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 presidential election’s effects on the markets.
Precious Metals:
Central Banks Sell Gold for First Time in a Decade
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Gold Price Forecast: Next Surge To Follow US Election
Budgets & Public Debt:
Reader H.L. sent us this: The Fed’s Balance Sheet May Be Headed to $40–$50 Trillion
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In The Wall Street Journal: U.S. States Face Biggest Cash Crisis Since the Great Depression
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Charting America’s Debt: $27 Trillion and Counting
Economy & Finance:
At Zero Hedge: Von Greyerz: “Get Ready For The Biggest Collapse In Human History”
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Hotels: Occupancy Rate Declined 31.7% Year-over-year
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At Wolf Street: High Times in the Plague Year: Booze & Cannabis Retailers Shine
Commodities:
China Increasing Purchases of U.S. Farm Commodities
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Seeking Alpha reports: Crude oil wraps up worst week since April on demand concerns
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Andy Hecht: Election Results and Commodity Prices
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At Wolf Street: What Oil Companies Face: The WTF-Collapse of Consumption of Gasoline & Jet Fuel from Long-Term Weakness
Derivatives:
Algos make market thinner, but not less liquid – BIS
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Forex & Cryptos:
Weekly Forex Forecast (podcast)
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How Does The US Election Affect The US Dollar?
The article begins:
“An election year is often a time of uncertainty for societies that practice a democratic or parliamentary form of government. Issues facing the nation’s economy, judicial system, as well as future control over the government’s legislative branch in coming midterm elections make their way to the forefront during the presidential election cycle.
From a trading and investing standpoint, the basic rule of thumb regarding the marketplace of financial securities is simple: Traders and investors do not appreciate looming uncertainty. The U.S. presidential elections provide a voracious debate upon the direction of the country, and more importantly, provide uncertainty unto the marketplace.
Equities, futures and forex markets are all interested in the relative strength of the United States dollar, and ultimately that strength is based upon the economic health of the nation as a whole. The U.S. presidential election has a great bearing on the direction of the domestic economy, and the potential influence on the USD itself can be substantial.”
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Investors Ramp Up Bets on Market Turmoil Around Election
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Avanti Financial Joins Kraken as a Wyoming-Approved Crypto Bank
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Bitcoin monthly candle closes above $13K for the first time since 2017
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Election 2020: What’s at Stake for the Crypto Industry
Tangibles Investing:
Apartment Prices Are Crashing In Major Cities Worldwide
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Gun sales are soaring. And it’s not just conservatives stocking up. A snippet:
“Left-leaning retirees have been coming through the doors in droves, waiting in lines alongside ranchers and overlooking the blue Trump-Pence posters that hang near the hunting rifles.
Winton said many are like the older couple that recently came in to buy a gun for the first time.
‘They were self-described Berkeley liberals who said they were preparing for the coming societal collapse,’ he said.”
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 items from local news outlets that are missed by the news wire services are especially appreciated. And it need not be only about commodities and precious metals. Thanks!
re:
“…self-described Berkeley radicals…”
Refresh my memory…
Is Berkeley surrounded by hundreds of thousands of experienced thieves?
And drug addicts?
And professional robbers?
And murderers?
And predators on the weak and those relying on hope-and-wishes and a college degree?
[ some overlap ]
From our rural Oregon farm with a dozen or so outdoors folk in permanent residence, pointing in disgust at ‘Berkeley radicals’ accomplishes nothing.
For their health and longevity, I think ‘Berkeley radicals’ could use a dose of reality… such as Californians’ Ten-Day Cooling-Off Period for a legalized purchase of a firearm.
And the fact they have nothing to fear from me.
Which direction ought these ‘Berkeley radicals’ focus their fears?
Their neighbors and the San Andreas Fault and plastic straws?
That’d be a good start.
Berkeley radicals are irrelevant. Their reality is make believe from a galaxy far far away. It’s a
waste of time to consider them at all.
They only need a single shot handgun to committ sucide
sorry, but LOL!
Wanted to share a couple of verses today. The first Isaiah 26:3 is one of my favorites. The other Isaiah 26:20 I have read many times but as I was reading this section over the weekend struck me.
Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Isaiah 26:20 Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the fury has passed by.
I’m not suggesting we bury our heads in the sand and ignore everything. I am saying we should hide ourselves in the Lord. Stay focused on Him, read your bibles and be constant in prayer. Remember God has a plan for each of us, for the nations and for the world and he will bring those plans to fruition. Stay safe and remember God has not given us a spirit of fear but of courage…
Gods grace, peace and blessings for all this week.
BWL: ..enter …shut your doors.. is the reason we prepare, so we don’t have to go out til we know what is going on.
Well said, Brother (or Sister, as the case may be). Appropriate passages for our time.
Ahh the ole zero hedge gloom n doom weekly
Matt, you’re so right! 🙂
However I do think the piece about precious metals (Von Greyerz) is correct. The writer knows his stuff … and yes, I ‘know’ he sells PM’s, but still.
Like JWR, I want tangible assets!!!
Egon Van Greyerz is a man to pay attention to. He knows the difference between gloom and
doom and reality.
I find Zero Hedge`s news to useful, even if their interpretation of it tends to be doom and gloom.
Exploding Debt Means $100,000 Gold – Bill Holter & Jim Sinclair
https://youtu.be/UU26H5iWbAo
I wonder if all the left leaning purchasers are Biden/Harris (the gun take away team) voters. If so, what are they thinking. If they can think clearly, they should all be Republican voters now or their new purchase may be a waste.
“… what are they thinking”?, LOL! Good One!
I never assume they are ‘thinking’!
As always, hoping you…
Seymour Liberty
Everybody ready????
Got more cash today and topped off the gas tank.
Working on installing the generator.
Canning like crazy this week and listening to scripture (youtube).
I actually have a lot of peace, and I don’t know what that means exactly. I sure hope it means the country will not spiral out of control and that the Lord hears our prayers and is responding to save us.
Amen.
Topped off the tanks and made a final run to the warehouse store. Although most of the stocks looked normal, the bottled water was nearly gone and the TP pallets were all completely empty. Both were full a few weeks ago.
Similar for us in Costco the other day. Paper gone water almost empty and very little cleaning supplies. Many (although often looks like that in Costco) were stocking up. Meats were a bit low as well. Well, election day is upon us. Time to pray and be sure to have voted. God Bless.
Went to Walmart today and the store was full stocked AND there were pallets of more goods to be stocked everywhere. I mean literally 100 pallets of foodstuff out on the floor probably to be stocked overnight. I went to Fred Meyers and picked up T-bones for $4.98 a lb. Too much beef on sale for me to buy since my fridge is full.
My Walmart was getting its rifles and shotguns restocked after the abortive corporate mission to have them hidden in the back bit the Arkansas retailer in the, well, you know!
TXCOMT