Peter's Blog

Fed Would Need to Double Quantitative Easing to Keep Pace With US Debt

The US government is increasingly relying on the Federal Reserve to prop up the Treasury market and absorb the trillions of dollars in bonds it’s issuing in order to fund its massive budget deficits. The Fed now holds a record 16.5% of US debt. And it’s going to have to buy trillions of dollars of […]

17 Million Americans Behind on Mortgage or Rent Payments

Even as market mania continues over hopes for a coronavirus vaccine, the economic devastation caused by the government response to the pandemic continues to ravage the economy.  Seventeen million households are behind on rent or mortgage payments, and nearly 6 million Americans say they are at risk of eviction in the next few months.

Foreign Share of US Debt Plunging; Fed Picking Up the Slack

Over the last year, the US government had borrowed over $4.2 trillion. The national debt now stands well above $27 trillion. There is no end in sight to the borrowing and spending and that raises a significant question: who is going to buy all of the bonds necessary to finance the government spending machine? Not […]

Taxpayers on the Hook for $435 Billion in Student Loan Losses

US taxpayers are on the hook for a $435 billion loss on the $1.37 trillion in student loans that were on the government’s books at the beginning of this year, according to an internal study by the Department of Education recently reported by the Wall Street Journal. That’s before any loan forgiveness program that might […]

Money Is Not Wealth

When governments started locking down the economy in response to coronavirus, the Federal Reserve sprung into action. First, it slashed interest rates to zero. Then it quickly launched what we’ve dubbed QE infinity. In effect, that meant printing trillions of dollars out of thin air and pumping them into the economy. Meanwhile, the US government […]

The Fed Now Holds a Record Percentage of US Debt

The US government has borrowed $4.2 trillion in the last 12 months, pushing the total national debt to over $27 trillion. In order for Uncle Sam to borrow, somebody has to lend. So, who is buying all of these government bonds? Foreign and domestic investors, commercial banks and US government entities all buy US debt, […]

Silver Investment Demand Expected to Hit Five-Year High

Physical silver investment is expected to surge by 27% this year, according to the latest data released by the Silver Institute. Demand for investment silver is projected to come in at 236.8 million ounces in 2020. That would mark a 5-year high.

The Fed Has No Way Out

We have argued that the Federal Reserve has no exit strategy from this extraordinary monetary policy. In fact, it never could extricate itself from the extraordinary monetary policy it launched during the Great Recession. Today, we’re merely witnessing the same policy on hyperdrive. And there is still no way out.

The Tragedy of Savings

Low interest rates are a boon to borrowers. Thus the Federal Reserve’s quest to hold interest rates artificially low during the current economic crisis. We’re told easy money will bolster the economy as consumers and businesses take advantage of low rates and spend. But if you’re trying to save money, this anything but a boon. […]

US Government Runs Biggest October Budget Deficit in History

If you thought maybe the federal government would try to rein in the spending after running a recorded budget deficit of $3.13 trillion in fiscal 2020, you were sorely disappointed. Uncle Sam has not kicked his spending habit. October was the first month of FY 2021 and the federal government kicked off the year with […]