5.5.26 - Largest Viking Age Coin Hoard Ever, Found
Gold last traded at $4,556 an ounce. Silver at $72.86 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This discovery of a massive Viking-era silver hoard is a powerful reminder that precious metals have served as real money and stored wealth for over a thousand years. The fact that these coins held value across multiple regions reinforces the idea that silver’s worth is intrinsic; not dependent on any one system. For anyone who believes in owning physical metals, it's a striking example of how tangible assets can preserve wealth through time, turmoil, and change.
Largest Viking Age Coin Hoard Ever Found In Norway Shocks Archaeologists -ZeroHedge
by Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering
Hailed as a "historic discovery," metal detectorists led archaeologists to the largest Viking Age hoard of silver coins ever to be found in Norway, reflecting the Vikings' extensive network and a pivotal turning point in Norway’s history.
On April 10, metal detectorists Vegard Sørlie and Rune Sætre uncovered 19 silver coins that quickly turned into an astonishing treasure when archaeologists rushed to the site. The number of coins grew exponentially—initially to 70, then to 500, and eventually to over 1,000.
Archaeologist May-Tove Smiseth described the find, named the "Mørstad Hoard," as "a once-in-a-lifetime" discovery that surpassed all expectations. Currently, the hoard contains between 2,970 and 3,150 pieces, and archaeologists are still on-site, expecting to unearth even more coins.
Beyond their value as currency and historical artifacts, these coins tell the story of a country transitioning between the 980s and the 1040s, a time when foreign currency dominated and Norway would establish its own mint. READ MORE
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5.4.26 - Buffett: 'a church with a casino attached'
Gold last traded at $4,519 an ounce. Silver at $72.78 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: As Warren Buffett sees it, our markets are increasingly behaving like a casino rather than a system grounded in real economic value. If Berkshire Hathaway can't find value, speculation has overwhelmingly replaced fundamentals. When one of the greatest capital allocators of all time can't justify the risk of wild price distortions, what chance does the average investor have?
Warren Buffett says markets are like a church with a casino attached, but ‘we’ve never had people in a more gambling mood than now’ -Fortune
by Jason Ma
Investing legend Warren Buffett bemoaned the gambling culture that has taken over financial markets while continuing to preach his brand of patience.
In an interview with CNBC on Saturday as Berkshire Hathaway held its annual shareholders meeting, he noted that of the 60 years he’s been in business, only five of them were “really juicy” with opportunities. But when there are no good bargains to be found, the “oracle of Omaha” is fine doing nothing.
That’s largely been the case for years. While Berkshire has acquired some smaller companies, the lack of mega-deals has sent the conglomerate’s cash pile to nearly $400 billion.
Buffett stepped down as CEO at the end of last year, but he remains involved in the investment portfolio—and still doesn’t like the prices that he’s seeing.
That’s due in part to investors acting like they’re playing a card game. To be sure, he’s long compared financial markets to a church with a casino attached. But the casino has gotten very attractive, he told CNBC.
Buffett pointed to the growing popularity of one-day options, saying, “That’s not investing. It’s not speculating. It’s gambling, just totally.” READ MORE
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5.1.26 - The Comex Silver Crisis is Real
Gold last traded at $4,615 an ounce. Silver at $75.41 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The silver market's foundation is tightening in ways most investors aren't watching. This article points to shrinking COMEX inventories, rising demand for physical metal, and a pullback from paper trading.
For anyone considering investing in silver, the takeaway is simple: tightening supply and growing physical demand could set the stage for potentially higher prices, especially if the market continues shifting away from paper contracts toward real metal.
The Comex Silver Crisis is Real -ZeroHedge
Authored by GoldFix
The current state of the COMEX silver market reflects a tightening structure. Registered inventories have declined to just under 80 million ounces, while open interest has fallen to levels not seen in over 15 years.
That combination is significant. It indicates that market participants are stepping back from paper exposure at the same time the pool of deliverable metal is shrinking.
This retreat from paper is occurring against a backdrop of persistent physical demand. China’s import appetite remains elevated, continuing to draw silver out of the global system and away from Western exchanges. At the same time, one-month lease rates have turned positive.
In practical terms, this means the cost to borrow physical silver has risen, reflecting tighter availability and a growing premium on immediate access to metal. This is a key confirmation signal. Inventory data shows the drawdown, while lease rates show the stress in sourcing. READ MORE
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4.30.26 - Gold to $8,000?
Gold last traded at $4,621 an ounce. Silver at $73.74 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Central banks are still moving away from the dollar and back toward gold; this alone could drive a massive repricing of the metal. According to Deutsche Bank, that shift in reserves could realistically push gold toward $8,000 an ounce as demand accelerates and supply struggles to keep up. This reinforces that gold isn't just rising, it's being structurally revalued by a changing global monetary system.
Gold price could see $8,000 on de-dollarization, Deutsche Bank projects -Mining.com
Gold is poised to benefit significantly from an increasingly fragmented world as nations continue to pivot into the metal and away from the US dollar as their go-to reserve asset, according to Deutsche Bank.
In a note published on Monday, the German investment bank said it sees a scenario where central banks, especially those in emerging economies, continue to increase their gold holdings as a financial safety net to protect themselves from Western sanctions.
The bank highlights that these central banks have added over 225 million ounces to their reserves since the 2008 financial crisis, while their holdings of US dollars have fallen from a peak of over 60% in the early 2000s to about 40% today.
It is not only the major holders — China, Russia, India and Turkey — that are buying up gold. As Deutsche Bank noted, the purchases are broadening to include countries like Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
Should this trend continue, bullion’s share of global central bank reserves could realistically reach 40%, up from 30% currently, the bank predicts. At that allocation, Deutsche Bank ran a simulation that projects gold prices to hit $8,000 an ounce within five years — a near 80% rise on current levels. READ MORE
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4.29.26 - Is History Repeating?
Gold last traded at $4,533 an ounce. Silver at $71.13 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The system we've relied on is being stretched from every direction at once. The lessons from the COVID crash show how quickly trillions were created and markets were artificially propped up, while at the same time countries like Indonesia and the broader BRICS bloc are actively building alternatives to the U.S. dollar and accumulating gold to reduce dependence on it. Now, with major institutions floating scenarios of dramatically higher gold prices tied to shifting reserve structures, it's becoming clear that this isn’t random, it’s a transition.
What that means is the dollar is facing slow but real erosion as global trust and usage diversify, and the American economy is increasingly dependent on policies that require constant liquidity support. And in that kind of environment, gold is not just as an investment, but a direct reflection of where the system is heading next.
COVID Crash Curriculum -Daily Reckoning
by Adam Sharp
COVID is a time many of us would like to forget.
But there are lessons buried in this chapter of history. Ones that are surprisingly relevant today.
Let’s explore how stocks reacted to the pandemic, and see what we can apply to today.
On January 23, 2020, China completely locked down the city of Wuhan, home to 11 million people.
Wuhan was where the virus originated. And with hindsight, we can see this lockdown was a sign of things to come.
Take a look at the chart below. It shows the S&P 500 performance from Dec 31st 2019 to March 22nd 2020. The dawn of the pandemic. VIEW CHARTS AND READ MORE
DB: $8,000 and The Beginning of Gold History -ZeroHedge
Authored by GoldFix
TL; DR
1- Geopolitics, not monetary theory, is driving gold’s return to reserves. The shift away from a unipolar U.S.-led system is reintroducing gold as a strategic asset.
“We argue that the share of gold in central bank reserves is not driven by the global monetary system, but by the global geopolitical environment.”
2- The reserve baton is shifting from dollars to gold, led by emerging markets. USD share has declined materially while gold has rapidly reclaimed ground.
“The dollar’s losses as a share of central bank reserves have not gone to other fiat currencies, but to gold.”
3- Emerging markets are the marginal buyer, with significant room to scale. Current gold allocations in EM remain far below historical norms, implying continued accumulation.
“EM central banks have been actively buying gold… there could be a long way to go in the trend.”
4- A 40% gold reserve regime implies materially higher prices. Even under declining FX reserves, structural allocation shifts support a path toward ~$8,000 gold.
“Gold prices could still rise to $8000 over the next five years, if EM countries all target a 40% gold share.” READ FULL STORY
Indonesia’s De-Dollarization Success: A New Blueprint for BRICS -Watcher.Guru
by Vinod Dsouza
Indonesia, the newest member of BRICS, is showing the alliance how to successfully kick-start the de-dollarization agenda and be successful in it. For the uninitiated, Indonesia launched a local currency transaction (LCT) framework in 2025, pushing both retail and businesses to switch to local currencies. In a remarkable change of events, the country has been successful in implementing it as transactions in local currencies soar.
The US dollar mostly remains out of the LTC system, giving Indonesia’s local currency, the rupiah, leverage in trade and transactions. In the latest move, Indonesia’s businesses have also adapted to the de-dollarization push, signalling increasing usability of their local currency. Indonesia gives BRICS a blueprint on how to successfully manage de-dollarization and normalize the development. This comes at a time when the alliance is scrambling on how to push local currencies under the Trump administration.
Data from the government agencies show that transactions under the local currency transaction (LCT) framework surged 163% year-on-year. It reached a high of $8.45 billion in January–February 2026, up from $3.21 billion from last year. The number of users quickly climbed to 14,621 in February, with an average monthly user count of 16,030. That’s well above the 2025 average. Indonesia is providing a real-world de-dollarization case study for BRICS, demonstrating exactly how to operationalize local currency settlements at scale. READ MORE
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4.28.26 - Silver Price May Hit $258
Gold last traded at $4,595 an ounce. Silver at $73.11 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Metals experts are sounding the alarm that collapsing COMEX silver inventories could trigger a massive supply squeeze, with price targets as high as $258. For investors, it signals a rare setup where tightening supply could drive a fast, explosive move; favoring those already holding silver.
Silver Price May Hit $258 As Comex Silver Inventories Collapse -King World News
The price of silver may hit $258 as Comex silver inventories collapse.
Otavio Costa: A major rotation from the new world to the old world is underway.
None of us own enough hard assets.
Mark Lundeen: Below is a chart plotting COMEX silver inventories. Typically, silver is a more extreme market than is gold. But until 2024, the sharp increases and decreases seen in the gold inventories, were absent in the COMEX silver inventories.
I don’t have much to add to the chart below. I’m including them as I’m sure some of my readers will like to see them. VIEW CHARTS AND READ MORE
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4.27.26 - Silver Market Tightens
Gold last traded at $4,674 an ounce. Silver at $75.01 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: It's clear the silver market is tightening in a meaningful way, with supply struggling to keep up as demand shifts and inventories continue to decline. The article highlights a growing multi-year deficit, where ongoing shortages are steadily draining available stockpiles and reinforcing a structurally constrained market. What this means for silver investors is simple: when demand keeps rising while supply can’t respond, prices typically have only one direction to go; and being positioned early could be critical.
Silver Market Tightens as Supply Struggles to Meet Demand -ZeroHedge
Authored by GoldFix
Global silver markets are entering a period of sustained tightness, as supply struggles to keep pace with shifting demand and declining inventories.
According to the The Silver Institute, preeminent in the global industry for precious metals, the silver market has moved into a multi-year deficit, with ongoing shortages steadily reducing available stockpiles.
The market has now recorded six consecutive annual deficits, with shortages continuing to draw down above-ground inventories. While total supply rose in 2025, driven by modest increases in mining and recycling, these gains have not been enough to close the gap. Much of the world’s silver is produced as a byproduct of other metals, limiting how quickly output can respond to higher prices.
At the same time, demand is evolving. Industrial use has softened slightly, particularly in sectors sensitive to rising prices, such as jewelry and solar manufacturing. However, this decline has been offset by a sharp increase in investment demand. Purchases of coins, bars, and exchange-traded products have risen significantly, putting additional pressure on physical availability. VIEW CHARTS AND READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,706 an ounce. Silver at $75.70 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Bank of America has a bold new forecast projecting silver could surge to between $135 and $309 by 2026, signaling massive upside potential. This outlook is driven by tightening supply and rising demand, suggesting current prices may be far below future value. With these fundamentals in mind, silver has the potential to explode over the next few years.
Bank of America Issues Shocking Silver Forecast: $135 to $309 by 2026 -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
The silver price is currently in a volatile stance, showing signs of oscillation from $80 to $75 and vice versa. As the US-Iran war continues to deliver support to the dollar, the metals have lately been having a tough time rising up the radar. In the middle of this, Bank of America has forecasted a rather shocking silver analysis, claiming that the asset can hit $135 to $309 by the end of 2026.
Bank of America’s reasoning behind this prediction is rather simple. Both the price targets are derived from the traditional gold-to-silver ratio analysis. At present, the ratio is at 59:1, making silver appear cheaper than gold. That being said, if this drops to new lows like before, it may eventually help silver secure $135 to $309 price marks in no time. In 2011, the metal tripled its price, with Bank Of America’s Widmer claiming how this setup may be up for repetitions again. READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,694 an ounce. Silver at $75.44 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article presents a series of data points that suggest the U.S. economy is far weaker than most headlines would have you believe, and the picture isn't pretty. From record-low consumer confidence and rising delinquencies to surging living costs and widespread layoffs, the underlying trends point to growing financial strain across the country.
18 Shocking Facts That Prove That The U.S. Economy Is In Far Worse Shape Than Most People Realize -The Economic Collapse
#1 Consumer confidence in the United States has fallen to an all-time record low…
Consumer confidence plunged to a record low in April as fears mounted over rising energy prices and the broader impact of the Iran war, according to a University of Michigan survey Friday.
The university's headline index of consumer sentiment tumbled to 47.6, down 10.7% from the March survey to its lowest on record. Current conditions and expectations indexes also saw double-digit monthly declines. READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,740 an ounce. Silver at $77.72 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Forecast after forecast is pointing to what many are calling an "explosive" new phase for precious metals. If the past few years felt strong, experts are signaling that it may be just the beginning. What we've already seen could pale in comparison to the next move higher.
All of this is unfolding as nations around the world position themselves for what increasingly looks like an inevitable global financial shift. The question isn't whether momentum is building, it's whether you're positioned to benefit from it.
We’re Going To See Another Major Eruption Higher In The Price Of Gold -King World News
Matthew Piepenburg, partner at VON GREYERZ: Below, we look soberly at the historical case of gold in the backdrop of current headlines and a global financial system nearing an eruption moment.
Although the catalysts of oil, war, bond dysfunction, and bloated stocks may seem modern and unique, the current case for gold is as timeless and constant as nature itself.
