Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we examine the impact of new tariffs.
Precious Metals:
Central Bank Gold Buying Remained Strong to Kick Off 2025.
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Silver Extends Rally Amid Risk-Off Sentiment.
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Gold’s Price Disruption Eases as Trump Tariff Trade ‘Exhausted’.
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A Jim Willie interview video: SWAP IT ALL, TODAY! My Last Message To Gold and Silver Stackers in Q1 2025. JWR’s Comments: I hate to see useful interviews chopped up and disjointed like this. Ignore the distracting interspersed AI-generated images. I concur with Jim Willie that a formal revaluation of gold is likely during Trump’s second term.
Economy & Finance:
New US Tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico Take Effect. Here is a pericope:
“Reciprocal Tariffs Plan – On 13th February, the administration published the ‘Fair and Reciprocal Plan’ in which the President mandates the creation of a comprehensive plan for ‘restoring fairness in U.S. trade relationships and countering non-reciprocal trading arrangements. within 180 days or by mid-August’ In the associated briefings, the administration made clear that this plan would look not just at direct tariffs but indirect discrimination like value added, and sales taxes imposed on U.S. goods.
Port Entry Charge – The U.S. Trade Representative’s office has published a draft proposal to implement a new charge of up to $1.5 million per landing every time a company using a Chinese-built vessel enters a U.S. port. This is a move seen to counter the dramatic shift in global shipbuilding away from the U.S. to China but will have a direct impact on shipping costs of imported goods.”
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From the left-leaning AP: Trump’s trade war draws swift retaliation as Mexico, Canada and China impose tariffs on the US.
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A Daily Signal piece linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Made in America: Trump Racks Up $3 Trillion of Investments in US Economy.
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At Zero Hedge: Citi Does It Again, Mistakenly Credits Client Account With $81 Trillion Instead Of $280.
Commodities:
Reader J.P.V. sent us this: South Korea and US to form working group on Alaska LNG project, tariffs.
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At Wolf Street: Drill-Baby-Drill for 20 Years: US Natural Gas Production and Exports via LNG & Pipeline Rose to New Records in 2024.
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From OilPrice News: Refinery Shutdowns, Growing Demand Could Send Fuel Inventories to 25-year Low.
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Rare Earths in Ukraine Caught in Geopolitical Crossfire.
Regulation:
Yet another change to the pending FinCen small business reporting requirement! I received this from the Idaho Secretary of State [with emphasis added]:
“Today, FinCEN announced that it will not issue any fines or penalties or take any other enforcement actions against any companies based on any failure to file or update beneficial ownership information (BOI) reports pursuant to the Corporate Transparency Act by the current deadlines. No fines or penalties will be issued, and no enforcement actions will be taken, until a forthcoming interim final rule becomes effective and the new relevant due dates in the interim final rule have passed. This announcement continues Treasury’s commitment to reducing regulatory burden on businesses, as well as prioritizing under the Corporate Transparency Act reporting of BOI for those entities that pose the most significant law enforcement and national security risks.
No later than March 21, 2025, FinCEN intends to issue an interim final rule that extends BOI reporting deadlines, recognizing the need to provide new guidance and clarity as quickly as possible, while ensuring that BOI that is highly useful to important national security, intelligence, and law enforcement activities is reported.”
Stay tuned for an announcement of the final-final-we-really-mean-it-this-time deadline. – JWR
Inflation/Deflation Watch:
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Fed Admits Inflation Battle Will Last Longer Than Expected.
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From the leftist/globalist The Economist: Do tariffs raise inflation?
Forex & Cryptos:
Deutsche Bank Sees Risk of US Dollar Losing Safe-Haven Status. Here is a quote from the March 4, 2025 article:
“The US dollar may lose its traditional safe-haven status as global markets adjust to a new geopolitical order, according to Deutsche Bank AG.
“We do not write this lightly. But the speed and scale of global shifts is so rapid that this needs to be acknowledged as a possibility,” said George Saravelos, the bank’s global head of FX strategy, in a note to clients. “It is hard to over-estimate the scale of change taking place in global economic and geopolitical relations in a matter of days.”
Deutsche Bank’s concerns follow a slump on the dollar on Tuesday that has caught out investors betting on further strength. A broad gauge of the greenback fell as much as 0.7% even as the US moved forward with tariffs on its main trading partners, which many viewed as likely to bolster the currency.”
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At Currency Thoughts: February 2025 in Figures.
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Trump to Host Historic Crypto Summit at White House.
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Trump names cryptocurrencies in strategic reserve, sending prices up.
Tangibles Investing:
Reader G.J. wrote to ask:
“Would you ever consider putting a tangible investment on a credit card?”
I replied:
“Yes, but only under limited and very specific “one-time opportunity” circumstances. I’d be sure to pay that bill off, very quickly. (Paying interest for no more than perhaps just one month.) For example, I plan to spend nearly $20,000 on gun parts and tooling, if a NFA registration amnesty is announced. There is a good chance of that happening in 2025 or 2026.”
BTW, I use and recommend the Capital One card, because of their quite favorable frequent flier miles/points program, which provides free flights, flight upgrades, and a very generous “cash back” program, for cashing out points. I often use that card when buying antique gun inventory for my mailorder business, just for the sake of amassing points. But I pay that card off completely, every month!
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Palmetto State Armory (one of our affiliate advertisers) has begun selling registered suppressors. They have automated the Federal $200 tax paperwork process. Just click on the “Suppressors Shipped to Your Door” link at the top of their web page. ATF suppressor form processing times have dropped dramatically –sometimes just two days for approval of forms submitted by individuals!
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 or 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 items from local news outlets that are missed by the news wire services are especially appreciated. Thanks!