Peter's Blog

Interest Payments on Federal Debt on Pace to Eclipse Social Security Outlays

At the current trajectory, the cost of paying the annual interest on the US debt will equal the annual cost of Social Security within 30 years, according to a recent report released by the Congressional Budget Office. By 2048, as interest rates rise from their currently low levels and as debt accumulates, the federal government’s […]

Troubling Signs in the Corporate Bond Market

We’ve written a lot about government debt and warning signs in the Treasuries market. The US government needs to sell over a trillion dollars in bonds a year over the next few years to finance its skyrocketing deficit. Who exactly will buy all of these government bonds remains unclear and the impact on interest rates could […]

Fed Chair Jerome Powell Is Playing with Fire

Jerome Powell is like a kid playing with matches and he’s dangerously close to starting a fire he isn’t going to be able to control. The Federal Reserve nudged interest rates up again last week. It was the seventh hike since the Fed launched the current tightening cycle in December 2015. The Fed Funds Rate […]

US Public Debt and Interest Payments Hit New Record

The US debt continues to skyrocket and it’s costing Uncle Sam more and more money just to make the interest payments. The US public debt hit a record high of $21.145 trillion on the last day of May. Meanwhile, the cost of servicing all that debt also spiked, increasing by $26 billion through the first […]

Peter Schiff: The Problem With Phony Prosperity Is That It’s Phony

A lot of seemingly positive economic data came out last week, but in his most recent podcast, Peter Schiff said it is just feeding into a delusional economic narrative that ignores the most fundamental storyline – debt. Everybody is talking about a new era of prosperity, but Peter said it’s a phony prosperity and it […]

Will Silver Outshine Gold After Bond Implosion? (Guest Analysis)

Up until 1964, silver was literally money in the United States. Dimes, quarters and half-dollars were made from 90% silver. Looking at the value of these silver coins today reveals just how much the US government and Federal Reserve have devalued American money. Gold tends to get more attention than silver, but the white metal […]

Sub-Prime Credit Card Delinquency Rates Rise Above Financial Crisis Peak

Americans have loaded themselves down with debt and some are struggling to pay the bill. Total household debt hit a record $13 trillion in 2017, eclipsing levels seen on the eve of the Great Recession. Americans have been burning up the credit cards. Revolving debt grew by $26 billion in the fourth quarter of 2017 alone, a […]

Could Rising Interest Rates Crush Stock Market Dreams? SchiffGold Friday Gold Wrap 04.27.18

The SchiffGold Friday Gold Wrap podcast combines a succinct summary of the week’s precious metals news coupled with thoughtful analysis. You can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes.

Is a Zombie (Company) Apocalypse Upon Us?

Rising interest rates could unleash a zombie company apocalypse – if the Fed lets it happen. Corporate bankruptcy levels in the US hit seven-year highs last month. New Chapter 11 bankruptcies surged 63% year-over-year in March. All-told 770 companies filed for Chapter 11 protection last month. That is the highest level since April 2011.

Peter Schiff: Why Own US Stocks?

Stock markets had another bad day Tuesday. The Dow Jones fell over 400 points as the 10-year Treasury yield broke through 3%. Several “marquee” companies warned of higher costs, including Google-parent Alphabet and Caterpillar. In his latest podcast, Peter Schiff said he thinks the correction is over. Not the downward move. That is not the […]