Volcanic Parallels…
In May of 1980, David Alexander Johnston, a volcanologist for the United States Geological Survey, was manning an observation post 10 kilometers from the percolating volcano of Mount St. Helens in the state of Washington.
On May 18th, he would be the first to report the volcano’s sudden eruption.
Within minutes, however, Johnston would be killed by the volcano's "lateral blasts." His body was never recovered, and 56 others would also perish—along with 7,000 big game animals, 12 million fish, 200 homes, 300 kilometers of highway and 15 kilometers of railway.
Although monitoring volcanoes may seem entirely removed from monitoring economic shocks, there are volcanic rumblings beneath our global oil, credit, equity and currency markets which are about to erupt. READ MORE
Silver Price Outlook: What Could Drive Silver to $100? -Investing Haven
Despite this correction, the metal’s underlying trajectory remains remarkably aggressive, boasting a 143.25% year-on-year gain and a 15.19% increase over the last 30 days alone.
For market participants eyeing a return to the triple-digit territory, the thesis centers on a "perfect storm" of structural supply deficits, unrelenting industrial necessity, and a shift in investor psychology.
While silver's path is rarely linear, the current fundamental landscape suggests that $100 may be a plausible milestone rather than a speculative ceiling. READ MORE
After a 12-Year Base, Silver May Be Entering Its Most Explosive Phase Yet -Watcher. Guru
by Juhi Mirza
The silver price is on the move and is currently undergoing an intense transformation. Analysts are now calling silver out, explaining how the metal is now headed towards its most explosive phase. One such analyst has shared detailed information on silver price movements in the future, outlining how the asset is ending its 12-year base and is now heading towards embracing all new price highs.
After gold, silver has now started to gain momentum again. Per the latest forecast by Rashad Hajiyev, a leading metal expert, investors have lately been worried about the negative war impact that the metals might undergo soon. To this, Hajiyev shared how silver has long broken its 12-year base. Now is moving ahead like an arrow that cannot be turned back midway.
"Majority of investors worry that breakdown of peace talks between the US and Iran could trigger another round of sell-off in precious metals. Silver broke out from a 12-year base back in the summer of 2025. The arrow has left the bow, and there is no turning back until fundamental global economic issues are addressed, particularly the debt problem. Rest is rhetoric and short-term noise designed to distract. I do not see a solution to the modern fiat system; hence, precious metals are winners here…" READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,675 an ounce. Silver at $75.55 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: According to this article, gold isn't near its final high. It is, instead, still early in a much larger bull run with meaningful upside ahead. Ongoing drivers like monetary instability and broader economic stress continuing to support higher prices. To me, that means this is still a buy-or-hold moment, not a time to exit.
This Is Why Gold & Silver Are Nowhere Near Their Final Highs, Plus An Important Reminder -King World News
Joroen Blokland: Since the start of this year, global money supply has been expanding at an annualized pace of 16%.
That is right, a whopping 16%!
KING WORLD NEWS NOTE: This Is Why Gold & Silver Are Nowhere Near Their Final Highs: Money Supply Has Been Expanding At A Staggering 16% Annualized Rate Since The Start Of 2026!
That is the true hurdle rate of inflation if your fiat money is sitting in the bank.
READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,820 an ounce. Silver at $79.93 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Generally speaking, the word "deficit" rarely carries a positive connotation. In this case, however, it could prove highly favorable, and potentially very profitable, for those positioned in the silver market. The underlying factors continuing to emerge point to a supply-demand imbalance that is overwhelmingly bullish.
Silver Deficit Surges 15%: Is a Price Spike Next? -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
Per the latest update by the Kobeissi Letter, the silver market is heading towards its 6th annual deficit. Per the portal, the global silver deficit is set to widen by 16% in 2026 to 46M troy ounces. Since 2021, the platform has shared how global silver stocks have been depleted by a massive 762M troy ounces, strengthening the risk of another silver price crunch taking over the domain.
"The silver market is heading for a 6th consecutive annual structural deficit. The global silver deficit may widen +15% YoY in 2026, to 46 million troy ounces."
In simpler terms, the Iran-US war has had a direct impact on silver's industrial demand. That being said, the war has also resulted in silver emerging as the leading safe-haven asset. This development may compel the physical silver bar and coin demand to rise nearly by 18% YoY. In addition to this, all these narratives, in essence, may push the global silver supply to drop by 2%, tightening the circuit once and for all.
READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,860 an ounce. Silver at $81.46 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: If you're not already invested in gold, it's time to start paying attention. Central banks are setting record after record as they accumulate physical gold at an accelerating pace, tightening global supply. And they’re not alone; amid rapid shifts in the global financial system, gold continues to stand out as a universally trusted store of stability.
Gold Purchases by Global Central Banks Skyrocket 575%, Surpassing $4,600,000,000 in Just One Month -The Daily Hodl
by Mark Emem
Global central banks just recorded a massive month-on-month increase in their gold purchases.
According to the World Gold Council, global central banks purchased 27 tons of gold worth just over $4.6 trillion in February.
That's a 575% increase from the four tons that the reserve banks bought in January.
"Just two months into the year, central banks have bought 31t, a pace much slower than the same period last year (50t)."
Gold is trading at $4,833 at time of writing.
Poland's central bank was the largest buyer of gold among the global reserve banks, purchasing about 74% of the gold reserve banks bought in February.
READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,795 an ounce. Silver at $78.60 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Silver is entering a strong new bull phase, fueled by rising industrial demand and tightening global supply. With these pressures building alongside broader uncertainty, buying now could position you ahead of a significant price breakout.
Silver's Next Wave Starts Now -Daily Reckoning
by Adam Sharp
Silver is now up $10/oz from its recent low of around $70/oz. Gold is up more than $400 from its dip to $4,400/oz.
Bullion is looking good here.
Miners are clawing back gains as well. The GDX gold miner ETF is up from a low of $79 back on 3/20 to $98 today. The SILJ silver miner ETF has bounced back to $32 from $26.
However, let’s not pop the champagne on miners just yet. The situation in the Middle East remains uncertain.
The ceasefire is holding for the most part, which is encouraging. But the Strait of Hormuz is still closed. And as we’ve pointed out many times, we are still miles apart from Iran on negotiation terms.
Higher oil prices mean higher costs for miners. So for now, I think the outlook for physical metals looks more certain than miners.
READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,840 an ounce. Silver at $79.35 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The hits just keep coming; especially if you buy groceries, pay a mortgage/rent or drive a car. We knew a wave of higher prices was on the way, and that’s happening even with the war temporarily paused. If, more likely when, the fighting resumes, this may only be the beginning of even steeper increases.
From coffee to home prices, costs are up everywhere -Yahoo! Finance
by Emma Ockerman and Claire Boston
Americans continue to reel from prices that soared during the pandemic, never came back to earth, and keep ticking higher. There's no doubt that it costs more to feed yourself and cover basics like transportation, housing, and health insurance than it did just a few years ago.
Here's Yahoo Finance's snapshot of how some everyday costs have ballooned.
READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,741 an ounce. Silver at $75.50 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Despite the recent strength in the dollar following the onset of the war, the bigger story lies in its broader trajectory. The U.S. dollar has been in a steady decline, and with mounting debt and rising economic tensions, its long-term outlook is increasingly uncertain.
US Dollar Share Falls to 46%, Lowest in Over Two Decades -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
Per the latest post by the Kobeissi Letter, the US dollar FX share has dropped to 46% at present. This percentage has now declined by -15 points since 2017. The latest IMF data now share details of USD market share, adding how the currency makes up about 57% of global reserves, the lowest since 1994.
This data snippet has come in the middle of a crucial financial juncture, with gold being in the center of it all. As gold is the latest obsession of the central banks across the world, the US dollar continues to take the heat of it all, with its market share tumbling rapidly.
READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,748 an ounce. Silver at $75.99 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The world needs to brace for what many are now warning could be an "utter disaster" for the global economy. The fallout from the war in Iran is no longer contained, it's radiating outward; disrupting energy markets, driving inflation higher, and straining supply chains worldwide. What began as a regional conflict is rapidly evolving into a global economic shock, with consequences that could impact nearly every sector.
This Is Going To Be A Complete And Utter Disaster For The Global Economy -The Economic Collapse
Iran is still holding traffic through the Strait of Hormuz hostage, and the entire world is going to suffer. Before the war, commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz flowed freely, and the global economy functioned normally. But even though there is a temporary ceasefire, Iran continues to maintain a stranglehold on the waterway, and they are insisting that this will continue to be the case when a permanent deal to end the war is reached. In other words, the Iranians are making it clear that this is how things are going to operate from now on, and they know that the U.S. and Europe are not eager to do what it would take militarily to reopen the Strait. Of course even if there is a military operation to reopen the Strait, it will take an extended period of time before it is safe for commercial traffic to pass through the waterway once again. Any way that you look at it, the truth is that this is going to be a complete and utter disaster for the global economy.
The Iranians were supposed to temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz as part of the ceasefire deal.
But that has not happened.
In fact, the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company has ominously declared that "the Strait of Hormuz is not open"…
The Strait of Hormuz has not opened to ship traffic after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, said the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., or ADNOC, on Thursday.
READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,770 an ounce. Silver at $75.73 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The dollar has been under sustained pressure for years; and the damage is already severe. Since 2000, it has lost more than 93% of its purchasing power. What was once a quiet erosion is now becoming harder to ignore. Here are eight key indicators to watch when evaluating that risk.
Is The Dollar Collapsing? 8 Key Indicators You Can't Ignore -ZeroHedge
Authored by Nick Giambruno via InternationalMan.com
Indicator #1: Federal Budget Deficits
The chart below shows the actual and projected federal budget deficits.
It's important to note that these projections rest on the ridiculous assumption that there will be no wars, recessions, or other events that drive additional federal spending. That assumption is already out the window with the Iran war: the Pentagon has requested an additional $200 billion, for starters.
Even with this rosy and unrealistic forecast, the US government is projected to run a cumulative deficit of over $22 trillion over the next ten years—deficits that will have to be financed by issuing more debt, a significant share of which will likely be bought by the Federal Reserve with "money" it creates out of thin air.
VIEW CHARTS AND READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,719 an ounce. Silver at $74.23 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: There's a lot unfolding in the markets right now, and it's moving fast. The war hasn't ended, but it has temporarily cooled off, giving a brief window where a resolution might be possible.
At the same time, warning signs are building. Some experts are calling for a significant stock market correction, while others are focused on growing risks in the private credit market. These concerns have been around for a while, but they're starting to gain more attention as conditions shift.
Meanwhile, gold and silver are beginning to assert themselves, hinting that investors may already be repositioning for what comes next.
Trump's Iran Ceasefire: Everyone's Relaxed Except Gold. What Does It Know? -NDTV
June gold futures rose about 4% to roughly $4,851 an ounce after the ceasefire. Silver jumped more than 6% to around $76. The gains came even as stocks and crypto rallied, suggesting investors are not simply rotating into risk.
Markets ripped higher after the US-Iran ceasefire, but gold refused to play along.
Oil prices tumbled after US President Donald Trump agreed to a two-week truce and reopened the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude fell nearly 6%, while US oil dropped as much as 15%. Equities surged, sending the S&P 500 to within roughly 3.5% of record highs near 6,800. Bitcoin pushed above $72,000.
The move was instant.
READ MORE
Sell alert: Trading expert predicts 50% crash for U.S. stock market -Finbold
by Andreja Stojanovic
Ali Martinez, a popular on-chain trading expert on X, speculated late on Monday, April 7, that the U.S. stock market is headed for something of a false rise in the coming months before suffering a catastrophic crash over the course of several years.
Specifically, the chart the analyst shared in the social media post appears to highlight an observed similarity between the S&P 500 chart in 2026 and in 2007 in the lead-up to the Great Recession.
Martinez highlighted that the pattern that led the benchmark stock market index to its 1,576 high 19 years ago is almost a mirror image of what is observable in the most recent 12 months. He also highlighted that the 2007 rally led to a collapse that took the S&P 500 57.68% lower to the 2009 bottom near 667 points.
Thus, the on-chain trading expert extrapolated that, should the pattern truly be a repeat of the Great Recession's prelude, the index could rally to 7,150 in the coming months before plunging 56.22% to 3,130 by, presumably, 2028.
READ MORE
'The end of the road': Market heavyweights Michael Burry and Jeff Gundlach eye trouble ahead for private credit -Business Insider
by Samuel O'Brient
The list of top Wall Street names sounding the alarm on the private credit market is growing, with Michael Burry and Jeffrey Gundlach recently warning about trouble ahead for the space.
Burry, one of the traders who called the 2008 housing crash, flagged a post by billionaire bond investor Jeffrey Gundlach about private credit concerns. He compared the market climate to that of 2007, just before the subprime mortgage bubble triggered the housing and stock market crashes.
"I believe everyone in PE and PC knows exactly what is going on," Burry stated. "PE is remarkably proficient at kicking the can down the road, but it looks like the end of the road to me."
READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,706 an ounce. Silver at $72.93 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Investors have been in wait-and-see mode on gold and silver as the war in Iran drags on. Despite recent hesitation, most analysts remain firmly bullish on the long-term outlook. Some forecasts are turning even more aggressive, with this author calling for $7,000 gold.
Gold's Next Price Breakout Could Be Its Biggest Yet, $7,000 in Sight -Watcher.Guru
Gold price has been showing signs of recovery, with its price hitting $4700 at press time. The asset seems to be recovering its lost valuations, gaining steady pace, as reports of a possible ceasefire between Iran and the US continue to gain momentum in the market. That being said, Rashad Hajiyev, a leading gold expert, shared a striking feature of the asset’s price trajectory that is yet to take shape.
Hajiyev shared how gold produces nearly 25% to 30% following each of its breakouts. Following the same course, if each advance cycle lasts around 2.5 to 3 months, then the yellow precious asset may ultimately breach the ambitious $7K mark. The expert later shared how it’s quite possible to witness gold’s historic surge to $8K in favorable circumstances ahead.
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Gold last traded at $4,650 an ounce. Silver at $72.85 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: How far will the effects of the war in Iran reach? Many argue it will impact nearly everything. Even as prices begin to rise, they warn the real disruptions haven’t hit yet; much of what’s on shelves was already in transit. At this point, the only real relief may come from a swift end to the conflict.
"The Everything Meltdown": Global Supply Chains Are Collapsing And Most People Cannot Even Imagine The Pain That Is Coming -The Economic Collapse
Anyone that thinks that the global economy can continue to function at or near current levels without sufficient supplies of oil, natural gas, plastic and fertilizer is just being delusional.
