Isaac Nuriani

Markets fell and gold jumped during recent Middle East hostilities. Strategist says “instinctive safe-haven buying” drove the price of gold. Some analysts expect geopolitical risk to stay “elevated for years.” Multiple strategists forecast $3,000 gold in 2025 in part on geopolitical outlook.

All classes of institutional investors have embraced gold. Thailand’s public pension fund adds gold as a hedge against possible ‘extreme volatility’ and large swath of U.S. public sector pension funds expected to increase gold allocations. Asset manager: Gold helps pension funds “avoid unnecessary risk.”

Central-bank buying has been credited as a key source of gold support for years. High-volume gold buyer China “paused” acquiring any gold in May. Analyst: “Nothing has changed for gold except the price” – Precious metals’ fundamental drivers are intact despite headwinds

Analysts credit gold with helping Russia avoid sanctions impacts with the “Sanctions-proof” property of gold being a key reason for its current popularity among central banks. In spite of inflation numbers that keep confirming relentless price pressures, precious metals continue to demonstrate great resilience

More than 80% of largest fund managers own gold in their portfolios because hedge funds see gold as asset that can help minimize risk and maximize return. Leading asset manager: This is the “most fraught global environment since World War II” with “Big Short” legend Michael Burry making a large commitment to gold.

According to economist Lynette Zang, then, the primary threat to the banking system is the risk posed by higher interest rates to an industry that is built primarily on debt. And in her view, the scope of the problem is so vast that it means every single U.S. bank is insolvent right now

World Bank sees gold “playing critical role in the financial system.” as asset managers, central banks look to hedge against instability with gold. The guide states gold’s relevance as a global monetary asset is a lasting one, listing recent economic and geopolitical challenges proving gold’s validity as a store of value during periods of uncertainty

By now, you likely are familiar with gold’s recent march well into record territory. Since the end of February, gold has appreciated 6.5% to more than $2,150 per ounce (as of March 21). Analysts say that one reason for gold’s recent upward trend has been talk of falling interest rates, which certainly makes sense.

Global silver demand in 2024 projected to be second highest on record – some analysts project a 20% price increase in silver this year. Through the first two weeks of March, gold surged into record territory, jumping roughly 6% to well over $2,100 per ounce. In the same period silver has risen even higher on a percentage basis, climbing nearly 12%

One of the more curious mysteries of the Biden years is the disconnect between what looks like solid economic data and how Americans actually are feeling about the economy. The government’s headline unemployment rate may be the most notable example of the data at issue.

Household debt in America now stands at a record $17.5 million. Economist says rising debt delinquencies could turn mild downturn into a major recession. When you hear the term “economic uncertainty,” what comes to mind? If you’re like many people, you probably think of things such as…

Leading investment banks forecast gold heading well into record territory, with Citi stating De-dollarization could be key to $3,000 gold in 2025. Those familiar with the movement of precious metals prices likely are familiar with gold’s historical interest-rate sensitivity and how changes in rates can impact prices…

Recently, we’ve spent time examining the phenomenon – probably not too strong a word – of gold staying strong in spite of interest rates that have not merely risen, but soared. From March 2022 through July 2023, the Federal Reserve hiked America’s benchmark interest rate, the federal funds rate, 11 times, a total of 525 basis points.

In March 2023, the world became reacquainted with a measure of the anxiety felt during the financial crisis, when the global banking system destabilized. Last spring, in a span of less than eight weeks, four regional U.S. banks closed when fast-rising interest rates sharply reduced the value of the U.S. Treasury securities into which they’d heavily invested…

The prospect of interest rates reversing direction and declining after nearly two years of a steady surge upward has a lot of people brimming with excitement. Among them are those with a strong affection for gold, who know it and other precious metals can respond well during periods of monetary policy that tend to weaken the dollar.

This week, we’re going to use our binoculars to get a closer look at the corporate debt cliff that’s starting to form…and also try to ascertain to what degree companies – and investors – can count on a change in the rate environment to lower the risks of slipping over the edge.

Bidenomics might have a number of fans at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But among regular Americans? The data suggests, “Not so much.” Officials at the White House aren’t using the term as often as they once did. They seem to be concerned about evidence that it’s been landing with something of a dull thud lately…

Here in the United States, the annual inflation rate – as measured by the headline consumer price index (CPI) – reached above 9% in June 2022. At the time, it was the fastest annual inflation rate in nearly 41 years. Since then, the inflation rate has steadily subsided, coming in slightly north of 3% in November. Significantly better, to be sure… but still an issue

The pace at which the world’s central banks have been accumulating gold has been nothing short of relentless. Central banks bought more gold in 2022 than in any other year up to that point: 1,078 metric tons. And given the pace at which central banks are continuing to buy gold this year, it’s very possible 2023 will see a new record total

We know it’s been an unfortunate year for fiscal management in the United States. The year has seen a contentious debt-ceiling standoff resolved in just the nick of time; a reduction in the nation’s credit rating for only the second time ever; and a budget stalemate leading to the removal of a House speaker from his job for the first time in history.

A minority of citizens say American dream “still holds true” as half of Americans earn less than $3,400 per month. As inflation soared in 2022 and the Federal Reserve set about the task of reining price pressures in with a singular, surgical focus on raising interest rates, sentiment among consumers struggled in the face of those headwinds…

Are Americans being unduly gloomy, and unreasonable in their unwillingness to accept the beneficial reality they’re actually living? Or are they entirely justified in their pessimism over what they see as an economy growing increasingly less responsive?

Let’s drill down on the spending that’s helped fuel the economy. It might interest you to know that real wage growth (earnings after inflation and taxes) has declined in each of the last three months. So, from where have Americans been getting the money for all the spending that sends GDP growth ever higher?

Coming right out of the gate in January, the federal debt ran up against the debt ceiling, which at the time was $31.4 trillion. A months-long and highly combative back and forth ensued between Democrats and Republicans…one that wasn’t finally resolved until the very beginning of June and just a few days before “X Date,” when the government would have had no choice but…

According to a Harris poll conducted for Bloomberg News, a whole lot of middle-class Americans are worried about the economy. In fact, the number who say they are worried about the economy has grown over the past year, even though inflation has steadily declined at the same time. 44% of middle-class Americans are “stressed” about the economy

Despite ongoing risks to the world economy posed by ongoing inflation and interest-rate challenges, there is another risk on the radar screen that experts suggest could be the most formidable of all through the foreseeable future: geopolitical tension. J.P. Morgan’s Jamie Dimon sounded the geopolitical “alarm,” suggesting tensions are set to impact global economy.

In a year marked by no emergency pandemic assistance, no national crisis of any kind… and characterized by low unemployment rate as well as an expanding economy (at least as indicated by headline GDP growth measures), the annual budget deficit is still projected to land at $1.7 trillion according to the Congressional Budget Office.

It appears we can say officially there is no consensus on the issue of whether the U.S. economy is in for a recession. March 2022 was the first time in this current cycle of tightening that the Federal Reserve raised interest rates. A month after that initial increase, economists polled by Reuters pegged the chances of recession at 25%