It’s already looking like it could be a dramatic year for the US dollar, and a good time to check in on a few of the major troubled currencies around the world: the Turkish Lira, Argentine Peso, and Russian Ruble.
JD and Joel discuss this week: why gold is down, Peter Schiff’s best takes on Biden’s Super Bowl shrinkflation ad, and thoughts about “the best time” to sell gold.
During this week’s Super Bowl ads, Biden slammed greedy corporations for inflation. In his most recent podcast, Peter explains exactly what’s happening with inflation, and why Biden’s blame game has it backward.
The silver price has dipped since December, from almost $26 per ounce to around $22 today. We reported on silver being a relative bargain at the time, and with lower spot prices and an even higher gold/silver ratio today, gold’s monetary sibling is looking like an even more attractive buy than it was late last year.
When members of Congress aren’t passing laws, holding committee meetings, or more cynically fundraising endless dollars, some of them choose to pass the time by trading stocks. And for whatever reason, keen insight or perhaps insider trading, members of Congress tend to beat the market.
Federal Budget
The Federal Government publishes the spending and revenue numbers every month. The charts and tables below give an in-depth review of the Federal Budget, showing where the money is coming from, where it is going, and the surplus or deficit.
This month saw a $22B deficit.
Jerome Powell’s 60 Minutes portrayal of the national debt crisis as a distant concern starkly contrasts with the urgent reality we face. Peter Schiff doesn’t mince words in his most recent podcast when he highlights the immediate threat:
In this week’s Friday Gold Wrap Podcast, JD and Joel discuss why gold is down this week, Powell’s comments on 60 Minutes about the debt, and some Valentine’s Day thoughts inspired by Austrian economist Carl Menger.
While broader macroeconomic trends are always what’s most significant for the gold price during any given election, some interesting trends emerge when you look at the numbers. And when an election is contentious, historic, or chaotic as 2024’s promises to be, the outcome is all the more significant for gold.
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.