The only way that we can avoid "the everything meltdown" is if this war ends quickly.
Even if the Strait of Hormuz is reopened tomorrow, we will not see a return to pre-war conditions any time soon because damage that has been done to energy infrastructure in the Middle East will take years to fully rebuild.
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Gold last traded at $4,674 an ounce. Silver at $72.72 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: If you're waiting for the perfect time to buy gold, it may already be here. John Ing believes the war in Iran has opened a "Pandora’s box" of supply disruptions - especially in oil - that could drive gold from the mid-$4,000 range toward $6,000 an ounce.
Ing Says Gold Price Will Surge Above $6,000 -King World News
America was unprepared, thinking that Iran would be a quick victory. Iran otherwise tested America's vaunted defense umbrella with an escalating barrage, attacking neighbouring energy infrastructure, depleting America's and Israel's multi-million-dollar Patriot missiles tasked to take down their cheap drones which cost a few thousand dollars. Ironies of ironies, the Gulf nations have approached Ukraine for their drone defenses, in a possible swap of Patriots for drones. America can only build about 800 Patriots a year, so allies and adversaries are concerned because of the need to replenish their complex and costly air defenses. America's Gulf allies are bearing the brunt of Iran's attacks, so they want a quick end to the war to resume exports because their fuel storage facilities are limited and vulnerable to drones. Similarly escorting ships through the Strait is considered too expensive and risky. Mr. Trump's golden age is mired in risk and while he likes high risk, high rewards, he has gone all-in. Will the world join him?
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Gold last traded at $4,762 an ounce. Silver at $75.21 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: As gold prices take a brief breather, it's natural to wonder what comes next. The broader outlook, however, remains firmly bullish, with many expecting significantly higher prices ahead. Ongoing economic strain - paired with mounting future risks, including the anticipated fallout from the war in Iran - continues to reinforce gold's long-term upside.
A Gold Price Prediction for 2026 2027 2028 – 2030 -Investing Haven
Our gold price prediction for the coming years remains firmly bullish. Some periods of weakness characterized by gold price pullbacks can be expected. Gold price targets: $5,750 in 2026, near $6,500 in 2027, peak gold price prediction of $8,150 by 2030.
The summary of our gold price prediction is presented the first section of this article. The remainder of this article provides a deep understanding of the true dynamics driving the gold price.
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BRICS: China Settles $1.3 Trillion in Chinese Yuan With ASEAN Nations -Watcher.Guru
by Vinod Dsouza
BRICS member China reported settling 8.9 trillion in the Chinese yuan with ASEAN countries, which is equivalent to $1.3 trillion. The development marks more than 50% year-on-year increase, with the local currency taking predominance against the US dollar. This marks a strategic shift in Southeast Asia that is considering diversifying its cross-border payments, favoring local currencies. Read here to know how many sectors in the US will be affected if BRICS ditches the dollar for trade.
De-dollarization is growing within BRICS and ASEAN countries, as the Chinese yuan is becoming the first preference for payment settlements. Apart from the Chinese yuan, the Indonesian rupiah is the second-most used local currency between China and the ASEAN alliance. "Our cross-border renminbi transactions in ASEAN reached 8.9 trillion yuan in 2024," said Liu Jun, counsellor at China’s Mission to ASEAN, to Jakarta Globe.
The counsellor added that using the Chinese yuan leads to monetary security among BRICS and ASEAN nations. "The renminbi is celebrating its role as a key regional currency. It contributes significantly to the financial stability of this region," said the counsellor. The de-dollarization initiative is in full swing in the Southeast Asian region, with trillions worth of payments being settled in local currencies. This adds strain on the US dollar's prospects, leading to a deficit in the long run.
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Celente Says Iran War's Economic Fallout Is Catastrophic -King World News
(King World News) – Gerald Celente: PUBLISHER'S NOTE: In our 46 years of trend forecasting, never has there been a war that has affected the entire globe as has the war that Israel and the U.S. launched against Iran on 28 February.
And by the facts and details we published before the war began, we had warned of the dangers ahead. Now, one month later by the facts, bad times are getting much worse. Here is the latest list of socioeconomic and political damages inflicted across the globe as a result of the Iran War.
Governments, coping with record $100 trillion in debt amid a slowing economy, are struggling to find ways to help their citizens manage energy prices not seen in decades.
Before the Iran War, the U.K. had crafted a plan to slow its borrowing. Now the government has promised to further subsidize some households' heating bills. China, Hungary, and Japan have capped gasoline prices. The U.S. state of Georgia has suspended its 33-cents-a-gallon gasoline tax.
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Gold last traded at $4,683 an ounce. Silver at $75.27 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: If the war in Iran and the surge in energy costs weren't already hitting our wallets hard enough, another wave of price increases may be right behind it. A combination of drought conditions, fertilizer shortages, and widespread crop losses is now building beneath the surface. And as those pressures work their way through the system, one thing is almost certain; higher food prices for all of us.
Warning From the Heartland: Historic Drought And Unexpected Fertilizer Shortages Could Mean Massive Crop Losses -The Economic Collapse
Meanwhile, most of the country is experiencing at least some level of drought right now. If you check out the latest map from the U.S. Drought Monitor, it looks like a horror show. Even if there was no war going on in the Middle East, farmers in the U.S. would still be facing a nightmarish drought that never seems to end.
In Colorado, one family that had planned to go skiing during spring break decided to go to the beach instead because of the extremely dry conditions…
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Gold last traded at $4,504 an ounce. Silver at $70.01 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Robert Kiyosaki, long one of the most vocal silver advocates, is equally bullish on gold; and he's not subtle about it. With gold hovering in the $4,000 - $5,000 range in recent weeks, he sees this as a brief pause, not a peak. In his view, it's simply a waypoint on the path to a potential sevenfold surge.
Robert Kiyosaki Says He's Not Sure What 'Pin' Will Pop the Biggest Bubble in History - But It's Not If, It's When. 'Gold Will Hit $35,000 An Ounce' -Yahoo! Finance
by Jeannine Mancini
Markets don't send invitations before they break. And according to Robert Kiyosaki, the next crack might already be forming.
In a post on X last week, the "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" author returned to familiar territory, warning about what he sees as a historic bubble stretched across multiple assets. It's a theme he's leaned on for years, but this time, the tone was less about timing and more about inevitability.
"I do not know what pin, what event will pop the biggest bubbles in history," Kiyosaki said. "Whatever the event, the pin is near."
He didn't try to guess the trigger. No interest rate call. No geopolitical prediction. Just the idea that something, somewhere, eventually gives.
"It's not IF. It's WHEN," he added.
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Gold last traded at $4,533 an ounce. Silver at $70.87 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Higher oil prices and renewed inflation fears may create some short-term pressure on gold; but that's noise, not the story. The reality is rising costs, policy uncertainty, and global tension all cause investors turn to gold for protection. If you're looking to stay ahead of what's coming, this is the type of scenario where gold has historically rewarded those who acted early.
Markets now see the Fed’s next move as a potential rate hike as inflation fears mount -CNBC
by Jeff Cox
Surging energy prices, rising import costs and mounting stagflation concerns are pushing markets to consider that the Federal Reserve's next move could be a rate hike.
Traders in the futures market pushed the probability of a rate increase by the end of 2026 to 52% on Friday morning, the first time it has crossed the 50% threshold, according to the CME Group FedWatch tool.
The move comes as global benchmark crude prices topped $110, adding to a series of developments this week signaling that inflation pressures may be building as the Iran war drags on and U.S. tariffs raise costs.
Adding to the inflation concerns, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday that import prices jumped 1.3% in February, the largest monthly increase since March 2022, while export prices rose 1.5%, the biggest gain since May 2022.
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Gold last traded at $4,398 an ounce. Silver at $68.36 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
As the war has dominated headlines over the past three weeks - understandably so - it's also pulled attention away from other pressing and very real issues in our economy. One of the biggest is food prices. We've already been dealing with higher costs for years, and with oil supply disruptions tied to the conflict, it's unlikely things improve anytime soon.
Celente Warns War Foreshadows Food Price Shock -King World News
by Gerald Celente
Developing nations had begun to overcome the impacts of the COVID War, the Ukraine war, and years of inflation, so much so that they were attracting investment in recent months. Now, thanks to the Iran war, these countries are likely to face a new crisis: soaring food prices, Reuters reported.
"This could have a big impact on food prices over time," Odile Renaud-Basso, president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), said in a public statement. The bank is a mainstay lender to about 40 developing nations.
In Western countries, consumers typically pay no more than 25 percent of their incomes for food and fuel. In developing nations, those two expenses often take a third to half of household incomes, managing director Marie Diron at Moody's Ratings told Reuters.
"This exposure leaves many economies particularly vulnerable to externally driven price volatility," she said.
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Gold last traded at $4,509 an ounce. Silver at $71.15 an ounce.
Private credit is showing its biggest weakness; when investors want their money, they may not be able to get it. Funds can restrict withdrawals and rely on complex and illiquid assets, putting control in someone else's hands. Physical gold, by contrast, offers immediate liquidity, full ownership, and reliable protection when markets take a turn.
Ares is the latest private credit player to limit withdrawals after investors ask to redeem their money -AOL.com
by Alex Nicoll
Ares is the latest private credit fund limiting payouts to investors following a record spike in attempts to withdraw money.
Investors requested to redeem more than 11% of shares in Ares Strategic Income Fund this quarter, and the firm decided to cap payouts at 5%, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund's net value is $10.7 billion as of February 28, with a total portfolio value of $22.7 billion.
Investors looked to withdraw more than $1.2 billion in the quarter, with the firm limiting withdrawals to about $524.5 million. It plans to allow 43% of the requested redemptions, with it pro-rated so that each requesting shareholder receives a portion of their request. READ MORE
Is the U.S. effectively insolvent on paper? With liabilities far outpacing assets as debt and interest costs surge, I would say yes. To me, this reinforces the long-term case for gold as fiscal instability undermines confidence in the dollar. Expect sustained demand for precious metals, as investors look for a hedge against currency debasement and structurally higher inflation.
The Treasury just declared the U.S. insolvent. The media missed it -AOL.com
by Steve H. Hanke, David M. Walker
Importantly, the $47.78 trillion in reported liabilities does not include the unfunded obligations of social insurance programs like Social Security and Medicare — those are disclosed separately in the off-balance-sheet Statement of Social Insurance (SOSI).
The government’s consolidated balance sheet position, excluding the SOSI, deteriorated by nearly $2.07 trillion between FY 2024 and FY 2025, reaching a staggering negative $41.72 trillion. Total liabilities are now nearly eight times the value of reported assets. The largest drivers were a $2 trillion increase in federal debt and interest payable (now $30.33 trillion) and a $438.8 billion increase in federal employee and veteran benefits payable (now $15.47 trillion). READ MORE
This pullback isn't a warning sign; it's a clearing event. The speculation is gone, the fundamentals remain, and the long-term case for gold may now be even stronger from these levels.
Gold Hits 4-Month Low as Rates Spike: $400 Rebound & $10K Target -Watcher.Guru
by Loredana Harsana
The gold price target across Wall Street took a serious hit this week. Gold crashed to a four-month low of $4,098 on Monday, posting its worst five-session performance since February 1983 and briefly erasing all year-to-date gains. A hawkish Federal Reserve, a stronger US dollar, and signs of Iran conflict de-escalation all hit at once — and together they triggered the gold price crash. Even so, a number of top strategists kept their long-term gold price targets intact, and some even raised them.
Why gold is falling right now comes down to one fairly clear dynamic. The Iran conflict sent oil prices more than 36% above pre-war levels, and markets read that as an inflationary shock — not a safe-haven trigger. That pushed rate-cut probabilities from 96% on February 27 down to barely 10% by Monday. Gold pays no yield, so rising real rates make holding it increasingly costly relative to bonds or cash. A stronger US dollar also compressed demand from buyers outside the United States.
As gold hit a four-month low, the SPDR Gold Trust briefly fell below the $400 mark in premarket trading, and the broader precious metals complex followed it down. Silver dropped 12.4% to $61 per ounce and platinum futures fell nearly 10%. READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,407 an ounce. Silver at $69.62 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the course of my career in the financial industry, I've encountered a wide range of investment strategies; some prudent, others far less so. In all that time, I've never recommended anything as extreme as what this writer suggests: skipping meals to buy silver. Take a moment to read it and see what you think.
Stop Eating For One Day, Use That Money to Buy Silver, Says Analyst -Watcher.Guru
by Vinod Dsouza
Silver prices experienced a dramatic rise and fall in 2026 that shocked the commodity markets. The XAG/USD index reached a high of $122 in January but fell 30% overnight during the first week of February. In a month alone, the commodity has shed another 25% in value and is now trading at the $67 range. Traders are skeptical of taking an entry position due to the drastic fall in numbers.
Robert Kiyosaki, the author of the best-selling financial self-help book Rich Dad Poor Dad, advised traders to start investing in silver, claiming that the commodity is at its lowest point and could bottom out. He predicted that silver prices could reach the $200 mark next. The analyst urged those who don't have money to stop eating for a day and use that money to invest in silver.
"If you do not have a spare $10, stop eating for one day," and use it to buy silver, he said. "Skip eating for one day and invest $10 in real junk silver, dimes and quarters," he wrote. The straightforward investment strategy has put off a lot of traders as the advice appears non-structured. A person can live without silver, but not without food. Even skipping a meal for a day comes with its own repercussions, based on the individual’s age and health status.
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Gold last traded at $4,406 an ounce. Silver at $69.12 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Gold has finally pulled back; and frankly, it was overdue. Don't get comfortable, though; if anything, this pause may be setting up the next leg higher, at least according to Jamie Dimon. With the same powerful economic forces still firmly in play, the case for gold isn’t weakening, it's getting harder to ignore.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said this asset could soar to '$10,000,' despite dismissing it before. How 2026 is shaping up -Yahoo! Finance
by Jing Pan
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon isn't known for making bold price calls.
But during an interview in late 2025, Dimon made some pretty punchy claims when asked whether he thought gold was overvalued or undervalued.
Dimon started by saying, "I don't know. I mean, I'm not a gold buyer — it costs 4% to own it (1).”
What he means is that physical gold can come with additional carrying costs, such as storage, vaulting fees and insurance. For the unwary, this can come as a surprise and undercut the precious yellow metal's value — especially during periods of slow growth.
But despite his initial quip, Dimon didn't dismiss gold outright — far from it.
"It could easily go to $5,000, $10,000, in environments like this," he said. "This is one of the few times in my life it’s semi-rational to have some in your portfolio."
