Peter's Blog

After Three Months Declining Reserves Central Banks Became Net Gold Buyers Again in June

After three straight months of net sales, central banks globally became net buyers of gold again in June. On net, central banks bought 55 tons of gold in June as the Central Bank of Turkey switched from selling back to buying, according to the most recent data compiled by the World Gold Council.

Another Recession Signal: Plunge in Demand for Gold in the Electronics Sector

With much stronger-than-expected second-quarter GDP growth and continued labor market strength, a growing number of people in the mainstream now think the US has escaped the clutches of a recession despite the Fed driving interest rates to the highest level in 16 years. But there are plenty of signs that a recession is looming. For instance, a […]

Debt Chickens Are Coming Home to Roost

After the Federal Reserve incentivized borrowing with more than a decade of artificially low interest rates and easy money, the debt chickens are coming home to roost. Last week, Fitch Ratings downgraded the US’s long-term credit rating from AAA to AA+, and on Monday, Moody’s cut the credit rating of 10 small and midsize banks.

Australia Ratcheting Up War on Cash

Australia has become the front line in the war on cash with an aggressive effort to ring physical money out of the economy. Over the last financial year, more than a billion dollars worth of physical cash disappeared from circulation, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). The Australian news service […]

Another Recession Warning: Credit Card Spending Suddenly Plunges

Flashing another recession warning sign, credit card spending suddenly fell off a cliff in June. American consumers have been using credit cards to make ends meet for months, but with credit card debt at record levels, rising interest rates appear to have slammed the door on spending. Credit card debt contracted in June for the […]

Ron Paul: Will the Fed Help End Donald Trump?

The Federal Reserve advertises itself as “independent” and above the political fray. We all know this isn’t true. The Fed is inherently political and makes decisions based on political calculations as much as economic data.

The Real Threat Is a Market-Driven Dollar Downgrade

Last week, Fitch Ratings downgraded the US’s long-term credit rating from AAA to AA+. While the downgrade won’t significantly impact the US government’s ability to borrow, it should serve as a wake-up call because there is a much bigger problem looming on the horizon: a market-driven downgrade of the US dollar.

You Have Questions; We Have Answers: SchiffGold Friday Gold Wrap Aug. 4, 2023

In this special episode of the Friday Gold Wrap podcast, host Mike Maharrey answers listeners’ questions. He covers topics including the precious metals markets, investment strategies, the trajectory of the economy, the future of the US dollar, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and more.

Gold and Silver No Longer Subject to State Capital Gains Taxes in Arkansas

On August 1, a law making gold and silver legal tender in Arkansas went into effect. The new law also effectively repeals the state capital gains tax on gold and silver. Enactment of this legislation will relieve some of the tax burden on investors, and take a step toward treating precious metal bullion as money instead of a […]

Fitch Slashes US Credit Rating

The debt ceiling deal was supposed to stabilize things for the US government. By suspending the debt limit for two years, Congress mitigated the fear of a US default, but the deal apparently wasn’t enough to paper over the dysfunction in Washington DC. On Tuesday, Fitch Ratings downgraded the US’s long-term credit rating from AAA […]