Peter's Blog

Ranks of the Long-Term Unemployed Growing

The mainstream spin on unemployment is that things are improving. The unemployment rate is coming down. The number of weekly jobless claims recently fell below 800,000 for the first time since government lockdowns in response to the pandemic went into high gear last March. But there are some troubling signs that undercut this good-news narrative. […]

Fun on Friday: He Put 2 Pounds of Gold Where?

People will do just about anything to avoid paying taxes. Case in point – a man from Dubai shoved about 2 pounds of gold — where the sun don’t shine —  in order to avoid paying customs taxes in India. Yes. I said two pounds.

Where Are the Gold Bulls? SchiffGold Friday Gold Wrap Oct. 23, 2020

Gold has been trading sideways for several weeks. But there are all kinds of reasons to be bullish on the yellow metal. So why isn’t the price of gold rising faster? Where are the gold bulls? In this episode of the Friday Gold Wrap podcast, host Mike Maharrey tries to answer that question and discusses […]

How Long Before This Time Bomb Blows Up?

When governments started locking down economies in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Reserve sprung into action. The central bank immediately cut interest rates to zero and launched what we’ve called “QE infinity.” Since then, the Fed has ballooned its balance sheet by nearly $3 trillion and increased the money supply at a record […]

Rickards: Why Gold?

Why gold? In a recent article, Jim Rickards offers three reasons the biggest gains in gold prices are yet to come.

Wave of Corporate Mergers Could Put More Americans Out of Work

Last week, we reported on the number of temporary layoffs that are turning into permanent job losses.  Now Goldman Sachs is projecting even more permanent job losses coming down the pike as a wave of mergers, acquisitions and corporate takeovers sweeps through the economy.

Central Bank Digital Currencies: Another Front in the War on Cash

There has been a lot of talk lately about central banks implementing their own digital currencies. Why?

Silver Investment Demand Nearly Triples Through First Three Quarters of 2020

Holdings of silver in silver-backed Exchange-Trade Products (ETPs) rose by 297 million ounces through the first three quarters of 2020, according to data released by the Silver Institute. That’s nearly triple the level of silver inflows seen during the same period in 2019. Meanwhile, investors also had a strong appetite for silver bullion coins and […]

Why Do We Put So Much Faith in Central Bankers?

Well-known management consultant Peter Drucker perfectly described the predicament faced by central bankers. You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” So why do we put so much faith in central bankers?

2020 Budget Deficit Comes In at a Cool $3.13 Trillion

The fiscal 2020 budget shortfall totaled $3.13 trillion as Uncle Sam added another $124.6 billion to the deficit in September, according to the latest Monthly Treasury Statement. That more than doubles the previous record deficit of $1.4 trillion set in 2009 at the height of the Great Recession.