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Gold last traded at $4,624 an ounce. Silver at $70.44 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A projected 1.7% U.S. growth rate for the next 30 years isn't just slow; it's a warning sign for long-term wealth. When growth stalls, currencies weaken and market confidence fades; which is exactly when gold historically surges as investors rush to protect what they've built. This kind of backdrop doesn't just support higher gold prices, it creates urgency to own gold before the next major move begins.
US Economic Growth to Average Only 1.7% for 30 Years, Lowest in History -Watcher.Guru
by Loredana Harsana
US economic growth will average just 1.7% annually over the next 30 years — the weakest sustained stretch in American history, according to the Congressional Budget Office's long-term budget outlook. Since World War II, the US averaged 3.1% per year. The federal debt projection, mandatory spending growth, and the interest spending rise are all pulling that number down at the same time.
The long-term budget outlook puts gross federal debt at $182 trillion by 2056 — roughly $2 million per American family of four. Debt climbs from 123% of GDP in 2025 to 190% of GDP in 2056, the highest level in American history. That federal debt projection crowds out private investment and pushes borrowing costs higher across the economy, dragging directly on US economic growth.
House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington stated:
"This CBO report confirms what we already know: America’s fiscal trajectory is unsustainable. Our long-term budget outlook goes from bad to far worse, with gross federal debt projected to reach $182 trillion by 2056 — that’s roughly $2 million per American family. I have warned time and time again that runaway mandatory spending and our crushing national debt represent the single greatest danger to our nation’s prosperity and our children’s future."
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Gold last traded at $4,609 an ounce. Silver at $70.25 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Congressional Budget Office warns U.S. debt could hit $64 trillion within a decade, raising serious concerns about inflation, dollar stability, and long-term economic strain. Meanwhile, BRICS nations are accelerating moves away from the dollar, signaling a shift in global financial power.
For gold investors, this backdrop strengthens the case for gold as rising debt and currency risk continue to drive demand for hard assets.
CBO Warns US Debt Will Reach $64 Trillion in a Decade, BRICS Cashes In -Watcher.Guru
by Loredana Harsana
The US debt prediction the Congressional Budget Office published in February 2026 is about as stark as these reports get. The nonpartisan scorekeeper projects total gross national debt will hit $64 trillion within a decade, with a trillion-dollar deficit currently at $1.9 trillion and climbing to $3.1 trillion by 2036. Right now, the national debt stands at $38.99 trillion — and the latest US debt prediction has the federal government borrowing an additional $26 trillion between now and 2036.
The US debt-to-GDP ratio, currently at 101%, is heading toward 120%, well past the postwar record of 106% from 1946. The Watcher.Guru Live US Debt Tracker below puts that growth curve in perspective — and BRICS nations are running their dollar exit harder than ever, with the CBO US debt projection giving them more ammunition with each update.
The CBO US debt projection puts cumulative deficits at $24.4 trillion over the next ten years — averaging 6.1% of GDP per year, more than double the 50-year historical average of 3.8%. Interest payments alone will cross $1 trillion in 2026 and climb to $2.1 trillion by 2036. At that point, the federal government will spend more on debt service than it currently allocates to national defense, also a first in US history.READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,883 an ounce. Silver at $76.90 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: As the war in Iran continues, the toll - both human and economic - keeps rising. It's becoming increasingly clear just how essential oil is to nearly every aspect of daily life. Forecasts now pouring in point to serious global consequences tied to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, including the potential for a recession, food shortages, and what some are calling "Peak War Panic." And as the situation in the Middle East continues to unravel, these risks may prove to be only the beginning.
US Recession Odds Surge to Near 50%: Highest Since 2020 -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
With the rising oil crisis and rapidly evolving geopolitical narratives weighing on the world, the US is no exception to this. Per the latest market indicator, the odds of the US entering into a recession have risen gravely, hitting their highest percentage since 2020. Other than that, with economic conditions worsening, it's becoming harder and harder for Americans to afford new homes and employment opportunities, making matters worse and pushing the economy into deep despair.
Per a recent report by the Kobeissi Letter, the US recession odds have now risen to their highest levels since 2020. The possibility of a recession engulfing the US economy has now risen by nearly 48.6%, the highest since the 2020 pandemic. Furthermore, this percentage is now up by +15 points in the last 6 months. Per KL, these stats have been derived from leading economic indicators created by Moody.
According to the portal, rising oil price spikes with deteriorating job market narratives are weighing on the US economy, increasing the odds of a possible recession.READ MORE
It Is Being Projected That "Peak War Panic" Could Hit The Global Financial System In 1 To 3 Weeks -The Economic Collapse
A worst-case scenario could be just weeks away. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been essentially paralyzed by the war with Iran, and there is a lot of speculation that the Houthis could soon bring commercial traffic through the Red Sea to a screeching halt. If such a scenario actually materializes, it would be catastrophic for the global economy. The good news is that so far we are not witnessing widespread panic among investors. Most of them still seem to believe that this crisis is just temporary. So even though the price of oil is up over 40 percent since the start of the war, the overall global financial system is still relatively stable at this stage…
The S&P 500 is only down 3% so far this year and 5% off its all-time high, still far from reaching bear market territory or even a correction, suggesting investors aren't panicking yet about the U.S.-Israel war on Iran. But that could change soon.
To be sure, oil prices have soared more than 40% since the war began two weeks ago and are up nearly 70% year to date. But they remain below the peak seen after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, despite one-fifth of the world's oil supplies being bottled up by Iran's de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.READ MORE
"Fertilizer Shock": The Closure Of The Strait Of Hormuz Could Cause Widespread Global Food Shortages -The Economic Collapse
If commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains paralyzed for months, we will witness a global food crisis on a scale that many experts would have once considered to be unthinkable. Over the past couple of weeks, there has been much written about how the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused the price of oil to rise, has caused the price of natural gas to soar to insane levels and has caused the average price of diesel in the United States to jump above five dollars a gallon. But I think that the bigger story is what the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could mean for global food supplies.
Normally, approximately one-third of all globally-traded nitrogen fertilizer and approximately one-half of all globally-traded sulfur passes through the Strait of Hormuz…
Another world crisis sparked by the war in Iran may also be in the offing. That's because the region's oil and gas production has made it one of the world's leading exporters of nitrogen fertilizers, which are indispensable to the global food system. To produce the chemicals used to grow much of the planet's crops, natural gas is broken down to extract hydrogen, which is combined with nitrogen to make ammonia, and then mixed with carbon dioxide to make urea. All told, nearly a third of the global trade for nitrogen fertilizer passes through the Strait of Hormuz, while almost half of the world's sulfur, essential in producing phosphate fertilizers, also travels through the corridor.
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Gold last traded at $5,006 an ounce. Silver at $79.62 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Gold is widely regarded as one of the most effective hedges against market volatility, geopolitical tension, and economic uncertainty; and there’s no shortage of any of those right now.
Against that backdrop, some analysts believe gold may be poised for its next major move, with a potential 20% upside on the horizon.
Gold Prices On Track For a 20% Surge: UBS Prediction -Watcher.Guru
by Vinod Dsouza
Gold prices have fallen nearly 4% in a week despite the conflict in Iran and Israel escalating. The XAU/USD index has cooled down in March, while leading cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin have spiked 10%. The safe haven nature of the precious metal is jittery as traders are now taking calculated steps.
However, the price grind for gold is only temporary, wrote UBS in a note to clients. The investment bank noted that prices are materializing and could see another sharp spike, similar to the rise of energy stocks. For the uninitiated, energy stocks have been on the rise after the war and are now among the top-performing equities.
The overall US energy sector has surged by nearly 22% year-to-date, making it a prime investment due to its pivot and support towards the AI industry. Gold prices will also replicate the energy sector, delivering double-digit gains again, according to UBS. "In the short term, higher energy prices and inflation worries have led to a stronger US dollar and concerns over potential rate hikes—both are negative for gold prices," wrote the bank.READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $5,006 an ounce. Silver at $80.74 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Silver has already had a strong year, and it looks like that momentum may be building. Among the metals, it could represent one of the best buying opportunities of the year; possibly even one of the best opportunities across all markets.
Silver: About to Hit a Home Run -King World News
by Matthew Piepenburg, partner at VON GREYERZ
The case for silver is now too obvious.
Like many Americans, I grew up playing a fair amount of baseball. Part of this involved trying to hit a little round ball with the equivalent of a modified, wooden stick.
Like asset prices and market forces, this little white ball, thrown by a pitcher 60 feet away, could sink, curve or speed by you in bewildering and often embarrassing ways.
Sometimes, however, we hitters of that ball would be blessed with what is called a "fat pitch"—that is, a ball thrown so comfortably straight, clear and trackable that it was effectively impossible to miss.
Below, I'll show why the set-up we are currently seeing in the global silver market is precisely that: A fat pitch. READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $5,017 an ounce. Silver at $80.23 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: I never thought our debt growth could be viewed in a worse light than it already is, but we may have reached that point. Much of the recent surge is being attributed to the war in Iran, which unfortunately makes sense. The more concerning part is the potential economic fallout; Ron Paul has warned that the added strain of war spending and rising debt could even trigger another depression if the trend continues.
US National Debt Explodes $543,000,000,000 in Just Four Months As Ron Paul Warns Iran War Could Trigger New Depression -The Daily Hodl
by Paul Emem
The US national debt has skyrocketed by more than half a trillion dollars in just four months, according to the U.S. Treasury Department.
Since December 12th, the US national debt has risen by approximately $543 billion, per the U.S. Treasury Department's Debt to the Penny dataset.
The total US national debt now stands at $38.88 billion, an increase of around 7% year over year.
The rapid growth of the national debt comes as former U.S. Representative Ron Paul warns the ongoing Middle East war between Iran on one hand and the US and Israel on the other will make the situation worse.
"The rate of [debt] increases will be greater as long as the government is spending almost a billion dollars a day, or more, on a regime change war in Iran."
According to Paul, the rising debt will place the Federal Reserve under pressure to lower the interest rates and may also force it to purchase more of the US government's debt.
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Gold last traded at $5,088 an ounce. Silver at $84.53 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Another five-figure forecast for gold prices has emerged. Despite gold's strong performance in recent years, many analysts obviously still believe the metal has significant upside ahead. That outlook makes sense when you consider that the economic forces driving gold higher remain firmly in place; while new catalysts seem to be emerging almost daily.
Capitalight Analyst Says Gold Price Could Hit $10K by 2029 -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
As geopolitical tensions continue to worsen, gold’s price may undergo a bold transformation, as highlighted by Capitalight analyst Chantelle Schieven. In an interview with Kitco, Schieven pointed out multiple narratives on how gold’s path to $10K is no longer absurd as changing geopolitical uncertainties continue to make gold stronger than ever.
A few years ago, the idea of gold hitting a staggering $10,000 mark would have been a strange idea. However, things have now started to shift gravely. As global economies continue to plunge into chaos, rising global debt and other similar narratives may continue to spiral, making gold stronger than ever.
In a Kitco interview, Head of Research at Capitalight Chantelle Schieven shared how the rising global uncertainty is causing gold to become stronger than ever, paving a narrative for it to hit $10K in 5 to 7 years.
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Gold last traded at $5,176 an ounce. Silver at $85.76 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: There have been rumblings that BRICS has slowed its push toward de-dollarization. Yet every time we turn around, new developments suggest the opposite. The latest example is Thailand entering business discussions with Russia; another sign that countries see real advantages in creating distance from the dollar. For many of them, reducing dollar dependence strengthens their domestic currencies and provides a direct boost to their own economies.
In other news, Bitcoin - which has been heavily promoted as being as safe as gold and often referred to as "digital gold"- may be in for a rough stretch. Mike McGlone, an analyst with Bloomberg, has issued a stark warning that the bottom could fall out of Bitcoin, suggesting prices could drop below $10,000. One of the key challenges is that there’s no clear floor; without meaningful regulation or structural support, there's little to stabilize the market during a sharp downturn.
And what about gold? The short answer: according to ZeroHedge, we may only be in the early stages of a major bull market. I'll let you read the rest from there.
BRICS Announce Thailand-Russia Business Forum -Watcher.Guru
by Vinod Dsouza
Thailand is seeing potential business opportunities by being closely linked with the BRICS members. The Asian nation would benefit from trade, investment, infrastructure development, and technology cooperation by siding with the alliance countries. Despite being a member of ASEAN, the Asian country aims to side with the 11-member bloc. BRICS announced a Thailand-Russia Business Forum, which will be held in Bangkok on March 20. The summit is aimed at strengthening economic ties between the two countries and charting out cooperation for trade.
"The BRICS Forum Thailand 2026 is an international event that aims to promote economic cooperation, investment, and business partnerships between Thailand and countries connected to the BRICS network," said Dr. Meechai Thaocharean, Representative of the International Alliance of Strategic Projects.
READ MORE
Bloomberg Analyst Mike McGlone Issues Bitcoin Warning, Says BTC Could Crash 'Even Lower' Than $10,000 -The Daily Hodl
In a new interview with crypto trader Elliot Wainman, McGlone says that Bitcoin could collapse below a $10,000 price level due to its greater acceptance by the traditional financial system and the proliferation of digital assets. "I do believe that the Bitcoin bear market started with the massive excesses of 2024. We went a little bit higher in 2025. And now we’re heading lower…
Once we got through those ETFs (exchange-traded funds), and once we went through that period of Mr. Trump getting elected and that massive pump in prices, that put in the peak. That was my call. I was early. And now we’re still heading in that hangover period. I think it’s going to last a while, and I don’t think it’s going to end until we purge mass in some of these excesses." READ MORE
Gold's Flight Path From Here -ZeroHedge
by GoldFix
The Myrmikan report broken down below argues that the current gold bull market is still in its earliest stage. The initial move has been driven primarily by international reserve diversification as central banks and sovereign institutions reduce exposure to dollar-denominated assets following the weaponization of financial reserves in 2022.
The next phase may look very different. If the global adjustment to the dollar system begins feeding back into domestic financial markets, the Federal Reserve could face an increasingly difficult choice between maintaining interest rate control and maintaining financial stability.
In that environment gold begins functioning less like a commodity and more like a balance-sheet clearing asset within the global monetary system. The market move observed so far may therefore represent only the first stage of a much larger repricing. Put another way, gold has a flight path.
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Gold last traded at $5,197 an ounce. Silver at $88.35 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The BRICS alliance appears both highly organized and strategic in pursuing its objectives. At this point, it's clear they're well beyond simply discussing a plan, they're actively implementing it. Here are five key objectives, or "ambitions," that are no longer theoretical but already moving into execution.
