Peter's Blog

The Fed’s Winners and Losers – Ultimately, We’re All Losers

When the Federal Reserve artificially manipulates interest rates, it’s messing with our minds by distorting important signals that prices provide in a free market. As investment guru Jim Grant put it in a recent article in Barron’s, central bank interest rates are nothing but crude price controls. Like all price controls, the Fed’s interest rate […]

Study Shows Increasing Demand for Solar Energy Drives Silver Prices Higher

Rising demand for solar panels pushes silver prices higher according to a recently released university study. Researchers at the University of Kent found a “causal relationship” between solar panel demand and the price of the white metal.

Romania a Step Closer to Repatriating Its Gold Reserves

Romania moved another step closer to bringing all of its gold home this week. According to Romanian news outlets, the Chamber of Deputies Budget and Finance Committee released a favorable report on legislation that would require the country’s central bank to repatriate its gold and hold it within the borders of the country.

China’s Keynesian Experiment

While President Trump nags the Federal Reserve to reinstitute Obama-era monetary stimulus, China has already taken off down that path. And it actually has some people in the mainstream concerned. According to a Reuters report, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is warning that while Chinese government stimulus may boost the country’s economy […]

European ETF Gold Holdings Hit Record Level

The amount of gold held by Europe-based ETFs hit a record high in the first quarter of 2019, according to a report by the World Gold Council. European funds now hold 1,121.4 tons of gold. The WGC pinpoints three primary drivers of European gold investment.

Production Plunges for World’s Largest Silver Miner in Q1

The world’s largest primary silver producer reported a plunge in production in the first quarter of the year, continuing a global trend of declining silver output. Total silver production at Fresnillo PLC dropped by 15% in Q1. The company blamed falling mine output on lower ore grades and reduced volume of processed ore.

Silver Demand Hit 3-Year High in 2018 as Supply Fell

Silver demand was up 4% and hit a three-year high in 2018, according to the 2019 World Silver Survey released by the Silver Institute this week. Physical demand for silver came in at over 1 billion ounces last year. Meanwhile, silver mine production fell for the third straight year, dropping 2% in 2018 to 855.7 […]

Central Bank Gold Purchases Hit Highest Level Since 2008

Central bank gold purchases hit a level not seen since 2008 through the first two months of 2019. Central banks added 90 tons of gold in the first two months of this year according to the latest report by the World Gold Council. This compares to 56 tons through the first two months of 2018 […]

The US Government’s Net Worth Comes in at Negative $21.5 Trillion

The net worth of the US comes in at negative $21.5 trillion. This according to the Financial Report of the United States Government recently released by the Treasury Department.

China Buys More Gold as It Seeks to Minimize Exposure to the Dollar

China bought gold for the fourth straight month in March, adding another 11.2 tons of the yellow metal to its reserves, according to the latest data released by the People’s Bank of China. With the most recent purchases, the Chinese official gold reserves stand at about 1,884 tons or 60.62 million ounces. The Chinese have […]