After returning to net gold buying in June, central banks continued to add to their gold reserves in July.
Globally, central banks reported net purchases of 55 tons in July, according to the latest data compiled by the World Gold Council.
In the last few days, gold and silver have paused their earlier rises. In the case of silver, these have been substantial, as shown in our headline chart. In gold, less so; but it does appear that silver is leading both metals higher. In European trade Friday morning, gold was $1944, up $39 on the week, and silver $24.60, up 40 cents. Silver is up 10% from its mid-August low, leading gold which is up only 3%.
We’re kicking off Labor Day weekend. That means you’re going to hear a lot of rhetoric about how the government needs to do more for workers. But as Friday Gold Wrap host Mike Maharrey explains, we don’t really need better government policies for workers. We need better money for everybody. He also talks about tanking consumer confidence in this bubble economy.
Gold is nature’s money.
Aristotle listed four characteristics of sound money: it must be durable, portable, divisible, and have intrinsic value. Gold possesses all of these characteristics, which is why gold has served as money for thousands of years.
Labor Day is coming up. That means we will hear a lot about the plight of American workers. And we will undoubtedly hear calls for new policies to help make their lives better. But we don’t really need more government policies to help workers.
We need better money.
At its recent summit, the BRICS economic bloc announced it will add six new members, including Saudi Arabia. Many people believe the growing influence of BRICS could ultimately dent Western economic power and undermine the dollar’s role as the world’s reserve currency.
Many people frame the rise of BRICS as a battle between East and West, but economist Patrick Barron said it’s more fundamental than that. It’s actually a war between diametrically opposed economic ideas.
Gold and silver rallied from the lows of last week in quiet Comex trade for gold, but more active trade in silver. In Europe this morning, gold was at $1916, up $27 from last Friday’s close, and silver was up $1.30 at $24.14.
The BRICS economic bloc announced it will add six new members, including Saudi Arabia. The growing influence of BRICS could ultimately dent Western economic power and undermine the dollar’s role as the world’s reserve currency. In this episode of the Friday Gold Wrap, host Mike Maharrey talks about the ramifications of BRICS expansion, de-dollarization, and the possibility of a BRICS currency. He also talks about how silver is inexcusably low.
Most people now seem to think the Federal Reserve can beat price inflation and guide the economy to a soft landing. In his podcast, Peter Schiff explains why most people are wrong. The Fed is actually in a no-win situation. And if the Fed can’t win, gold can’t lose.
The sell-off in precious metals which started in late July continued this week, but its momentum slowed with silver even showing a modest gain on the week so far. In early European trading, gold was $1892, having traded down to $1885 yesterday, for a net fall of $19 on the week. Silver was $22.78 having traded down to $22.30 on Tuesday but is up just 10 cents from last Friday’s close. On Comex, turnover in the gold contract was subdued, but in silver it was moderate to healthy.
