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. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at The Federal Reserve’s current repo market intervention. (See the Economy & Finance section.)
Economy & Finance:
The Federal Reserve’s new repo market intervention–the so-called “Not QE”–now has them consistently buying $60 billion in Treasury bills every month. This is essentially a desperation move to prevent short term interest rates from rising. But inevitably this is like trying to stop a rising tide. It is a futile effort. The rising rates are symptomatic of a much larger problem: Sovereign debt that is so enormous that it can never be re-paid. The Fed’s “Not QE” shenanigans cannot go on forever. At some point interest rates will rise, and there will be either be sovereign debt defaults (unlikely) or there will be mass inflation. Be prepared or the latter, folks. It is wise to diversify into compact liquid tangibles. Think: Silver. Gold. Guns. Lots of guns. Old guns. New guns. Guns without paperwork.
o o o
New Google Checking Accounts Threaten to Shake Up Banking Industry
o o o
Farm bankruptcies increase nationwide, report says
o o o
At Wolf Street: Negative Interest Rates Bite: Bundesbank Warns of Risks to Financial Stability, Moody’s Downgrades Outlook for German Banks
o o o
Japan considers issuing 50-year bonds to support yields
Commodities:
H.L. sent us this:
o o o
OilPrice News reports: Has U.S. Shale Seen Its Profits Peak?
o o o
The Next Stage Of The Electric Vehicle Boom
Equities Markets:
Five Warning Signs of Market ‘Euphoria’
o o o
Hedge Funds Suffer 8 Straight Months Of Redemptions: Longest Stretch Since The Financial Crisis
o o o
‘Bubbles Everywhere’ Suggest a Stock Market Crash is Coming, According to Nobel Laureate
Forex & Cryptos:
At Forex Crunch: Forex Weekly Outlook November 25-29 – US hard data and trade talks dominate
o o o
Crypto Markets Head for Worst Day in Two Months as Bitcoin Sentiment Shifts to ‘Extreme Fear’
o o o
Canada: Thieves Steal $4K From Bitcoin ATM, Leave $50K Untouched
o o o
Where’s the Ultimate Bottom for this Bitcoin Plunge? $5,100, Analyst Says
Tangibles Investing:
Tips on Buying an Old Winchester — Winchester Rifles Forum
o o o
A wise old piece written by Jim Carmichel: Three Rules: Shotguns as Investments
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 only about commodities and precious metals. Thanks!
Just like in the first Matrix movie “guns, lots of guns” LOL. I agree with you JWR. In light of the recent spread of red flag laws, and the fact that its never good to store all of ones eggs in the same basket regardless, do you have an extensive “food for thought list” on off site storage of guns? Holes in the ground on national forest? Trustworthy friends and relatives? Storage units? Please do tell.
Think P80 pistols and Lowers for ARs.
How you store them is up to you.
Exactly. You beat me to it.
Would like to see some info on how to go about acquiring guns without all sorts of paperwork and records attached to the sale. I’m not talking about the really old 1800’s stuff but later model handguns, rifles etc. I’ve only owned one gun, a shotgun,which I bought at Walmart with the standard paperwork and records check. I sold it after I no longer had livestock and was going to sell my farm. I sold it in a private sale by just putting an ad in a local paper. Realized then that my name is still attached to this gun- did have the buyer sign a paper stating I had sold it to him.
But if I’d prefer to buy a gun that doesn’t come with paperwork that identifies me as the owner(in case our gov’t decides to start mandatory gun take-backs) how do I go about doing this? I’m not going to find ads for guns on Craigslist, etc as guns aren’t allowed on these sites. Any gun dealer here is going to have to require all the paperwork which then creates an ownership trail. Maybe some info for those of us who are clueless about this would be useful?
Here is what I would recommend. First, try your local gun shows. At the ones close to me, private sales are pretty rare, but you do find them. Even if you don’t find any private sale guns at the local gun show, be sure to talk with people there, you never know what kind of leads you will turn up with the right connections. Second, Armslist. As is the case with gun shows, most of the guns there are sold by FFL holders, but you can make some good buys there. Finally, and the best in my experience, there is a locally operated classified website where I live, and they allow guns to be advertised. I would recommend looking for private sale AR lowers that you can then build into completed guns. This is what I have been trying to do. The final piece of advice is this; looking for private sale guns takes a little work, but a large amount of patience. Any advice from other posters would be great, this is just my experience.
Go to gun shows before they are no longer.
Stand outside and watch people get out of thier cars with guns and from a distance ( don’t crowd them in the parking lot) say hey are you selling that gun today and strike up a conversation. I do this alot. And some dealers have a guy outside the bigger gun shows that catch people with guns coming in to the show just to be the first offer on the weapon. Lots of folks strapped for money will not want to spend the fee to go into the show and will sell in parking lot! You have to know your guns and prices though. I buy like this all the time, cash is king of course.
