Peter's Blog

US Consumer Debt Spiked in February

Apparently, those stimulus checks weren’t enough. American consumers pulled out their credit cards and ran up big balances in February. According to the latest numbers from the Federal Reserve, consumer debt unexpectedly spiked in February, growing at an annual rate of 7.9%. Economists had expected a small uptick in consumer debt after a flat January, […]

Central Banks Add Over 8 Tons of Gold to Reserves in February

Despite a significant selloff by Turkey, central banks globally added a net 8.8 tons of gold to their reserves in February, according to the latest data compiled by the World Gold Council. Gold-buying by central banks slowed last year from the record pace we saw in 2018 and 2019, and that trend has continued into […]

GDP Numbers Can Hide Real Economic Damage

According to the mainstream narrative, the US economy is quickly recovering from the downturn caused by lockdowns in response to COVID-19. And while the downturn was sharp and painful, it really didn’t cause any long-term economic damage. Good times are ahead! After all, just look at the booming GDP numbers. And therein lies a problem. […]

American Gold Eagle Bullion Coin Sales Hit 20-Year High in Q1

While gold prices have languished over the last few months, smart investors have taken advantage of the low prices and loaded up on physical gold. For Q1, the US Mint reported its highest quarterly American Gold Eagle sales in more than 20 years.

Dollar’s Share of Global Currency Reserves Hits Lowest Level in Over 25 Years

Last week, we reported that the Russian National Wealth fund was dumping dollars and turning toward gold. The Russians have engaged in an intentional de-dollarization policy for several years. But it appears this could be part of a broader global move away from the greenback. The dollar’s share of global currency reserves dropped significantly in […]

Bill Introduced in Congress to Repeal Capital Gains Taxes on Gold and Silver

A bill introduced in Congress would repeal capital gains taxes on gold and silver. Alex Mooney (R-WV) introduced HR2284. Titled the Monetary Metals Tax Neutrality Act, the legislation would eliminate capital gains, losses and all other federal income calculations on gold, silver, platinum, and palladium bars and coins.

US Money Supply Growth Set Another Record in February

US money supply growth hit another all-time high in February as the Federal Reserve continues to churn out dollars and inject them into the economy. As measured by the True Money Supply Measure (TMS), the money supply grew by 39.1% year-on-year. That was up slightly from January’s record growth of 38.7%.

Is Basic Economics Wrong? Or Is Something Else Going on With Inflation?

We have been saying that given the extraordinary level of money printing the Fed has done since the beginning of the pandemic, a wave of price inflation is coming down the pike – perhaps even hyperinflation. But many will be quick to remind us that we raised the warning flag about inflation when the Fed […]

Russian National Wealth Fund Turning to Gold, Dumping Dollars

The Russian Finance Ministry has given the green light for the Russian National Wealth fund to diversify and invest in gold and other precious metals. According to a report by RT, this is part of a broader move to de-dollarize the wealth fund.

Indian Gold Market Continues to Bounce Back

The bounceback in the Indian gold market continued last month. Indian gold imports hit a 21-month high in February and there was robust retail demand. This comes on the heels of a 72% year-on-year increase in gold imports in January.