Peter's Blog

Hopes and Prayers Economic Policy: SchiffGold Friday Gold Wrap Jan. 14, 2022

December gave us another big jump in consumer prices. But despite a lot of talk about an inflation war, accommodative monetary policy remains in play. In this episode of the Friday Gold Wrap podcast, host Mike Maharrey breaks down the CPI data, Jerome Powell’s Senate testimony, and Joe Biden’s plan to fix rising meat prices. […]

Can the Deficit Fall Below $1 Trillion in 2022?

In the calendar year 2021, federal tax revenues surged by an incredible 25% compared to 2020 and were up 22.8% over 2019 (pre-COVID). But the surge in tax revenues was not enough to overcome a record $6.8 trillion in spending, breaking the spending record set in 2020 by 1.6%.

Is Omicron Hiding Much Higher Inflation?

The CPI for December was 0.5% month over month, with a non-seasonally adjusted annual rate of 7.0%. As the chart below shows, the December data reinforced a downward trend we’ve seen since a .95% reading in October. But is the recent omicron COVID spike hiding much higher inflation?

Despite Record Receipts Uncle Sam Still Ran a Budget Deficit in December

Despite a monthly record in receipts to the US Treasury, the federal government still managed to run a deficit in December. That’s because the federal government also broke a monthly spending record.

Peter Schiff: The Inflation Freight Train

December Consumer Price Index data came out on Wednesday (Jan. 12). Month-on-month, it was again even hotter than expected. Peter called it an inflationary freight train that the Fed’s “field of dreams” monetary policy will not stop. “Transitory” inflation has now been running hot for a full year.

GDP Creates the Illusion of Fed-Fueled Economic Growth

Joe Biden keeps touting the “booming” economic recovery. And of course, he’s taking credit for it. But is the economy really booming? If you look at GDP growth, it certainly appears the US economy is in the midst of a robust recovery. But economic growth is relative. And when your baseline is an economy that […]

Peter Schiff: The REAL Reason Gold Hasn’t Gone Up and Why It Ultimately Will

Inflation in the US is at historically high levels. So, why hasn’t gold taken off? We hear this question over and over again. In this video, Peter Schiff answers this question and explains why the markets will eventually wake up to their misperception.

Ireland Buys More Gold as Inflation Pressures Mount

Ireland has added more gold to its reserves as inflation worries mount. According to the latest data, the Central Bank of Ireland purchased $88 million ($78 million euros) in gold in November, adding to the two tons it added to its holdings in previous months. With the latest purchases, the Irish central bank has boosted […]

What Happens If the Fed Takes Its Thumb Off the Housing Market?

We talk a lot about how the Fed keeps its big fat thumb on the Treasury market. But it also has its big fat thumb on the housing market. And if the Fed really does follow through with its taper and its plans to shrink its balance sheet, it will have a big effect on […]

Consumer Debt Charts Biggest Gain in 20 Years

The Federal Reserve is talking about raising interest rates. Well, that’s going to be a big problem for American consumers who are running up debt at a torrid pace. This is yet another reason why the Fed can’t do what it’s claiming it will do. Consumer debt jumped 11% year-on-year in November, according to the […]