The Consumer Price Index (CPI) drives markets and motivates policy, but it is nothing but speculation, estimation and wild guesses.
A recent “tweak” to the health insurance CPI reveals the formula is basically a scam.
Industrial demand for silver is expected to set a record in 2023.
According to a forecast by Metal’s Focus in conjunction with the Silver Institute, industrial silver demand is on pace to rise by 8% to a record 632 million ounces. Investment in photovoltaics, power grid, and 5G networks, along with growth in consumer electronics and rising vehicle output are key drivers behind the elevated industrial demand.
Greenlight Capital reported a major increase in its exposure to gold as the hedge fund’s founder worries about the direction of the markets. In a Q3 letter to investors, David Einhorn expressed concern about geopolitical uncertainty, the rising price of oil, and inflation.
For the first time in several months, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) came in cooler than expected in October, supercharging expectations that the Federal Reserve can relent on its inflation fight.
But is the optimism premature?
After running the third-largest budget deficit in US history in fiscal 2023, the Biden administration kicked off fiscal 2024 with another big budget shortfall.
Mainstream media pundits and politicians generally act unconcerned about the skyrocketing national debt and ever-growing budget deficits, but somebody has taken notice.
On Friday, Moody’s Investor Service lowered its outlook on US government credit from “stable” to “negative.” This could be a prelude to a downgrade in the country’s AAA credit rating. The agency typically resolves an outlook by either revising it back to stable or executing an actual downgrade within 18 to 24 months.
Silver demand for industrial applications, jewelry production and silverware fabrication is expected to nearly double over the next 10 years.
According to a report by Oxford Economics commissioned by the Silver Institute, the demand in these three sectors is forecast to increase by 42% between 2023 and 2033.
Mainstream financial network pundits and government officials keep telling us that the economy is chugging along because Americans continue to spend money. But it’s clear that borrowing is the only thing sustaining this spending spree.
Meanwhile, the “resilient” American consumer is drowning under a surging tidal wave of debt.
Central banks continued to gobble up gold.
Reported central bank gold reserves expanded by a net 77 tons in September with nine countries buying a ton or more.
The boom in AI could mean a boom in industrial demand for precious metals in 2024.
Metals Focus, an independent precious metals research consultancy, released a note recently that said it expects the increased demand for chips powering AI technology to drive “widespread support for a range of precious metals bearing components.”
