Category: Economics & Investing

Economics & Investing For Preppers

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 how collectibles and other tangibles fare in times of inflation. (See the Tangibles Investing section.) Precious Metals: Hedge funds will remain bearish on gold price until the Fed slows its pace of tightening. o  o  o Could a Red Wave Cool Off the Retail Bullion Market? Economy & Finance: …


October 2022 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover gold’s performance, and the factors that affected gold prices. What Did Gold Do in October? Central bank rate hike programs depressed gold prices as the month went on in October. The dollar smashed all other currencies during October, fueled by the Fed’s determination to keep raising rates until something breaks. This added to the pressure on gold prices, as it became more expensive when bought with other currencies. Prices recovered temporarily when market expectations grew …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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 developing diesel fuel shortage. (See the Commodities section.) Precious Metals: Bill Introduced in Congress to Restore Gold Standard. o  o  o Egon von Greyerz: $2 Quadrillion Debt Precariously Resting On $2 Trillion Gold. Economy & Finance: Is Credit Suisse a Canary in the Financial Industry Coal Mine? o  …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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 global credit market turmoil that started in England. (See the Economy & Finance section.) Precious Metals: Goldman on what oil and gold have to offer: this commodity is ‘welcome opportunity’. o  o  o Hedge funds are still bearish; gold investors want more proof the Fed will slow its …


Red States Have To Build Alternative Economies, by Brandon Smith

Economic centralization is the ultimate form of organized conspiratorial power, because it allows a small group of people to dictate the terms of trade for a society and therefore dictate the terms of each person’s individual survival. For example, the Federal Reserve as a banking entity has free rein to assert policy controls that can disrupt the very fabric of the US economy and the buying power of our currency. They can (and do) arbitrarily create trillions of dollars from thin air causing inflation, or arbitrarily raise interest rates and crash stock markets. And according to former Fed chairman Alan …


While Inflation Refuses to Go Away, Gold Refuses to Go Up, by Arkadiusz Sieroń

The recent Consumer Price Index (CPI) report shows that inflation remains high. It implies a hawkish Fed and bearish gold. To paraphrase a famous Pink Floyd song, I wish you weren’t here, inflation! The CPI increased 0.4% in September, after rising 0.1% in August, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The move was slightly higher than expected and occurred despite a 2.1% decline in the energy index. What’s really bad, especially for the poorest households, is that food prices continued to rise. The food index rose 0.8% for the month, the same as August, and was up 11.2% from …


CBDCs: From Blockchains to Tyrant’s Chains

Today, in place of my regular Economics & Investing column, I’m posting my predictions for the nascent sovereign cryptocurrencies — now commonly called Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs.)  The CBDCs will use a variant of the blockchain technology that was first created for Bitcoin. But unlike private cryptos that use a fully distributed semi-anonymous network, control of the CBDC will be centralized and monitored. My predictions reflect my views on history, trends in governance, recognition of mankind’s sinful nature, certain chaotic variables, and some historical parallels. I may fall short in predicting some of the particulars, but I feel quite …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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, a historical view of how inflation precipitates societal collapse. (See the Inflation Watch section.) Precious Metals: Société Générale sees gold prices falling to $1,550 in 2023 and recovering to $1,900 by 2024. o  o  o The Dollar, Safe Haven or Leaky Lifeboat? Economy & Finance: In Fortune: ‘These are very, very serious …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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 sagging fortunes of Credit Suisse. (See the Derivatives section.) Precious Metals: It appears that the currently atypical gold-to-platinum ratio is starting to revert. When I last checked, gold was down to around $1,675.50 per Troy ounce and platinum was up to $919.20 per Troy ounce. So we can …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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 stocking up on fasteners, for construction. (See the Tangibles Investing section.) Precious Metals: Trading the Gold-Silver Ratio. o  o  o Credit Suisse & USD Policy: Signposts of Systemic Implosion to Gold Explosion. Economy & Finance: At Zero Hedge: “It’s A Global Margin Call. I Hope We Survive”. o  o  …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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 volatile precious metals markets. (See the Tangibles Investing section.) Precious Metals: Video: Gold and Silver Shortage Update: Demand for Physical Gold & Silver is ‘Off the Charts’. o  o  o Gold Forecast: With the USDX Rallying Again, Are Lower Gold Prices in Sight? o  o  o Neils Christensen: …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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 Europe’s economic and monetary woes. Precious Metals: Understanding the Silver Planchet Shortage at the U.S. Mint. o  o  o From a chartist perspective: Gold Price Forecast – Crisis Indicators Flashing Red, Gold Near Critical Bottom. Economy & Finance: France24: ‘Severe economic slowdown’ awaits Europe as energy crunch bites. o  …


The Fed’s Strong USD Policy: A Recipe For Systemic Implosion, by Matthew Piepenberg

From Main Street USA to the village corners and central banks of Europe, Japan, and elsewhere, the Fed’s strong USD policy is backfiring—big time. Just ask the Brits… Having spent years creating the inflation (QE1 to unlimited QE, Repo bailouts, massive money supply expansion, and an historical wealth transfer from an inflated, Fed-driven stock market), the Fed will be cleaning up its own inflation mess on the backs of the U.S. working class and its other global “allies” while blaming the CPI inflation on Putin, Covid and climate change. How’s that for rigged to fail? But that’s just the beginning, and …


September 2022 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover gold’s performance, and the factors that affected gold prices. This is an abbreviated Month in Precious Metals column, due to Hurricane Ian striking southwest Florida. Factors Affecting Gold This Month INFLATION Inflation indicators resumed their climb in September after some slightly encouraging signs that it might be topping out in August. Average inflation in the EU hit a record 10.0% this month, putting the ECB in a tough spot in its efforts to break the …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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 auction prices for collectible guns and numismatic coins. (See the Tangibles Investing section.) Precious Metals: The relationship between the silver price, inventories, and comex positions. o  o  o Silver Options Strategy: How low is too low? o  o  o Gold Price Forecast – Crisis Indicators Flashing Red, Gold Near …