5 BRICS Currency Ambitions -Watcher.Guru
by Vinod Dsouza
The BRICS alliance decided to teach the US dollar a lesson after the White House imposed sanctions on Russia in 2022. Since then, the bloc has been considering various actions to come out of the Western-dominated financial ecosystem. This includes having currency ambitions where BRICS enters the forex system.
In this article, we will highlight the five currency ambitions that BRICS aspires to reach. They are the only alliance that not only challenged the US dollar supremacy, but also vowed to uproot the West-led monetary system with a new financial sector. Whether they will succeed in the quest or not, the ambition is quite clear.
BRICS was accelerating its currency ambitions at full speed, but hit the brakes after Trump took office. The US President threatened tariffs if they didn’t abandon the idea, and also pressured them to drop it. Tariffs inadvertently hurt their export businesses, making it expensive to sell in the US.
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Gold last traded at $5,136 an ounce. Silver at $87.01 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The impacts of any war are layered, affecting not only those directly involved but also economies and populations around the world. The current war in Iran may prove to be one of the most damaging in terms of its global financial impact. For example, Iraq’s oil production has already fallen by roughly 70% since the conflict began, and neighboring countries are experiencing similar disruptions as energy markets begin to feel the strain.
The Economic Impact Of This Horrifying War With Iran Is Not Going To Be Pretty -The Economic Collapse
There is no way to get around it. We are facing a major global economic disruption, and the longer this war goes on the worse it will get. As I have reminded my readers on numerous occasions, our entire way of life is predicated on cheap energy, and the Middle East is the most important energy producing region in the entire world. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has been paralyzed, and energy infrastructure has been under attack by both sides. In fact, this morning Tehran was "covered in thick black clouds of smoke" after a refinery and multiple oil depots were destroyed…
Even if traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was restored tomorrow, and that is not going to happen, the damage that has been done to energy infrastructure throughout the Middle East would take many months to repair. It would be difficult for me to overstate the severity of the disruption that we are currently witnessing.
In neighboring Iraq, oil production has already fallen by 70 percent since the start of the war…
Oil production in Iraq has fallen by 70% since the war broke out, according to Reuters. The country is producing about 1.3 million barrels per day now, down from about 4.3 million before the war. Kuwait, another oil-rich Gulf state, has also slashed its oil production.
Unfortunately, production is also way down in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other nations in the region.
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Gold last traded at $5,138 an ounce. Silver at $84.07 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: It's encouraging to see the U.S. finally stepping into the gold market with purchases similar to what the rest of the world has been doing for quite some time. If other countries continue to dump dollars and Treasuries, gold could prove to be one of the best fallback options we have. This most recent purchase from Venezuela marks the third such move by the Trump administration since January 3.
Trump Team Brokers Gold Deal With Venezuela: Up To 1,000 Kg Headed To U.S. Markets -ZeroHedge
by Tyler Durden
As things continue to pop off in the Middle East, the United States is still focused on Venezuela - and has brokered a multimillion-dollar gold deal.
The agreement, first reported by Axios, involves the sale of between 650 and 1,000 kilograms of gold doré bars - which are semi-refined with approximately 98% gold content - from Venezuela's state-owned mining company, Minerven, to the global commodities trader Trafigura. The gold is destined for refineries in the United States, marking a shift in Venezuela's resource exports toward American markets. The deal, valued at roughly $163,000 per kilogram based on current gold prices amid global economic uncertainty, marks the third extraction contract overseen by the Trump administration since U.S. forces captured Maduro on January 3. It's part of a broader effort to stabilize and reconstruct Venezuela's economy under U.S. influence, with the White House asserting de facto control over the country's vast oil reserves - the world's largest known.
According to the report, U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum played a pivotal role in shepherding the contract - traveling to Venezuela to discuss opportunities in oil and minerals, while leveraging his position to bridge the gap between Minerven and Trafigura. Under a separate arrangement with the U.S. government, Trafigura will handle the delivery of the gold to American refineries, ensuring compliance and oversight.
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Gold last traded at $5,093 an ounce. Silver at $81.56 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: India appears to be leaning toward the United States and Israel in the current conflict, effectively placing it at odds with its BRICS partner Iran. While New Delhi has not formally declared its position, diplomatic signals suggest that may be where it stands. At the same time, other BRICS nations seem more inclined to support fellow member Iran, highlighting the limits of the unity often attributed to the BRICS alliance.
India Snubs BRICS Member Iran, Supports Israel and the US -Watcher.Guru
by Vinod Dsouza
The Israel-Iran-US conflict has put the spotlight on India as it chairs the 2026 summit in New Delhi. The heightened tensions have wreaked havoc in the global markets as stocks plunged for two consecutive days. Asian markets were the worst hit, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng, Japan's Nikkei, India's Sensex, and South Korea's KOSPI plummeting to yearly lows.
While the founding members of BRICS have sided with Iran, India has yet to provide an official statement. Here's what Brazil said about the ongoing conflict. "The attacks occurred amid a negotiation process between the parties, which is the only viable path to peace, a position traditionally defended by Brazil in the region," the Brazilian government said in a statement.
BRICS member Russia also came out in support of Iran as the turmoil escalated. "The US and Israel have embarked on a perilous course, carried out airstrikes on the territory of Iran. It's a deliberate, premeditated, and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent UN member state."
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Gold last traded at $5,141 an ounce. Silver at $83.55 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: There is a growing disconnect between the performance of our equity markets and the underlying reality of the broader economy. Market analysts highlight selective positive data points to paint a picture of strength, while the bigger story tells something far less reassuring. Job growth remains anemic, households are strained, and many Americans are struggling to keep pace—even amid an extended bull market.
Globally, the pressure is building as well. The war in Iran has intensified supply chain disruptions, pushing already fragile economies closer to their own breaking points.
Private companies added 63,000 jobs in February, January revised to just 11,000 additions, ADP says -CNBC
by Jeff Cox
Private sector hiring was a bit better than expected in February, though most of the job creation came from just two sectors, ADP reported Wednesday.
Companies added a seasonally adjusted 63,000 workers during the month, an improvement from the downwardly revised 11,000 in January and better than the Dow Jones consensus estimate for 48,000, according to the payrolls processing firm’s latest update.
Though the total beat expectations, the issue of breadth continued to be a problem for the labor market. READ MORE
Trump says ‘401(k)s are way up’ — but workers are tapping them at record rates -CNBC
by Jessica Dickler
In his State of the Union address, President Donald Trump said “your 401(k)s are way up” — and they are, but hardship withdrawals are also up, new data shows.
“Since I took office, the typical 401(k) balance is up by at least $30,000,” Trump said in the annual speech before Congress last month.
The average 401(k) balance rose by $14,700 to $146,400 over the course of 2025, ending the year up 11% from a year earlier, according to new data released Wednesday from Fidelity Investments, the nation’s largest provider of 401(k) savings plans.
The average individual retirement account balance also gained $9,561 to $137,095 in 2025, Fidelity found — a 7% increase year over year. READ MORE
Global Stocks Fall: Here’s Why Kospi, Nikkei, UAE Markets Are Down -Wathcer.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
The global stock market is currently flashing bold red at the moment as Iran-US war hostilities continue to impact the global economic order. With Iran announcing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the oil markets are on the verge of breaking, with countries busy scurrying for alternatives, imagining the worst-case scenarios in such a case. In the middle of this, Asian markets have been hit the most, with Nikkei, Kospi, Taiwan, and Hong Kong posting severe losses. Moreover, UAE markets have also experienced grave losses due to this war. What are the core elements triggering this global stock plunge mayhem? Let’s explore some of them.
The stock markets around the world have been gravely impacted due to the rising Iran-US war narratives. This situation has led stock markets to bleed profusely, with Kospi and Nikkei posting extensive gains this morning. South Korea’s Kospi is now down a significant 12.3%, while Nikkei plunged 4.7%. Moreover, Hong Kong and Taiwan have also encouraged serious losses, falling by 3.1% to 3.7%, respectively.
In a latest post by Mario Nawfal, the expert shared a simple analysis, which has triggered this global stock crisis. Nawfal shared how the closure of Hormuz has resulted in spiking the oil prices, which is an essential element to power tech economies like South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $5,120 an ounce. Silver at $83.52 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The war with Iran has injected significant volatility into global markets, sending commodities, Treasuries, equities, and the U.S. dollar into sharp swings. While rising interest rates and a stronger dollar may appear to reflect resilience, they also intensify the strain on the world's largest debtor nation as borrowing costs climb. In this environment, positioning portfolios for stability and protection is no longer optional...it's essential.
10-Year US Treasury Yield Flipflops, Spikes by 14 Basis Points to 4.07%, after Plunging to 3.93%, amid Massive Volatility -Wolf Street
The 10-year US Treasury yield spiked by 14 basis points to 4.066% at the moment, from 3.925% in overnight trading amid massive volatility.
It thereby backtracked on more than the entire plunge from 4.05% early Thursday, to 3.95% at the close on Friday, despite a hot PPI reading Friday morning, to below 3.93% in overnight trading on Sunday, amid massive but short-lived demand, after the US and Israel had started bombing Iran over the weekend (hourly chart via Investing.com).
Market memes flipflopped vigorously from searching for a haven, as stocks were getting rattled, and damn the inflation torpedoes that the hot services PPI on Friday warned about, and searching for more haven after the Iran bombing had started, to suddenly worrying about these damned inflation torpedoes all over again that could be made worse by the consequences of the Iran war on energy prices?
Rising yields means falling bond prices; falling yields means rising bond prices. That may not be a big deal for regular bond holders, especially those intending to hold to maturity, when they get paid face value.
But much of the Treasury market is tangled up in highly leveraged complex trades, and those sudden moves make substantial ripples.
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Gold last traded at $5,336 an ounce. Silver at $89.52 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Gold has already enjoyed a record year of appreciation, and the reasons for its rise continue to stack up. Most recently, escalating tensions between the U.S., Israel, and Iran have added fresh fuel to the rally. The catalyst may change, but the core reason remains the same: investors are moving toward gold as a trusted safe haven to protect their portfolios.
Gold jumps as U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran spark safe-haven demand -CNBC
Spot gold was little changed at $5,284.14 an ounce. It earlier hit a session high of $5,418.50. Prices touched a record of $5,594.82 on January 29.
U.S. gold futures rose 1% to $5,299.50.
The U.S. dollar index rose over 1%, making bullion priced in dollars more expensive for other currency holders.
"Right now, the market is attempting to figure out whether these attacks are going to be followed up over the next several weeks," said David Meger, director of metals trading at High Ridge Futures. "I think it's that uncertainty that is more than likely to support prices."
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Gold last traded at $5,235 an ounce. Silver at $93.49 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The Treasury dump continues as BRICS nations accelerate their selloff of U.S. debt. The reward no longer justifies the risk. The real question is: how much longer can foreign governments unload billions in Treasuries before the pressure cracks the system?
BRICS Nations Brazil, China and India Dump $144,600,000,000 in US Treasuries in One Year -The Daily Hodl
According to U.S. Treasury International Capital (TIC) System data, China offloaded $75.5 billion in US treasuries between December of 2024 and December of 2025, a reduction of approximately 10%.
India's US treasury holdings, on the other hand, fell by $36.2 billion in the 12 months, an 18% year-over-year decrease.
Meanwhile, Brazil cut its US treasury holdings by $32.9 billion, a reduction of roughly 16%.
The updated data comes as ING, the 35th largest bank in the world by total assets, warns of the erosion of the US dollar’s status as a global safe haven.
ING says that in 2025, the US dollar "lost a big chunk of its safe haven value" relative to 2024. According to ING, the US dollar will continue to decline in 2026, especially relative to the euro.
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Gold last traded at $5,186 an ounce. Silver at $87.77 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Capital Economics is warning that today's market looks like a late-stage bubble and could break around 2027, ending this long bull run. That kind of unwind doesn't just hit stocks; it squeezes liquidity, crushes overvalued sectors, and tightens financial conditions fast. If this prediction is accurate, the window to reposition before the broader economy slows is closing.
The stock market bubble will burst in 2027, and the current rotation is a 'warning of trouble ahead,' Capital Economics says -Yahoo! Finance
by Nick Lichtenberg
Capital Economics is warning that the powerful shift underway in U.S. equities could signal that a long‑running stock market bubble will burst in 2027, ushering in years of upheaval in leadership across major indexes.
In a Feb. 20 note, John Higgins, chief markets economist at Capital Economics, argues that the recent outperformance of small-cap, value, and defensive stocks relative to large-cap, growth, and cyclical names echoes patterns seen in the late stages of the dotcom boom. "If the aftermath of the dotcom era is any guide," Higgins wrote, "the bursting of the next bubble in the stock market - which we forecast will occur in 2027 - might be followed by periods in which small-cap and value stocks outperformed their peers for a very long time."
Seen in this light, Higgins continued, the latest rotation in stocks away from tech and toward more value-conscious sectors such as energy "could be a warning of trouble ahead" and a harbinger of more dramatic shifts to come.
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Gold last traded at $5,165 an ounce. Silver at $89.23 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: As many tuned in last night to watch President Donald Trump deliver the State of the Union, we saw one of this country's core problems on full display: rigid party lines that prevent real cooperation.
It's nothing new, but it's deeply counterproductive at a time when serious financial challenges demand unified action.
Economic realities don't care about political affiliation; they impact every American. These three articles highlight exactly what’s unfolding now, and the direction we’re heading.
Latest Update On US Assets, US Dollar, Gold & Silver: What’s Shifting? -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
The US markets are currently experiencing a new wave of volatility, with the US assets, the US dollar, gold, and silver shifting their momentum to match the current market pace. Gold and silver are preparing for a new rally, as the Supreme Court reverses Trump’s tariff decisions, sparking a new row of geopolitical uncertainties. What is the latest update on the US assets, USD gold, and silver? Which of the assets are rallying, and which are the ones having a hard time ahead? Let’s explore.
Per the latest post shared by the Kobeissi Letter on X, the foreign ownership in the US assets has now been peaking at a new high. Global holdings of US financial assets have now surged by 13.6% YoY in Q3 2025 to a record $64.1 trillion. These holdings have now doubled since 2018, signifying the population quotient of the US assets abroad. “Foreign ownership of US assets has never been higher. Global holdings of US financial assets jumped 13.6% YoY in Q3 2025, to a record $64.1 trillion. Holdings have DOUBLED since 2018 and have grown at a +9.3% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2015. At the same time, the US net international investment position fell 11.2% YoY, to a record -$27.6 trillion in Q3 2025.
