Peter’s Blog

U.S. consumer confidence suffered a sharp blow yesterday, plummeting 7.2 points to 92.9, according to the latest data from the Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index. Alarmingly, the Expectations Index, which measures consumers’ short-term outlook on the economy, tumbled to 65.2—its lowest level in 12 years—breaking well below the critical 80-point threshold that traditionally signals an […]

Money Supply is a very important indicator. It helps show how tight or loose current monetary conditions are regardless of what the Fed is doing with interest rates. Even if the Fed is tight, if Money Supply is increasing, it has an inflationary effect.

Freshly-confirmed U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently appeared on CBS News, declaring that President Trump aims to eliminate income taxes for Americans earning less than $150,000 per year. Lutnick touted Trump’s vision for tariffs to replace the revenue lost from this massive tax cut.

Last week Peter appeared on Fox Business with Liz Claman and co-panelist Scott Sperling to react to last week’s FOMC decision to hold rates steady. Peter, Liz, and Scott discuss Jerome Powell’s remarks from the decision, recent movement in gold and the equity market, and how economic growth may be able to offset some of […]

The latest S&P Global Flash US PMI Composite Output Index for March signaled a mixed economic outlook, rising to 53.5 from February’s 51.6. Stronger performance in services gave optimism, as the Flash US Services PMI Business Activity Index surged notably to 54.3, up from the prior month’s 51.0. However, manufacturing painted a different, troubling picture: […]

The CME Comex is the Exchange where futures are traded for gold, silver, and other commodities. The CME also allows futures buyers to turn their contracts into physical metal through delivery. You can find more detail on the CME here (e.g., vault types, major/minor months, delivery explanation, historical data, etc.).

In his latest podcast, Peter tackles the Fed’s recent decision to hold rates steady, criticizing Chair Jerome Powell for downplaying inflation risks and questioning the central bank’s logic behind future rate cuts. He also addresses the patterns of foreign central banks ditching U.S. Treasuries for gold, rising national debt burdens, and the dangerous misconception that […]

In a widely anticipated move, the Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at around 4.3% on Wednesday but signaled potential rate cuts later this year, highlighting policymakers’ growing concerns over slowing economic growth and persistent inflation pressures. Fed Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged that external economists have revised upward their estimates of a recession […]

Both the Russia-Ukraine conflict and recent trade policy disputes have permanently embedded organizations like NATO and the World Trade Organization in the news cycle. While many of these organizations, like the WTO and EU, ostensibly liberalize economic policy, the reality is that they usually serve the state’s interest at the expense of individual liberty.

Last week Peter joined Tom Clougherty, Executive Director of the Institute of Economic Affairs, to discuss his unwavering view of free-market economics, the enduring threats from misguided government policies, and the urgent need for economic reform. Throughout the conversation, Peter and Tom highlight the consequences of central bank intervention, the artificial distortion of markets, and […]