Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. And it bears mention that most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at investing in autographed books. (See the Tangibles Investing section.)
Precious Metals:
Gold and Silver Shine During the Race to Debase
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The view from India: ‘Gold will be the best asset class to invest in 2019’
Economy & Finance:
At Zero Hedge: The $6 Trillion Pension Bailout Is Coming
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Ultra-Low Mortgage Rates No Relief for Home Sales
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US consumer sentiment hits 98.4 in July, vs. 98.5 estimate
Commodities:
Could A Battery Metal Shortage Derail The EV Boom?
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Central Bank Action Could Send Oil Higher
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Forex & Cryptos:
JPMorgan: We Believe The Dollar Could Lose Its Status As World’s Reserve Currency. Here is a pericope:
“As Cembalest put it back in January 2012, “I am reminded of the following remark from late MIT economist Rudiger Dornbusch: ‘Crisis takes a much longer time coming than you think, and then it happens much faster than you would have thought.'”
Perhaps it is not a coincidence then that in light of the growing number of mentions of MMT and various other terminal, destructive monetary policies that have been proposed to kick on the current financial system the can just a little bit longer, that the topic of longevity of reserve currency status is once again becoming all the rage, and none other than JPMorgan’s Private Bank ask in this month’s investment strategy note whether ‘the dollar’s “exorbitant privilege’ is coming to an end?
So why is JPM, after first creating the iconic chart above which has since spread virally across all financial corners of the internet, not only worried that the dollar’s reserve status may be coming to an end, but in fact goes so far as to state that ‘we believe the dollar could lose its status as the world’s dominant currency (which could see it depreciate over the medium term) due to structural reasons as well as cyclical impediments.'”
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Reader H.L. sent this: The world can’t get enough of the $100 bill
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ECB Money Printing Is ‘Rocket Fuel’ for Bitcoin Price, Says Pompliano
Tangibles Investing:
Do Autographs Increase in Value? A Study
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A Guide to Buying and Collecting Signed Books
Provisos:
SurvivalBlog and its Editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for our detailed disclaimers.
News Tips:
Please send your economics and investing news tips to JWR. (Either via e-mail of via our Contact form.) These are often especially relevant, because they come from folks who closely watch specific markets. If you spot any news that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers, then please send it in. News from local news outlets that is missed by the news wire services is especially appreciated. And it need not be just about commodities and precious metals. Thanks!
Re: Ultra Low Mortgage Rates
Interesting read. Especially the comments. I found them extremely varied in that different people seem to be experiencing this economy very differently even in the same regions. Probably always that way to some degree but seems amplified right now.
Today’s warning from Ron Paul. Yep, he is still at it.
The Biggest Bubble Ever: The Burst Will Be A Disaster!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2R1HsiM2NM
Dr. Ron Paul is the most honorable, perhaps the last liberty-minded person serving in Congress in my lifetime.
Be your own Central Bank.The only assets that have held their value for the last 6000 years are gold and silver.Some of our prepper friends lament that they can’t afford to buy precious metals.I say that they can’t afford not to.
When we become a barter society,cash won’t buy squat!!By all means take care of your food,water,medical,and security preps first,but please don’t forget the metals.Your children will thank you!!
God Bless All,and Long Live The Republic.
Ron Paul was one of the few in Congress pointing out the folly of war with Iraq. One of my heroes.
Carry on
Will the ‘pension crisis’ …er…scam be the straw that breaks the camel’s back ? If it as bad as this article suggests, yes it could. The Wall Street bailout of 2008 was Ten Trillion dollars. And another Ten Trillion went to the Euro-peon banks. Well, WHO has the money to bail out the prom pension funds so that they can pay the promised pension payments ? Hey, they’re lookin’ at US. US and U.S. that is.
RON PAUL
Never forget
I think that precious metals are a very good hedge and should be part of a portfolio. Throughout the world it seems India is one good illustration of its value stoe capability.
I am curious though about the value of gold and silver in a truly collapsed economy. I have read that gold was close to worthless to the common man in post war Japan. Gold jewlry was supposedly flying out people’s hand in exchange for food and other necessities. Bar soap, chocolate and cigarettes were supposedly the best currencies. I read this a long time ago and have not been able to able to find this information again.
Does anyone have information on the actual value of gold and silver in daily trade in a collapsed economy? Perhaps postwar Japan, Germany, postfall Russia, African nations, Venezuela? I am looking for example of people buying food or other basics with small quantities of gold or silver?
There are several scenarios. Gold and silver would only be good to sustain generational wealth or to rebuild once “the dust”, whatever that might be, settled. You might be able to pay off large debts like your mortgage. Perhaps farmers or those with adequate supplies would take gold or silver. In the daily food survival grind you would lose a lot of value trying to trade precious metals for food. If you were the desperate one, you might pay an ounce of gold for a dozen eggs! It is better to have stuff to trade like lighters, or cigarettes, chocolate, can openers, soap, etc., to trade for food. Buy a lot of King Oscar sardines – lol. They are good and don’t take up much space. I gave Walmart the once over early this morning, and they really are low on a lot of canned vegetables and meats. Stock up!
Medicine, and medical knowledge, after food, staying alive or just healthy will be more valuable than silver. After common caliber ammunition, will be antibiotics, and other life saving meds, more desirable. Stored correctly, close to, but not lower than freezing, in airtight containers, mylar, glass jars, oxygen absorbers not necessary, and stored in total darkness, antibiotics and other chemical compounds, can be self stable for decades with modest, if any degradation in effectiveness. And antibiotics are not just about saving the life of an individual, but team member. Why lose family, or a highly motivated prepper, because one did not have 10 bucks worth of antibiotics?
Look at prices and availability at fishmoxfishflox.com: https://fishmoxfishflex.com/
Purchased in bulk, and dividing doses into courses per a protocol for the extreme case illness, for a family of 10, the cost person to cover one course ,or incident of many different or common infections and diseases, is only $114.00 per person. Buy more, and supply neighbors. What is the value of some one you love? All the gold and silver is no good, if live saving medicine, is simply nowhere to be found. And it won’t be.
If our country suffers an economic/financial collapse, we will then be living in a barter society.There will only be memories of your portfolio.Fiat currency will have no value.
Soap,cigarettes,and chocolate are great barter items——until they run out
Even the canned goods that you stock up on at Wal Mart will be consumed completely.
Gold and Silver are available in one tenth,one quarter,and one half ounce fractional.I wonder why? Maybe it’s because that if you are “the desperate one” you won’t have to spend your ounce for a dozen eggs.
Maintaining generational wealth is nice to think about. But if you don’t have all your preps in order,you may find yourself up the SHTF creek without a paddle.
I’m surprised that a fellow prepper so savy in the requirements of antibiotics and common caliber ammo would dismiss gold and silver.
Ron Paul is a wise man.I think he would tell us to cover all the bases.