Peter's Blog

How Trust (or the lack of it) Affects America’s Trajectory

America’s trust in its institutions has rapidly eroded over the past 20 years. We have a lower level of trust in our judicial system and elections than most European countries. Some of this is natural, as Americans are uniquely individualistic, but much of it arises from repeated government failures.

When Will the Yen Carry Trade Break?

Decades of negative interest rate policy in Japan have ended. That could mean the end of the $20 trillion “yen carry trade,” once one of the most popular trades on foreign exchange markets, and a chain reaction in the global economy. The yen carry trade is when investors borrow yen to buy assets denominated in […]

CPI vs Rate Cuts: The Fed’s Mission Impossible

With a hot CPI report casting a shadow of doubt on the likelihood of a June interest rate cut, all eyes are on the Fed. But they’ve caught themselves in a “damned if they do, damned if they don’t” moment for the economy — and the news for gold is good regardless. 

The Educational Gap in Economics

It’s no secret that the American public is wildly ignorant of many issues that are central to the success of our nation. Just a generation ago it would have been unthinkable that less than half of the American population could recognize all three branches of government. America is in most cases far less educated about its government […]

Central Banks Are Buying the Gold Top

In investing, “Buy low, sell high” is among the most well-known sayings, and generally, it’s good advice. But with gold still holding near its historic all-time highs, central banks led by China are bucking the classic adage and smash-buying more, buying the top to fortify themselves against a global monetary and financial blow-up.

The Passive Investor Problem

When John Bogle died in 2019, people around the world mourned. Bogle created the Vanguard Group and made the index fund mainstream. Index funds are investment vehicles that invest in a class of investments as a whole, rather than trying to predict what specific stocks or securities will do best. So an investor could invest in an […]

Student Loan Inflation, Here it Goes Again

As the Democratic Party has shifted away from its traditional base of working-class and middle-class Americans, to an increased reliance on college professors, students, and highly educated but low-paid professions, such as social workers, a new policy has risen to prominence: student loan forgiveness. 

“Urban Doom Loop” of Vacant Offices: How far will it go?

Even the mainstream is starting to acknowledge the massive problem of vacant office buildings littering American cities, slowly turning them into post-Covid wastelands. While a few pundits are claiming (in somewhat Orwellian fashion) that the surge in empty commercial real estate is actually a chance for a utopian turnaround in the ashes of Covid weirdness, […]

More Inflation, More Copper Theft

When unemployment and inflation cause skyrocketing incentives for thieves to steal industrial metals like copper, criminals rush for some of the biggest sources: critical infrastructure. That includes cell towers, water pipes, street lights, and rail lines. These copper heists threaten transportation, communication, municipal services, urban safety, and other essentials of modern life. 

What the Baltimore Bridge Disaster Could Mean for the Economy

While the total annihilation of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore probably isn’t a “Black Swan” big enough to trigger a global collapse, it adds potent fuel to several fires in an already fragile global economy.