Peter's Blog

AI Boom Could Boost Demand for Precious Metals

The boom in AI could mean a boom in industrial demand for precious metals in 2024. Metals Focus, an independent precious metals research consultancy, released a note recently that said it expects the increased demand for chips powering AI technology to drive “widespread support for a range of precious metals bearing components.”

“Green Economy” Expected to Boost Silver Demand and Other Silver News

Silver is expected to play a significant role as the “green economy” evolves. The Silver Institute recently participated in a panel discussion titled “Silver’s Role in the Green Economy” at the London Bullion Market Association’s Global Precious Metals Conference in Barcelona, Spain. This is one of several silver-related stories in the latest edition of Silver News published by the […]

Central Banks on Course for “Colossal” Year of Gold Buying

After setting a record through the first half of the year, central banks continued to gobble up gold in the third quarter. Globally, central banks added a net 337 tons of gold in Q3, the second-highest third-quarter total on record behind 2022. Through the first nine months of the year, central banks bought a net […]

Georgia Couple Helps Police Scam the Scammers

A Georgia couple nearly lost more than $186,000 in a gold scam. But they ended up turning the tables and scamming the scammers.

Chinese Gold Demand Shows Strong Growth Through First Nine Months of 2023

Chinese gold demand was up 7.3% year on year through the first nine months of 2023. China ranks as the world’s biggest gold market, and Chinese demand has a significant impact on the global gold market.

European Central Bank Laying Groundwork for Digital Euro

The European Central Bank (ECB) is laying the groundwork to roll out its version of a central bank digital currency (CBDC). According to the ECB’s website, the “preparation phase” for the digital euro begins in November and “builds on the findings from our investigation phase.”

How Did the Toronto Airport Lose $15.3 Million in Gold Bars?

How in the world did the Toronto airport lose $15.3 million in gold bars along with $1.9 million in cash? That remains unclear, but a lawsuit filed by Brink’s shed a little bit of light on the situation.

Are the Chinese Selling Dollars to Buy Gold?

Are the Chinese selling US dollar-denominated assets to buy gold? It sure looks that way.

Biden Administration Runs Third-Largest Budget Deficit in US History

The Biden administration ran a $1.695 trillion budget deficit in fiscal 2023. It was the third-largest deficit in US history. The only time the US government ran bigger deficits was during the COVID years of 2020 and 2021. The government closed out the year with a $170.98 billion deficit in September, according to the final […]

Cracking Commercial Real Estate Market Stressing Banks

Problems in the commercial real estate  (CRE) sector continue to bubble under the surface. This is a major stress point for US banks and could precipitate the next phase of the financial crisis. A combination of high interest rates and declining tenancy is putting the squeeze on commercial real estate owners. As a result, banks […]