Since Nayib Bukele became president of El Salvador, El Salvador has been in American media and global political discussion more than ever. While much of the attention focuses on Bukele’s mass incarceration of gang members and a decline in homicide of over 70%, Bukele has also drawn attention to his favoritism towards Bitcoin and how he has pushed El Salvador to embrace cryptocurrency.
With gold hitting yet another awe-inspiring all-time high in the wake of Powell’s remarks reassuring markets (more or less) to expect rate cuts in 2024, a few analysts are pointing out risk factors for a correction — so is there really still room to run?
Gold hit a new all-time nominal high, surpassing the previous record set in December of the previous year. The precious metal’s price reached approximately $2,140, indicating a robust and continuing interest in gold as a safe-haven asset, despite a rather peculiar lack of fanfare from the media and retail investors. This latest peak in gold prices was notably recorded without the typical surge in public buying that usually accompanies such milestones. Instead, there has been a consistent outflow from gold ETFs, suggesting that the retail sector has been selling rather than accumulating during this rally.
The gold price has been surging, with unprecedented central bank demand gobbling up supply. It has been a force to behold — especially as US monetary policy has been relatively tight since 2022, and 10-year Treasury yields have rocketed up, which generally puts firm downward pressure on gold against USD.
Total gold demand hit an all-time high in 2023, according to a recent report released by the World Gold Council.
Last week, the World Gold Council (WGC) released its Gold Demand Trends report, which tracks developments in the demand for and use of gold around the world. Excluding over-the-counter (OTC) trade, 2023 gold demand fell slightly from 2022 to just under 4,500 tonnes. With OTC demand accounted for, last year’s demand peaked at 4,899 tonnes, the highest figure ever recorded.
The VIX, often referred to as ‘Wall Street’s fear gauge,‘ is currently portraying a sense of calm among investors, registering well below the 20 level.
Citizens of Georgia, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Kansas may soon enjoy lower taxes on precious metals if recently introduced pro-metal bills are made law in 2024.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released two inflation reports highlighting inflation figures for December 2023. Here’s what they showed:
On Wednesday, January 10th, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) made an interesting decision, voting to allow everyday folks to participate in spot bitcoin ETFs. This move marks an opening for a broader audience to delve into Bitcoin speculation.
The approved ETFs are set to be listed on various exchanges, including Nasdaq, the New York Stock Exchange, and the Chicago Board Options Exchange. This is supposed to provide an additional layer of oversight. But the announcement went terribly wrong, amplifying concerns about the ETFs.
Bills filed in Florida and Oklahoma for the 2024 legislative session would create state precious metals bullion depositories. State-run bullion depositories would not only create a place to store precious metals; they could also encourage the use of sound money in those states and set the stage to undermine the Federal Reserve’s monopoly on money.