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US Treasury Debt-to-GDP Ratio Rises to 122% in Q4, Highest since Covid Spike -Wolf Street
by Wolf Richter
At the end of Q4, the US national debt reached $38.51 trillion, having soared by yet another $2.30 trillion over the 12 months in the calendar year 2025, or by 6.3%.
This includes the first half of the year, when the debt ceiling blocked the government from adding to its mountain of Treasury securities, and the level of debt got stuck for six months.
And then in July, after the debt ceiling was resolved, the debt began to explode. All of that $2.3 trillion were added in the second half amid a tsunami of debt issuance. Debt was flying by so fast it was hard to see.READ MORE
BRICS Push For Trade in National Currencies: Brazil President -Watcher.Guru
by Vinod Dsouza
Brazil’s President Luiz Lula da Silva made a speech on Monday pushing BRICS to trade in national currencies. “The US won’t like it at first; it’s obvious they can’t like it,” he said while pushing de-dollarization to the forefront. His speech comes at a time when BRICS members bagged trade deals with the US to avoid tariffs. He stressed that Brazil must settle payments in national currencies with India and China.
The President stressed that BRICS members must trade in national currencies with each other and bypass the US dollar. “What we really want is to discuss the following for Brazil to trade with India. Is it necessary to use the dollar, or can we use our own currencies? For Brazil to trade with China, is it necessary to use the dollar? Or can the trade be conducted in Chinese and Brazilian currencies?” he said.
The Brazilian leader explained that finance ministers and Central Bank officials need to come up with a solution for BRICS to begin trading in national currencies. “This is something that our finance ministers and the President of the Central Bank need to discuss to find solutions. It’s not necessary (to use the US dollar), and I think we can prove that it’s not necessary.”
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Gold last traded at $5,159 an ounce. Silver at $87.32 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Still waiting for the right opportunity to invest in gold? Here are nine powerful reasons why now is the time to move. Contact us today and add real, tangible strength to your portfolio before the next wave hits.
9 Smart Reasons To Invest In Gold In 2026 -Investing Haven
Global gold demand hit an all-time high in 2025, rising to more than 5,000 tonnes for the first time. At the same time, investment flows went up 84% year-over-year and exchange-traded funds added a record 801 tonnes of holdings.
Central banks also contributed significant purchases, keeping official demand well above the decade’s average.
With investment demand now larger than jewelry consumption and gold’s overall market value climbing roughly 45% in 2025, you might be wondering whether it makes sense to buy gold in 2026 as part of a long-term strategy.
This article provides 9 reasons to invest in gold in 2026. READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $5,228 an ounce. Silver at $88.13 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The tariff wars are escalating. Donald Trump is no longer just battling foreign governments; now the Supreme Court of the United States has stepped into the fight. The mounting chaos is igniting a fresh rush into gold, as investors scramble for protection before the next shock hits.
Tariff jitters are pushing gold over $5,100 and powering silver higher -Morningstar
by Barbara Kollmeyer
Gold futures rose $90, or 1.7%, to $5,171 an ounce, following its third-straight weekly gain last week, gaining 0.7% to $5,059 an ounce. Gold remains some distance from its 52-week high of $5318.40 reached on Jan. 29.
Silver futures gained $4.27, or 5%, to $86.61 an ounce, after its second-straight week of gains. The precious metal closed up around 5.7% last week to $82.28 an ounce.
After the Supreme Court rejected Trump's emergency tariffs last Friday, he responded by immediately announcing 10% global tariffs for up to 120 days, and raised that to 15% on Saturday. U.S. stock futures were under pressure on Monday, along with the dollar DXY, which tends to move inversely to gold.
"Trump's swift policy pivot has reignited fears of retaliatory measures, supply-chain disruption and weaker global demand, conditions that traditionally favour non-yielding safe-haven assets like gold," David Morrison, senior market analyst at Trade Nation, told clients in a note. READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $5,104 an ounce. Silver at $84.62 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: If these fund managers are right, they are issuing a major warning for the U.S. economy and the long-term strength of dollar-based assets. As confidence in the dollar erodes, capital historically flows into hard assets, and that's further rocket fuel for gold.
Is the Dollar Losing Its Dominance? Fund Managers Say Yes -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
Per the latest report by the Kobeissi Letter, the US dollar is now at an incredibly low point, with global fund managers busy reducing their net exposure to the USD. This development has led the global fund managers to reduce their USD exposure by -35 points, which is deemed as the lowest in 14 years.
To get a clear perspective, this number was up +30 at the start of 2025, one of the highest readings in the USD data set. Moreover, the fund managers have predicted another path for the dollar, anticipating a heavy decline in USD central bank reserves.
READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,997 an ounce. Silver at $78.53 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Is a weakening U.S. dollar about to turbocharge the metals bull market; sending hard assets higher, faster? Because metals are priced in dollars, every down tick in the currency acts like fuel on the fire, amplifying gains already underway. In short, if the dollar keeps sliding, this isn't just a steady climb for metals; it could become a powerful surge.
THIS Will Turbocharge the Metals Bull Market -Daily Reckoning
by Matt Badiali
Prices in Canada are soaring...for Americans. I’m preparing for a trip to Toronto for the giant Prospectors and Developers of Canada (PDAC) conference. As I looked at flights and hotels, I noticed a significant increase in costs from year's past.
Here's why: the U.S. dollar is falling compared to Canadian currency.
This chart shows the exchange rate between the U.S. and Canadian dollars. We just hit the lowest rate since 2022. That’s because the dollar plunged 9% over the past year or so. Today, the exchange rate is about C$1.30 to $1. A year ago, it was about C$1.50 to $1.
That's a big jump.
Even if the prices in Toronto remain the same, it will cost me about 10% extra in exchange rate. That's a huge price hike in just a year.
VIEW CHARTS AND READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $5,020 an ounce. Silver at $78.32 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Are we already living in a cashless society, and what will it mean for the future of money? While digital payments offer speed and convenience, critics warn of serious tradeoffs: reduced privacy, diminished personal financial control, and increased costs from transaction fees, among others.
This shift is just one example of the sweeping financial changes reshaping the global economy, including the continued expansion of the BRICS alliance and its growing challenge to the U.S. dollar's dominance.
Taken together, these trends raise a larger question: are we witnessing a gradual transformation of America's role in the global marketplace; and if so, how significant will that shift ultimately be?
When Cash Disappears, So Does Something Else -ZeroHedge
Authored by Mollie Engelhart via The Epoch Times
Last Sunday, I held a book signing at Pearl in San Antonio, the kind of place magazines love to feature. Old brick buildings have been transformed into beautiful restaurants, boutiques, apartments, and bookstores. It feels curated yet charming, historic yet modern, a vision of how we're told that cities should look and feel.
My signing happened during the farmers market, so there was music in the air, families strolling, dogs on leashes, linen dresses, and heirloom tomatoes. It was lovely. Before I sat down, I stopped into the trendy grocery store nearby. Everything inside looked like how food should look: thoughtfully sourced, artfully displayed, and priced closer to what real food actually costs when someone grows it with care. I ordered a coffee and a pastry and pulled a $20 bill from my wallet.
"We don’t take cash," the cashier said politely.
I nodded. I've worked in restaurants, and I understand the argument. With employees, cash can be seen as a liability, with risks of theft, accounting errors, and end-of-day discrepancies. Cards feel cleaner, easier, and more trackable. Still, something in me tightened. Every time we stop accepting cash, we normalize a world where every transaction is recorded, categorized, stored, and potentially scrutinized. Every purchase becomes a data point. Every cup of coffee leaves a digital trail. READ MORE
BRICS Launches Brazil-Based Payment System, Challenging Dollar Power -Watcher.Guru
by Loredana Harsana
The BRICS payment system runs through the Decentralized Cross-Border Messaging System - DCMS - which, unlike SWIFT, has no single controlling authority and also keeps each country in control of its own network nodes. Architected around blockchain technology, the infrastructure has implemented several key safeguards that ensure records cannot be tampered with, while integrating local currency settlement across multiple essential trade corridors.
The Central Bank of Brazil prepared the foundational report on BRICS cross-border payments, and right now Brazil also holds the rotating bloc presidency - which is not a small detail. Through various major institutional contributions, Brazil spearheaded the adaptation of its Pix model to an international scale, transforming a domestic success story into the technical backbone of a bloc-wide settlement network. READ MORE
China Supports BRICS Member Russia With Record Oil Purchases -Watcher.Guru
by Vinod Dsouza
China is stepping in where India left after signing the trade deal with the US in early February. According to traders and ship-tracking data, China has purchased record oil, with BRICS member Russia filling the gap that India left. Russian crude oil shipments are estimated to be around 2.07 million barrels a day into China in February alone. This surpasses January's shipments of 1.7 million barrels per day.
The development comes after India stopped procuring Russian oil under the terms and conditions of the US trade deal. India was asked to procure crude oil from Venezuela, which is now controlled by the US, for which it agreed. BRICS member China is now Russia's top client for oil purchases, and the seaborne shipments will be loaded this month. Reports state that Russia discounted the shipments by $9 to $11 per barrel.
Refiners in China are now the world's largest consumers of US-sanctioned oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. BRICS member China has allowed private players, also known as teapots, to buy a record number of oil from Russia and other sanctioned countries. "For the quality you get from processing Russian oil versus Iranian, Russian supplies have become relatively more competitive," said a senior Chinese trader. READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,879 an ounce. Silver at $73.56 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Gold isn't reacting to daily noise, it's setting up for a once-in-a-generation supercycle that could drive prices toward $10,000 an ounce. According to Louis Navellier, the surge is fueled by collapsing faith in fiat currencies, persistent deficits, and central banks trapped in a lose-lose monetary environment. For investors, the message is clear: this isn't about a short-term trade, it's about a structural shift in global capital that could reprice gold dramatically higher over the next several years.
Stop watching gold's daily swings and get ready for a $10,000 supercycle -MarketWatch
by Louis Navellier
There are two reasons for this. First, population declines are placing downward pressure on prices. Second, while their orientation is focused almost exclusively on fighting inflation, central banks are not equipped to fight deflation. While the tools for combating deflation are limited and straightforward - currency devaluation and printing money through quantitative easing - central bankers are averse to implementing them.
As a result, the smart money - and all the money that follows the smart money - has lost confidence in central bankers, making gold the most logical and available hedge. When I say the smart money, I point to Ed Yardeni, whom I consider to be the smartest economist in the world, and who has a similar forecast for gold by the end of the decade.
Save the U.S. and India, none of the major economies or regions is exempt from population declines and the attendant impacts. What follows are the factors afflicting each region or market. While they are diverse, the overall trend is clear: There is a systemic, global and downward push on currencies and economies and an upward push on the price of gold because it represents the most likely, liquid and available hedge for this economic downdraft. READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $5,033 an ounce. Silver at $77.59 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Is the U.S. housing market in a bubble; and if so, is it nearing a breaking point? While home prices may very well need to moderate after years of rapid appreciation, a sudden collapse is hardly the preferred outcome. A controlled correction would be far healthier than a sharp downturn, which could prove financially devastating for millions of American households.
The Biggest Housing Bubble In The Entire History Of The United States Is In The Process Of Bursting -The Economic Collapse
Just like we witnessed during the Great Recession, home sales have started to crash.
In January, sales of previously owned homes were 8.4 percent lower than they were in December…
Sales of previously owned homes in January dropped a much wider-than-expected 8.4% from December to a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate of 3.91 million, according to the NAR. Sales were 4.4% lower than January 2025. That is the slowest pace since December 2023 and the biggest monthly drop since February 2022.READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,921 an ounce. Silver at $75.32 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Unfortunately, this headline feels all too predictable given the direction the economy appears to be heading. It's yet another example of jobs that were loudly reported as "created," only to be quietly revised away later. The numbers get adjusted, and suddenly the gains vanish; not because the jobs disappeared, but because they were never truly there to begin with.
Breaking Point: A Million Jobs Suddenly Disappear, Foreclosures Rise 32 Percent, And Some Americans Are Now Facing $1,000 Power Bills -The Economic Collapse
How are we supposed to have any faith in the numbers that the BLS releases each month if they are off by this much?
As Zero Hedge has reported, nonfarm employment in the United States as of December 31st, 2025 was revised down from 159.546 million to 158.497 million…
Starting at the top, total US payrolls were revised dramatically lower starting with the Jan 2021 data and every month since, and net of the cumulative changes December 31, 2025 total nonfarm employment was revised lower by 1.029 million from 159.546 million to 158.497 million.
As expected, the bulk of the negative revisions took place in 2025, with negative revisions to 2024 amounting to -413K, 2023 was just -73K while 2021 and 2021 were revised modestly higher.
Focusing on 2025, the negative revisions to both the year and previous years, meant that the change in total jobs for 2025 was revised from an already low +584,000 to a shockingly low +181,000. READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $5,084 an ounce. Silver at $84.29 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Wells Fargo is urging investors to "buy the dip," projecting gold could reach $6,100–$6,300 by the end of 2026. At the same time, analysts argue silver may offer even greater percentage upside due to strong industrial demand and momentum in the metals market . Meanwhile, U.S. consumer optimism has fallen to record lows as credit card debt has surged to all-time highs, signaling growing financial strain. Together, this paints a picture of a stressed economy where investors increasingly turn to gold and silver for portfolio protection.
Buy the Dip: Wells Fargo Forecasts Gold at $6,100–$6,300 -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
The gold price surge is showing no signs of stopping at the moment, compelling leading banking institutions like Wells Fargo to update their gold price forecasts. The banking leader has now forecasted a new price high for gold to break and claim over, with the metal now estimated to hit $6100 to $6300 by the end of 2026.
Wells Fargo has now come up with a new gold price prediction, stating how the metal is now predicted to be $6100 to $6300 by the end of 2026. The banking lead is predicting an upside of nearly 23% to 27% as the current gold price explores the $4900 price pedestal.
Per a post updated by Walter Bloomberg on X, Wells Fargo is amping up its gold prediction based on rising geopolitical issues, narratives, and macroeconomic development. At the same time, the surging central bank demand for gold is also playing a crucial role in helping gold to surge higher on the radar.
READ MORE
Gold Price vs Silver: Which Metal Has More Upside Now? -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
Gold has now become one of the leading metals to explore at the moment. Experts like Ray Dalio have long been urging investors to pay attention to gold, allocating nearly 5% to 15% of their portfolio towards the asset.
"We need to talk about money. what it is, how it works, and what its value is. When it comes to gold, some people view it as a commodity to speculate on. But it's so much more than that. It's the second-largest reserve currency in the world. And it's an important hedge against risks to fiat currencies."
