wedding guests by making them "poop gold."
Of course, if you're going to eat, you're also probably going to want to drink.  If so, I've got something to tell you about. You've heard beer referred to as the "golden brew," right? Well, a brewery in Ohio is taking that term very literally.

North American funds gobbled up gold last month as gold-backed ETFs collectively added 22.5 tons of the yellow metal globally in March.
Overall, gold-backed ETFs increased their holdings to 2,415 tons worth an estimated $102.8 billion, according to data released by the World Gold Council.

China is the biggest holder of U.S. debt. As of January 2018....

Beijing has a strong grip on banks, the news media & politics, & it seems willing to take advantage of vulnerabilities in the American political system.

The market is paying very much attention to the dollar....

The benchmark gauge, which is down as much as 2.9 percent on the day, has traded around this technical level almost every day for the past two weeks.

Gold: The undisputed, once and future king of the flight to safety trade.

Meanwhile, thanks to a hurricane boost that is clearly fading, let's all pretend the economy is strengthening.

"Since failing systems are incapable of structural reform, collapse is the only way forward."

Only this time, P/Es are higher and there's no booming postwar economy to fall back on.

The last time offshore yuan was this strong relative to the US Dollar, China devalued its currency, sending a ripple of broken carry-trades through the financial markets and raising volatility everywhere.

The Dow fell 350 points after President Trump threatened to escalate the US confrontation with China over trade.

Eric says it's hard to really know what's going on because there's just not enough gold out there to satisfy the true demand. Here's more...

The trade war, regardless of outcome, is a boon for the gold price.

Vanguard founder and former CEO Jack Bogle tells CNBC he's never seen so much turbulence in the equity market.

"Once short-term rates hit 3 percent, that will be enough to drive up defaults and cause a recession."

The Federal Reserve of New York just announced that they let $14.6 billion of Treasury Notes. Only $2,262,252,278.90 to go! You can actually see the decline in the Fed's balance sheet ... finally! The Fed is on the slow train from Philly.  

"China could trigger a Wall St. crash with large sales of its $1.2 trillion holding of US Treasuries."

Retailers like Sears and Toys R Us with massive floor plans are the ones shuttering stores.

"U.S. investment-grade bonds posted their worst first quarter since 1996."