Is there any concern that you are buying a “hot” gun(one that has been stolen or used in a crime) this way?
Always just drive the speed limit on your way home! Lol.
You want a gun with no paper work right? When the poop hits the fan who cares where it came from. Its happened to me once the police have called me and asked if I sold a weapon to a guy and I was honest and told the I bought it a ” gun show” I didn’t and don’t have record so they said good day. But now days I never resale unless the weapon has a issue that can’t be fixed, lots of people sell like new guns that they think have a problem, but they have not shot them enough to break them in. I bought a like new colt ar 15 in the 80s that the guy told me would jam and I bought it cheap, it had some Styrofoam from the packaging inside the chamber!
I cleaned it out with a pick and it worked fine!
I have a gun I bought in a private sale from an acquaintance and I worry about it having been stolen or even involved in a crime. Not that the acquaintance did something wrong but that somewhere along the line of it’s owners there could be a problem. So I am afraid to carry it, afraid to sell it and afraid to even have it around. What do I do with it???
There are still 37 States where private party sales are legal. Assuming that you live in one of those states: Watch your local newspaper ads. Attend gun shows INSIDE your state, and buy only from private parties. Lastly, watch Armslist.com, and search for listings INSIDE your state. Above all, PAY CASH.
Rats. I just checked and found out that private party gun sales were legal in my state until 2018 when the law changed to “protect us”. So I guess the only way I’m going to acquire a gun here now is by doing the paperwork and having the sale be registered. I hadn’t even realized the rules had changed since I sold my shotgun in a private sale……. Amazing how they manage to slip rule changes by us( for our own good of course!) and we sheeple don’t even notice……
Ani, since private sales aren’t allowed in ur state, an option is to travel to a nearby state to buy a gun(s) from private seller(s).
please tell Anon that he can go to a police station with his serial number of the weapon and they can run a check on it and see if its stolen. if it is surrender it to them and say he found it in a ditch. I really feel for the guy, he needs help in his situation.
I have considered that but it would still put me at legal risk and require lying possibly at some point lying under oath. To be honest the only solution I see is to take the gun into the deep woods and bury it. Only then can I be sure.
My method – join all mens clubs. Rifle/pistol club for quickest result. Let all indirectly know what you seek and are will to pay / compensate fair market price. Good luck in your hunt – be patient.
Ani, when I buy a gun from a private seller, I bring a blank bill of sale n write down the private seller’s name, address n phone number, date of sale, n serial number on the gun. So if the sheriffs deputy ever shows up at my door n says the gun was used for something illegal such as armed robbery, I can show him my bill of sale which will show when I bought the gun.
Re. Google Checking Accounts
I wonder who Millennials use for saving accounts.
My local credit union 😉
I don’t think the word “save” is in the vocabulary of many millennials. Most make withdrawals from the Bank of Mom and Dad.
Exactly! The dumbing-down of Millennials is no less a design to bleed out America than bank bailouts. They can tell you all about credit. But ask them to explain ‘compound interest’ and you’ll be looking at deer in the headlights.
WHOA !!
The advice about hanging out in the parking lot of Gun Shows and making offers to buy guns from people before they enter.
BE WARNED.
Plainclothes cops do this to entrap people.
Selling this way is a CRIME, and will get you Busted.
If you intend to sell your gun, be absolutely sure you know who you are selling it to !
Or, buying it from. It works both ways.
It is only a crime in the 13 States that have banned private party sales. It is perfectly legal in 37 States. That window of opportunity CLOSES in Nevada on December 31st.
Please list those 13 states. Thanks.
Here is the list. Depending on how you count them, there are as few as 13 and as many as 20 States, plus Washington, D.C. (Some state laws vary considerably):
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
D.C.: Private sellers in the District of Columbia must have a registration certificate in order to lawfully transfer a firearm
Hawaii
Illinois – Indirectly, via their FOID system
Iowa- Handguns only require five-year permit
Maryland
Massachusetts — if more than four transfers per year
Michigan — Handguns only
Nebraska: Partial {“Persons wishing to obtain handguns through private sellers (non-firearms dealers) must obtain either a handgun certificate or a concealed handgun permit”)
Nevada (as of January 1, 2020)
New Jersey — Now, most transfers require going through an FFL.
New Mexico — requirement started in July, 2019.