READ MORE
Optimism About The Future Plunges To An All-Time Record Low And Credit Card Debt Soars To An All-Time Record High -The Economic Collapse
As long as you have hope, you can face whatever challenges are ahead. Sadly, Americans have been losing hope at a rate that is absolutely unprecedented. As you will see below, optimism about the future has fallen to the lowest level ever recorded. One of the biggest reasons why people are losing hope is because we have been in a historic cost of living crisis for almost this entire decade. It is getting harder and harder just to pay the bills. Nobody can deny this. For most of the country, just surviving from month to month is a real struggle.
When there just isn't enough money coming in, it can be very tempting to bridge the gap with debt.
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, credit card debt has risen to the highest level in the entire history of the United States…Americans ended 2025 more in debt than ever before.
READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $5,023 an ounce. Silver at $80.76 an ounce
EDITOR'S NOTE: California's Super Bowl tax is being blasted as yet another punitive and obscene abuse of the tax code. For some players, that means owing more in California taxes than they earned for playing; turning a career milestone into a financial hit. Many argue California's tax policies have become excessively aggressive and unfair. Will these policies be brought to every state in America if a Newsom presidency becomes a reality?
Breaking Down California's Insane "Super Bowl Tax" -ZeroHedge
by Tyler Durden
Watch as Boomer Esiason explains why the players should block any future Super Bowls in California...
Here's SchiffSovereign's James Hickman to explain the farce...
Yesterday, the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
From a financial perspective, each Seahawks player will take home $178,000—payment for that particular game.
Now, given that the Superbowl was played in California—and the players earned money playing in the game— it's reasonable for the state of California to tax that specific income.
But that's not the way California looks at it.
Instead, the state will go back in time, all the way to the start of the NFL season in September, and take their 'fair share' of the players' ENTIRE salaries over the entire season. VIEW VIDEO AND LINKS
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Gold last traded at $5,076 an ounce. Silver at $83.49 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: In a country deeply divided on nearly every issue, there is one reality that draws near-universal agreement: the runaway cost of living in the United States. It's an issue that transcends politics and personal beliefs, because its impact is unavoidable and felt by nearly everyone.
There Is Something That 9 Out Of 10 Americans Agree On – And Cold, Hard Economic Numbers Support That Belief -The Economic Collapse
Over the past 5 years we have been witnessing an economic shift of epic proportions. When the cost of living rises much faster than paychecks do for an extended period of time, an entire nation can be transformed. Just look at what has happened to Venezuela. It has the largest proven oil reserves in the entire world and at one time it was thriving. But now thanks to rampant inflation, almost everyone is living in poverty even though almost everyone is a "millionaire". It just doesn’t do much good to be sitting on "millions" if your currency is worthless. Unfortunately, as you will see below, our money supply has been growing at an exponential rate. This is destroying the middle class, because it has created a cost of living crisis that is absolutely crushing struggling households all over this country.
According to a survey that was recently conducted, 52 percent of Americans "struggle to pay bills like rent on time each month", and 9 out of 10 Americans believe that we are "experiencing a full-blown cost-of-living crisis"…
Rent is due. The electric bill sits on the counter. The grocery receipt from last week still stings. For half of Americans, keeping up with basic monthly bills has become nearly impossible.
A nationwide survey of 5,000 Americans from Talker Research reports 52% now struggle to pay bills like rent on time each month, while an equal number are struggling to afford necessities like groceries. Nine in 10 people believe the U.S. is experiencing a full-blown cost-of-living crisis, and nearly eight in 10 said everything became more expensive in 2025.
When is the last time that 9 out of 10 Americans agreed on anything?
READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,945 an ounce. Silver at $76.56 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: BRICS trade blowing past $1 trillion isn't just a headline, it's a warning shot for the U.S. dollar. As more global commerce moves outside the dollar's orbit, the greenback’s dominance erodes, and history shows that uncertainty like this tends to funnel capital straight into gold. In moments like these, gold doesn’t just hedge risk, it exposes the cracks forming beneath the global monetary system.
Historic BRICS Trade Turnover Exceeds US$1 Trillion -Watcher.Guru
by Loredana Harsana
BRICS trade turnover has reached an unprecedented US$1 trillion milestone in 2025, and this marks a transformative shift in how global commerce operates right now. This historic BRICS trade turnover achievement underscores the bloc's growing influence as BRICS economic growth accelerates through strategic expansion and also deepening trade integration among member states. The BRICS trade turnover figures represent years of coordination between Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and the newer members who joined the alliance.
Experts are seeing the record-breaking BRICS trade turnover as a result of unique economic complementarity among member nations, and also through strategic integration. They have called this development "a historic event that changes the balance of power in the world," according to reports from TV BRICS. The BRICS expansion impact became evident and visible as new members—including the UAE, Ethiopia, Iran, and Egypt—integrated into the bloc’s established trade networks at the time of writing. This BRICS global trade shift reflects broader changes in how emerging economies are coordinating their commercial relationships.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva emphasized the significance of the bloc’s trade performance at the BRICS Business Forum, stating:
"In 2023, based on the most recent available data, intra-BRICS trade reached approximately USD 1 trillion—accounting for 20% of the bloc’s total exports and 30% of its aggregate imports. Accordingly, strengthening cooperation is deemed essential to advancing productive integration."READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,840 an ounce. Silver at $75.28 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Chicago has once again become the first domino to fall, marking the nation's first bank failure of the year for the second straight time. That's not coincidence, it's a warning sign, and a reminder that cracks in the financial system don't stay hidden forever. Regulators say depositors will be protected, but when banks start closing their doors, confidence is usually the next thing to wobble; and that's when real unease sets in.
Chicago's Metropolitan Capital Bank becomes first US bank failure of 2026 -Yahoo Finance
by Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune
For the second year in a row, a Chicago bank became the first in the nation to fail.
Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust, a so-called Universal Bank that focused on small- to medium-sized businesses, was closed Friday by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, citing "unsafe and unsound conditions and an impaired capital position."
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was appointed as receiver and entered into a purchase agreement with Detroit-based First Independence Bank, which reopened the failed bank under a new banner Monday, regulators said.
"We want to be clear that no depositor will lose any money as a result of this action," Susana Soriano, acting director of IDFPR’s Division of Banking, said in a news release.
Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust had $261 million in assets and total deposits of $212 million. First Independence Bank agreed to assume "substantially all deposits" and purchased $251 million of the failed bank’s assets, according to the FDIC, which will retain the remaining assets for later disposition.READ MORE
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Gold last traded at $4,920 an ounce. Silver at $85.79 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Gold's recent pullback is widely viewed as a healthy, overdue pause; yet many analysts still expect the next move to be higher, and sooner rather than later. At the same time, the administration frames dollar weakness as beneficial, though pairing a soft currency with surging debt and heavy Treasury selling raises real financial stability concerns. Globally, trade tensions aren't one-sided either, with South Africa now flexing tariffs, adding another layer of uncertainty around the direction of BRICS and the broader marketplace.
Gold Rates Six Month Prediction: Can Gold Top The $8K Mark? -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
Gold rates are currently experiencing a pivotal time in history. The price of gold has now hit $4800 at press time, after claiming a high of $5500, its largest price threshold in history. The markets are currently drowning in macro developments, with Trump tariff developments and Fed independence taking a toll on the market. Amid such turbulent market scenarios, how will gold rates and prices perform within the next 6 months? Let’s find out.
Gold rates are currently stable at $4800, having risen significantly from their earlier crash threshold of $4500. The safe haven migration continues to be a big topic among investors across the board, as gold, being the ultimate hedge against inflation, gains momentum among the masses. Per Katusa Research, every major asset experiences notable correction, the one that sets its tone for the years to come. The portal outlined a significant example of gold’s violent crash in 1974, after which it surged 734% to its current price of $4800.
"Every major gold bull market has had brutal mid-cycle corrections that felt like the end. The 1974 correction (-47%) is a killer comparison. Nearly half the value wiped out. Everyone declared gold dead. And then it ran 734% over the next six years. The current 16% pullback is actually modest by historical standards. In the context of the 1970s, this wouldn’t even rank among the top five corrections. And critically, none of the structural drivers have changed. Tether is still buying, central banks are still accumulating, and debt is still expanding." READ MORE
Trump Says A Weaker Dollar Is Great For America As BRICS Gains Power -Watcher.Guru
by Loredana Harsana
4.24.26 - Bank of America Issues Shocking Silver Forecast
Bank of America has once again shared an updated silver price forecast. However, this forecast has taken the markets by storm, predicting a $135 to $309 price for the metal to ascend in the near future. What is the reasoning behind such a stark silver price forecast predicted by one of the leading banking institutions? Let’s find out.
4.23.26 - 18 Shocking Facts of the US Economy
The economy has been the number one issue for U.S. voters for several years in a row, and it isn’t because things are good. Consumer confidence is at an all-time low, inflation is starting to accelerate once again, mass layoffs are being conducted all over the nation, and delinquencies and foreclosures are soaring. Nobody can dispute any of the facts that I am about to share with you. We have an enormous economic mess on our hands, and now the crisis in the Middle East threatens to plunge the entire global economic system into chaos in the months ahead. In other words, conditions are not good now and the outlook for the future is not promising at all. The following are 18 shocking facts that prove that the U.S. economy is in far worse shape than most people realize…
4.22.26 - "Explosive" new phase for precious metals?
As of April 20, 2026, silver sits at $79.63 per ounce, maintaining a position of strength even after retreating from the dramatic peak of $121.64 witnessed in January.
4.21.26 - Gold and Silver: 'nowhere near their final highs'
Here is a look at why gold and silver prices are nowhere near their final highs, plus an important reminder.
4.20.26 - Silver Deficit Surges: Is a Price Spike Next?
The metal market is evolving with each passing day, with gold and silver unveiling new details every day. That being said, the current war narratives have now pushed the silver market into a tizzy, with the silver annual deficit set to widen 15% YoY in 2026. Moreover, the silver market is experiencing bouts of growing demand amid the war, which is making the silver market more volatile than ever.
4.17.26 - Gold Purchases by Global Central Banks Skyrocket 575%
4.16.26 - Silver's Next Wave Starts Now
Precious metals are starting to get their shine back.
4.14.26 - From coffee to home prices, costs are up everywhere
It's hard to go anywhere right now without experiencing sticker shock. Price change notifications can feel like little acts of financial violence.
4.13.26 - US Dollar Lowest in Over Two Decades
The US dollar continues to lose market share, with its global FX share tumbling to 46%, signifying a spiraling downturn and interest. This development is visibly impacting the US dollar's prestige, with the USD now losing market share to competitors and other currency alternatives.
4.10.26 - Disaster For The Global Economy?
4.9.26 - Is The Dollar Collapsing?
There are eight key indicators to watch as the US government falls deeper into the self-perpetuating debt spiral.
4.8.26 - Ceasefire, Stock Market and Private Credit
4.7.26 - Gold's Next Price Breakout Could Be Its Biggest Yet
The gold price is showing active signs of volatility but is yet to show signs of slowing down easily. The current rapid price fluctuations are resulting from the constantly evolving war narratives, as the US dollar continues to rake up significant attention. However, experts believe that gold price is yet to show its full potential, with its breakout price target still pointing towards a whopping $7000 price surge.
4.6.26 - The Everything Meltdown
When global supply chains collapse, the pain is not felt immediately. Tankers that left their destinations before the war with Iran began are still arriving at their destinations, products that were manufactured prior to the war still fill our shelves, and we are still eating food that was produced last year. So even though global supply chains are collapsing all around us, most people don't feel it yet. But if this war with Iran drags on for months, the pain that we will soon experience will be unbelievable.
4.2.26 - Ing: Gold Price Will Surge Above $6,000
(King World News) – John Ing: The consequence is that the president has opened the Middle East's "pandora box" creating, according to the IEA, "the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market," which could severely damage the global economy. Iran has waged war with the global economy, sowing doubts about the strength of traditional alliances. The US-Israeli war has expanded into a worldwide energy crisis, with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz blocking 20 percent of the world's oil and nearly a third of the world's fertilizer shipments. Mr. Trump has demanded that countries send warships to keep the Strait open but instead spurned his call and are negotiating with Iran for safe passage of their ships, in a coalition of the unwilling. The disruption to supplies, from wheat to oil, has the potential to spark worldwide inflation, and the increase in rates has already resulted in significant fluctuations in the world's stock markets. In opening the box, Donald Trump has no means to close it.
4.1.26 - Gold prices, BRICS and the Iran War
3.31.26 - Warning From the Heartland
Farmers all over America are on edge right now, and I certainly can’t blame them. The war in the Middle East has created a fertilizer crisis at the worst time possible. As you will see below, if nitrogen fertilizer is not applied to wheat, corn and rice at the proper time, there is no hope of recovery later. Since it does not appear that the Strait of Hormuz will be reopened any time soon, there will be serious crop losses in the United States, and in poorer countries throughout the world it will be even worse.
3.30.26 - Kiyosaki: 'Gold Will Hit $35,000 An Ounce'
3.27.26 - Inflation fears mount
3.26.26 - War Foreshadows Food Price Shock
3.25.26 - Is the United States Insolvent?
The U.S. government is insolvent. That’s not hyperbole - it's the conclusion drawn directly from the Treasury Department’s own consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2025, released last week to near-total media silence. The numbers: $6.06 trillion in total assets against $47.78 trillion in total liabilities as of September 30, 2025.
3.24.26 - Stop Eating to Buy Silver?
3.23.26 - Gold to $10,000?
3.20.26 - US Economic Growth: Lowest in History?
3.19.26 - CBO: Debt Will Reach $64 Trillion in a Decade
3.18.26 - Is Peak War Panic on the horizon?
3.17.26 - Gold Prices On Track For a 20% Surge
3.16.26 - Silver: About to Hit a Home Run
3.13.26 - US National Debt Explodes Again
3.12.26 - Gold at $10k?
3.11.26 - Will bitcoin go even lower?
Senior commodity strategist at Bloomberg Intelligence, Mike McGlone, is warning that Bitcoin (BTC) may collapse into the four figures.
3.10.26 - 5 BRICS Currency Ambitions
3.9.26 - Economic Impact of the War with Iran
3.6.26 - Gold Deal With Venezuela
3.5.26 - India Snubs BRICS Member Iran
3.4.26 - Economic Fantasy vs Reality
3.3.26 - Market Volatility: Interest Rates, Debt and the Dollar
By Wolf Richter
3.2.26 - Gold jumps on safe-haven demand
Safe‑haven gold steadied on Monday as profit‑taking set in after prices earlier jumped more than 2% in response to concerns of a prolonged conflict in the Middle East following U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran.
