Peter's Blog

Investment Demand for Gold Set Records in 2020

Investment demand for gold set a new record in 2020, but it was not enough to offset a big drop in consumer demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gold demand was up substantially in both ETFs, and for gold bars and coins Overall, gold demand fell to 3,759 tons in 2020, according to the Gold […]

Bills Introduced in Mississippi and Tennessee Would Repeal Sales Tax on Gold and Silver

Bills introduced in the Mississippi House and the Tennessee Senate would repeal state sales taxes on precious metals bullion. This would not only relieve some of the tax burdens on investors in those states; it would also take a small step toward treating gold and silver as money instead of commodities.

Gold Mine Output Fell Sharply in 2020

World gold production dropped by 5.4% in 2020 according to preliminary estimates released by GlobalData last week. Global data projects gold production came in at 108 million ounces last year. The sharp decline was largely due to mine closures during the coronavirus pandemic. But it also fits into a broader trend of declining mine output […]

European Central Bank Takes Bond Market Manipulation to the Next Level

Peter Schiff recently explained how the Federal Reserve has rigged the US Treasury market. Well, the European Central Bank has taken bond market manipulation to the next level. According to a Bloomberg report, the ECB is buying bonds to control the yield spread between debt issued by various EU countries. As a result of this […]

Indian Gold Market Shows Signs of Revival

India ranks as the second-largest gold consuming country in the world, second only behind China. But over the last couple of years, the gold market in India has languished due to a combination of record-high gold prices in rupee terms and the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. But were signs of revival in the […]

ETFs Charted Record Gold Inflows in 2020; Holdings Hit All-Time High

Gold-backed ETFs recorded record net gold inflows, pushing holdings globally to record levels in 2020. On net, ETFs globally added 877 tons of gold last year worth about $47.9 billion. Gold holdings rose by over one-third, ending the year at a record 3,752 tons, according to data released by the World Gold Council.

US Government Runs Biggest December Deficit in History

The US government ran the biggest December budget deficit in history last month. The December budget shortfall came in at $143.6 billion. That compares with a $13.3 billion deficit in December 2019, according to the Monthly Treasury Statement.

Demand for Silver in Automobile Production Expected to Rise

Last month we reported that the surge in solar energy use could power a strong demand for silver. Now analysts say demand from another sector could also benefit the white metal. A report by the Silver Institute projects that the automotive industry will absorb nearly 90 million ounces of silver annually by 2025. That would […]

Six Central Banks Increased Gold Reserves in November

Six central banks added gold to their reserves in November. Purchases totaled 16.8 tons, consistent with the level of purchases in both August and September. On net, central banks were sellers globally in November, thanks to a large decrease in reserves by the Turkish central bank, according to the latest data reported by the World […]

Russia Holds More Gold Than Dollars for First Time in History

For the first time ever, Russia holds more gold than US dollars. According to a Central Bank of Russia report published this week and analyzed by Bloomberg, gold made up 23% of the Central Bank of Russia’s reserves as of the end of June. The bank’s share of dollar assets dropped to 22%. In 2018, […]