The Federal Reserve launched QE infinity this week. The Fed has committed to buy an “unlimited” amount of US Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities. But that’s not all. The central bank also announced it will buy some corporate bonds for the first time ever.
In effect, this is money-printing on a massive scale. And of course, pumping trillions of dollars into the economy will have ramifications. We may well be on the path to hyperinflation.
A bill introduced in the Wyoming House would establish a precious metals bullion depository in the state. It would not only create a safe place to store precious metals; it could also facilitate the everyday use of gold and silver in financial transactions in Wyoming and set the stage to undermine the Federal Reserve’s monopoly on money.
Seeking financial and economic safety and stability, Serbia has joined the global central bank gold-buying spree.
National Bank of Serbia Governor Jorgovanka Tabakovic recently announced that the bank purchased nine tons of gold in October, raising the country’s reserves to just over 30 tons.
Gold demand was up 3% in the third quarter, coming in at 1,107. 9 tons, according to the Gold Demand Trends Q3 2019 report put out by the World Gold Council.
Record inflows of gold into ETFs overcame weakness in the jewelry, and gold bar and coin markets to push overall demand higher.
Gold mine output dropped slightly, but a surge in recycling drove a modest gain in supply.
The central bank gold-buying spree shows no sign of letting up as countries seek to diversify their reserves away from the US dollar.
Globally, central banks added another net 47.5 tons of gold to their reserves in September, according to the latest data from the World Gold Council.
There were no significant gold sales by central banks in September.
China added another 5.91 tons of gold to its reserves in August, bringing its total official gold purchases on the year to almost 100 tons, according to data released by the People’s Bank of China over the weekend.
It was the ninth straight month of gold purchases for China as it continues efforts to diversify reserves away from the US dollar.
Last November, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said interest rates were “just below the broad range of estimates of the level that would be neutral for the economy.” This was the excuse for the central bank’s monetary policy 180 and set the stage for the “Powell Pause.”
Central bankers are perpetually on a quest to find the elusive neutral interest rate, but in fact, it’s an impossible goal, as economist Frank Shostak explained in an article published on the Mises Wire.
Basically, the Fed is chasing unicorns.
Central bank gold purchases hit a level not seen since 2008 through the first two months of 2019.
Central banks added 90 tons of gold in the first two months of this year according to the latest report by the World Gold Council. This compares to 56 tons through the first two months of 2018 and ranks as the highest rate of growth since 2008.
China bought gold for the fourth straight month in March, adding another 11.2 tons of the yellow metal to its reserves, according to the latest data released by the People’s Bank of China.
With the most recent purchases, the Chinese official gold reserves stand at about 1,884 tons or 60.62 million ounces. The Chinese have been adding gold to their reserves over the last several months as they continue to minimize exposure to the US dollar.
Yesterday, the Hungarian central bank announced it recently boosted its gold reserves 10-fold.
According to its website, the National Bank of Hungary (MNB) now owns 31.5 tons of gold, up from 3.1 tons. It was the first significant purchase of gold by Hungary since 1986.
A statement by the bank said the increase in gold stocks was intended to increase financial stability and strengthen market confidence.