New York
North Carolina: “North Carolina law prohibits the sale or transfer of a handgun to a person who has not obtained a permit to purchase a handgun or a concealed handgun permit from the sheriff of the county in which the person resides”
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont: “Vermont’s law now requires an unlicensed seller and prospective recipient to appear together with the firearm at the premises of a licensed dealer to request that the dealer process the sale or transfer and conduct the required background check”
Washington state
And NJ now as well. Only transfers between close family members (with firearms I D card) may transfer without an FFL. Handguns between close family members do however need a pistol permit as well as a firearms I D card. Oh and as before a certificate of eligibility form completed as well. I believe the law went into effect in Sept this year for the ffl
I have a question concerning gun sales.
I live in Michigan and went to an Indiana gun show to sell or trade my pistol for something different. Someone came up to me and ask if I was getting rid of it. When he heard I lived in Mi. he said I couldn’t come to In. and sell it. Was he correct?
Yes. By Federal law you can only conduct private party sales inside your own state. The law has been that way since 1968. But of course you can sell to a FFL holder in ANY state.
Thanks for the list. Now I know which states never to visit while on vacation.
In Texas we can buy a gun one day on paperwork and the next day you can sell it in a parking lot sale to pay bills, as long as this is not a bonifide business for you, just glance at the drivers license to make sure the person is of age. Perfectly legal. Its the law for now. Just don’t buy a machinegun from a undercover ATF agent. LOL.
Banking with Google? Are these the people that sell every bit of information they gather from you to the highest bidder? Banking is tenuous enough but at least you can go to your local bank and burn it down if they refuse to give you your money. Google will be just like crypto currencies. Ever try and get ahold of Google to straighten something out, good luck on that.
Japan selling 50 year bonds? we should live so long, imagine buying a 1% bond and watching 3-4% inflation going on for 50 years, return on your money about negative 300%, unless they have an official currency devaluation in which case you should have burned your money to heat your house, at least you would have realized some benefit from it. Buying stuff is the best return on your money in times of trouble, as JWR says tangibles. Guns, Au and Ag and lead are great but you need to consider all the other stuff you will need. For example I buy long on a lot of items as they are something that we use and it pays a good return on the investment. Dish soap, Salt. many spices that you use that do not deteriorate that are imported, pepper corns, cinnamon, cloves etc. Think about foods, if you do not have dehydrated bananas and something happens you will not be getting any more of those. When I think about all the things that will not be available the list just keeps getting longer. Just like an ant I keep adding stuff a bit at a time. We recently moved and even I was staggered by the amount of preps we have.
When buying privately guns privately, I believe both the buyer and seller must live in the same state.
If you have financial means to buy guns from what ever source maybe it would be wise to use some of that money for PMs.
At least for now the government is not greatly interested in how much gold or silver you have or who you bought it from.
When you look at your arsenal and know that security requirements are in order then it’s time to work on tangibles that will feed the family daily.
“Before 1998, bad parents had little more than their morals to worry about when they split town and failed to support their children. That changed that year because Bill Clinton signed into law the Deadbeat Parents Punishment Act. For the government, one benefit of the law was to encourage a support system so fewer mothers would have to go on welfare. For the parents, it made it a crime to cross state lines to avoid paying child support”.( from Legal Beagle.com)
Buy a fishing,hunting,ANY recreational license since 1998…you MUST provide Soc Sec #..you are now and have been in database as owning firearms…
Don’t turn them in…credit cards, electricity,water,social sec payments etc..will be turned OFF until you comply.
Archery hunter? You started out as a shooter…then as skill levels progressed, you wanted more challenge. So your .22lr, 12ga,30-30, now just sit in closet..but we know you have them.
One correction, that is the Deadbeat fathers Punishment Act. You can be a dead beat mother and get away with it.
If/when the time comes that having purchased a legal firearm that then becomes illegal, owning an “undocumented” firearm will be of no value as the willingness to use it has already been forfeited.
Said another way “when you feel the need to bury your firearms…it is time to dig them up.”
Same goes for “pre-18 whatever antiques.”
Based on history, and given the fanatical hatred now exhibited by the religiously zealot followers of atheistic socialism, once disarmed we will submit to their utopian hell, or be imprisoned/killed.
I just do not know at what point the line is crossed where words stop and actions start.
Ani, look into 80% lowers for long guns and handguns. Might be a viable option for you to go without paperwork. All of the other parts are not recorded at sale
It was here, on this topic that I meant to post the link to Salvation Army now accepting cyber money.
So: https://wqad.com/2019/11/08/the-salvation-army-adds-electronic-payment-options-to-red-kettle-campaign/
Goodbye cash?
Carry on
I feel for you people I live in a state were anything goes pretty much I have more than sixty guns over half through private sale. A local cop was moving to state with strict gun laws new I was always in market bought fifteen and all his vests in deal. Talk with local fire department or local barbers they usually know sellers and buyers