2.27.26 - $144,600,000,000 in US Treasuries Dumped in One Year
Three members of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) economic bloc are dumping tens of billions of dollars in US treasuries.
2.26.26 - Will the stock market bubble burst in 2027?
Something unusual is happening.
2.25.26 - State of the Union
The US government-debt monster needs to be looked at in context, not by itself in a vacuum, though I’ll post the debt-in-a-vacuum chart at the bottom of the article for your amusement.
2.24.26 - 9 Smart Reasons To Invest In Gold
Central banks are buying heavily, investors are holding more, and supply growth stays limited. Gold’s role in portfolios looks stronger and more structural than in past cycles.
2.23.26 - Tariff jitters are pushing gold
Gold and silver prices were rising to start the week as investors sought some haven assets in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning most of President Donald Trump's tariffs.
2.20.26 - Is the Dollar Losing Its Dominance?
The US dollar is encountering one of its most vulnerable positions as of late, the one that is weighing hard on the American currency. Major fund managers are now sharing a similar stance on the dollar, adding how the USD is now losing its credibility, with major fund managers reducing their exposure to the dollar by -35 points.
2.19.26 - THIS Will Turbocharge the Metals Bull Market
Something unusual is happening.
2.18.26 - A Cashless World
The BRICS payment system is entering a decisive operational phase right now, in 2026, connecting central banks from China, India, Egypt, and the UAE through a Brazil-backed payment network designed to settle trade without relying on the US dollar. Engineered around Brazil’s Pix instant transfer technology, the platform has catalyzed various major cross-border settlement capabilities - processing up to 20,000 messages per second and accelerating what was, just a year ago, still largely a pilot project.
2.17.26 - $10,000 Gold Supercycle?
While gold is well off its highs of late January, I suspect the floor is about $4,500. But this is irrelevant. By the end of the decade, gold will be worth $10,000 an ounce, making today's volatility a distant memory.
2.13.26 - Is there a housing bubble?
The housing bubble that burst during the Great Recession was enormous, but it was nothing compared to what we are facing now. Two decades ago, the average price of a home in the United States was about $140,000. Today, the average price of a home in the United States is above $500,000. We have literally never seen anything even close to a housing bubble of this magnitude. Unfortunately, what comes up must eventually come down.
2.12.26 - Economic Breaking Point?
I feel quite exasperated right now. Everyone knows that the economic numbers that federal bureaucrats in Washington are feeding us each month are fraudulent. It has been that way for a very long time. The employment numbers are a perfect example of this. Every month they give us a headline number that looks pretty good, and then months later they revise it much lower when nobody is paying attention. That is the game they want to play, and many of us understand that. But this latest stunt that they have pulled is absolutely astounding. More than a million U.S. jobs suddenly disappeared from the numbers, and they would like us to believe that this is perfectly normal.
2.11.26 – Wells Fargo: Buy the Dip
Gold and silver have both now started to become fan favorites as the world pivots towards safe havens to safeguard their interests. Gold and silver both have touched new price highs lately, with both the metals planning to surge even higher. Which metal has the most upside? Should you consider buying the dip or wait for a pullback? Let's find out.
2.10.26 - California's Insane "Super Bowl Tax"
Sam Darnold just WON the Super Bowl...and LOST $71k because it was in California
2.9.26 - 9 Out Of 10 Americans Agree: Cost of Living Crisis
2.6.26 - BRICS Trade Exceeds $1 Trillion
2.5.26 - First US bank failure of 2026
2.4.26 - Gold, the Dollar, and BRICS
|
| Source: Alan Santos / PR / Wikipedia Commons |
The weaker dollar Trump has welcomed represents a departure from traditional Republican orthodoxy on currency matters, which has typically favored a strong dollar.
Trump stated on Tuesday when addressing reporters:
"I think it's great. Look at the business we're doing. The dollar's doing great." READ MORE
BRICS Unity? South Africa to Impose 50% Tariffs on China & India -Watcher.Guru
by Vinod Dsouza
The recent development from South Africa demonstrates that unity in the BRICS alliance is a joke. While the 11-member bloc is all about strengthening each other’s economies on paper, the reality is starkly different. The truth is that the alliance members are now in competition with each other to secure the best trade deal with the US. Their unity has come under further scrutiny after South Africa is considering to levy 50% tariffs on its BRICS counterparts, China and India. The government is looking to impose tariffs on cars imported from China and India into the country.
South Africa is aiming to protect its automotive industry from a flood of imports, including those of BRICS members China and India. This comes at a time when the alliance banded together during Trump’s initial tariffs, calling for deeper co-operation between members.
In reality, they are scrambling to secure a deal with the US and levy tariffs on each other instead. This questions the unity of BRICS, and South Africa is not the only country to indulge in trade imbalance, which has been regularly done by China and India too. READ MORE
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2.3.26 - India Signals Shift in BRICS
Gold last traded at $4,925 an ounce. Silver at $84.78 an ounce
EDITOR'S NOTE: In a modest but meaningful win for the U.S. in its broader economic standoff with BRICS, President Trump has reached an agreement with India over its purchases of Russian crude. In exchange, India will receive a slight reduction in tariffs; a move that nudges momentum back in America's favor. It may be a small step, but it signals progress in a much larger global realignment.
BRICS selling US bonds has picked up serious momentum over the past year, and right now, China, India, and Brazil have collectively dumped around $183.2 billion in US Treasury securities between October 2024 and October 2025. At the same time, these three nations have been ramping up their BRICS gold reserves to over 3,350 tonnes, which are valued at approximately $430-450 billion at current prices, and this signals a pretty coordinated retreat from dollar-denominated assets.
The US Treasury sell-off marks one of the more significant moves in recent financial history, with central bank gold reserves across these nations now representing a substantial hedge against dollar volatility. This trend also reflects growing anxiety over dollar weaponization, political instability in Washington, and an accelerating push toward BRICS de-dollarization that's been gaining traction since 2022.
The US Treasury sell-off has been led by India in October 2025, which cut $12 billion from its holdings, and this was followed by China's $11.8 billion reduction and Brazil's $5 billion dump. Banking giant ING has warned that BRICS nations are "quietly leaving" the US Treasury market, and BRICS selling US bonds is being described as an "enduring" shift rather than just a temporary portfolio adjustment. READ MORE
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2.2.26 - BRICS nations mean business
Gold last traded at $4,676 an ounce. Silver at $79.78 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: BRICS nations have signaled a major financial shift, moving at least $180 billion away from U.S. Treasuries while aggressively increasing gold reserves at a pace comparable to central banks. This isn't rhetoric, it's a strategic move away from dollar dependence and toward hard assets with lasting value. For investors, the message is clear: increasing exposure to physical precious metals is a smart step toward protecting and strengthening long-term wealth.
3 BRICS Powers Ditch $180B US Bonds, Hold 3,350+ Tons Of Gold Now -Watcher.Guru
by Loredana Harsana
BRICS selling US bonds has picked up serious momentum over the past year, and right now, China, India, and Brazil have collectively dumped around $183.2 billion in US Treasury securities between October 2024 and October 2025. At the same time, these three nations have been ramping up their BRICS gold reserves to over 3,350 tonnes, which are valued at approximately $430-450 billion at current prices, and this signals a pretty coordinated retreat from dollar-denominated assets.
The US Treasury sell-off marks one of the more significant moves in recent financial history, with central bank gold reserves across these nations now representing a substantial hedge against dollar volatility. This trend also reflects growing anxiety over dollar weaponization, political instability in Washington, and an accelerating push toward BRICS de-dollarization that’s been gaining traction since 2022.
The US Treasury sell-off has been led by India in October 2025, which cut $12 billion from its holdings, and this was followed by China’s $11.8 billion reduction and Brazil’s $5 billion dump. Banking giant ING has warned that BRICS nations are “quietly leaving” the US Treasury market, and BRICS selling US bonds is being described as an “enduring” shift rather than just a temporary portfolio adjustment. READ MORE
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1.30.26 - $714/oz Silver?
Gold last traded at $4,845 an ounce. Silver at $83.28 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the past few years, silver's price action has shifted from background noise to a major focus for investors. As you'll see in this article, some analysts are projecting prices north of $700 an ounce. Sound extreme? Maybe at first glance. But in a world facing mounting financial instability, currency pressure, and growing demand for hard assets, it's not as far-fetched as it seems ... especially when silver was sitting around $30 an ounce not that long ago.
$714/oz Silver?! -Daily Reckoning
by Adam Sharp
Silver closed trading today in Shanghai, China at $131.31/oz.
That’s $16 over the U.S. price.
During this bull run, China has led the way. As we discussed yesterday, that’s where the bulk of silver demand comes from.
Silver is still primarily an industrial metal. As the best conductor of electricity, it’s highly useful in electric vehicles, solar panels, and even modern weapons systems.
We’ve covered the solar story extensively, so let’s quickly look at how electric vehicles are also gobbling up an increasing share of global silver production.
Below is a chart showing annual silver demand from the auto industry, broken down by vehicle type (ICE = traditional gas engine, EV = electric vehicle, hybrid = combo). READ MORE
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1.29.26 - Silver's 5-Year Path
Gold last traded at $5,291 an ounce. Silver at $111.59 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: If you've been watching silver rally and wondering whether it's time to buy, this five-year price outlook lays out a compelling case for why the upside still isn’t fully priced in. Analysts argue that structural demand from solar, EVs and next-gen tech - combined with tightening physical supply - could push silver significantly higher over the next few years, making now a strategic entry point before the next leg up fully unfolds.
Silver Price Prediction For The Next 5 Years -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
Silver prices are also on a roll, as 2026 continues to benefit the metal domain. With the gold price hitting a staggering $5300 price mark, the silver price is also jumping high, aiming to scale past $150 in new predictions presented by the analyst. What is the future that the silver price is aiming for? Here’s the latest silver price prediction for the next 5 years.
Silver is now a leading safe haven asset, a metal that continues to score new highs amid the rising geopolitical mayhem. The metal is now considered the primary commercial metal, with its demand spiking steadily as it continues to evolve into a leading industry metal. Silver is now deployed as a leading metal in multiple industries such as solar panels, electrification, semiconductors, EVs, and AI data centers.
“Silver Will Remind Us: We Are Deeply Dependent On The Earth” (Zero Hedge). Unlike dollars, you can’t print more silver. Unlike gold, silver is consumed at an industrial scale because it is required for the defining industries of our time. Solar panels. Electric vehicles. Semiconductors. Advanced electronics. Artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. Critical defense systems. You can build a financial system with paper promises, but you cannot build the future’s physical economy without metal.”
In addition to this, analysts are now projecting a bright future for the asset, with its price aiming for a high jump of $200 in the near future. READ MORE
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1.28.26 - Gold Price Predictions and Dollar Collapse Fears
Gold last traded at $5,417 an ounce. Silver at $116.86 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Gold and silver keep climbing, and the only real question now is: how high will the new high be? This year has already been a blur of momentum, with no signs of a slowdown as global financial stress continues to build. The U.S. dollar’s decades-long dominance is weakening, geopolitical and economic pressures are intensifying, and the BRICS alliance is accelerating de-dollarization while rapidly expanding its ranks. The monetary landscape is shifting in real time ... and precious metals are moving right along with it.
Gold Price Prediction For The Next 5 Years -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
The gold price has lately been rising steadily. The asset has now entered its parabolic stage, with geopolitical tensions and uncertainties acting as perfect fuels driving the surge ahead. In the middle of this, multiple analysts and leading banking institutions have started to bank on gold’s long-term surge, as bearish US dollar scenarios continue to multiply. If gold is at $5000 an ounce right now. Where will it be after 5 years or more? Here’s the new gold price prediction for the next 5 years.
Gold and silver have now become two of the most powerful assets to date. With crypto and stocks adopting a stable outlook, 2026 seems to be favoring the metals sector the most, with both the assets climbing high on the price radar at an extraordinary speed. Gold’s primary price support is currently the geopolitical mayhem and brawls, with the US-Greenland agenda heating up. That being said, the global banks’ gold buying spree is also ramping up gold’s demand, which again is assisting the asset in ranking up on the public radar.
“China continues to stockpile gold behind the scenes. China acquired +10 tonnes of gold in November, ~11 times more than officially reported by the central bank, according to Goldman Sachs estimates. Similarly, in September, estimated purchases reached +15 tonnes, or 10 times more than officially reported. Furthermore, China officially bought an additional 0.9 tonnes in December, pushing the total gold reserves to a record 2,306 tonnes. This also marked the 14th consecutive monthly purchase. In 2025, China’s total reported gold purchases reached +27 tonnes. Assuming official purchases were 10% of what China is actually buying, this suggests China acquired +270 tonnes of physical gold in 2025.” READ MORE
Dollar Collapse Fears: BRICS Built Stronger System That Bypassed It -Watcher.Guru
by Loredana Harsana
Dollar collapse BRICS concerns intensify right now as the US dollar fell 1.3% on January 27, 2026, and this marked its worst single-day decline since April 2025, also touching its lowest level since February 2022. President Donald Trump accelerated the decline when he dismissed worries about the weakening currency, and he told reporters about the dollar’s situation at the time of writing:
I think it’s great. I mean the value of the dollar, look at the business we’re doing. No, [the] dollar is doing great.
This marks a turning point, as BRICS nations build the alternative system to operate independently of Western financial infrastructure, powering it with central bank digital currencies and also resource-backed trade mechanisms. Growing concerns over financial sovereignty and sanctions exposure drive the dollar collapse BRICS dynamic right now. READ MORE
Goldman Sachs Issues US Dollar Warning As Gold Shatters New Record High -The Daily Hodl
Gold just shattered a new record high as the US dollar drops below a level of support that’s held for over 14 years.
The precious metal touched $5,279 on Tuesday, with the US Dollar Index (DXY) trading at four year lows, dipping below a level of support that’s held since 2011.
The dollar drop is in line with a new warning from Goldman Sachs.
In its 2026 Global FX Outlook report, the banking giant forecasts further dollar depreciation this year.
The bank sees the dollar as 15% overvalued, naming the rise of AI as a potential productivity wild card.
Although Goldman believes the dollar will continue to depreciate, the bank does not believe its status as the world’s reserve currency is at risk. READ MORE
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1.27.26 - Silver 'Just Starting' To Break Out
Gold last traded at $5,183 an ounce. Silver at $111.50 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Gold kicked off the week in the headlines again, blasting to a fresh record of $5,100 an ounce, while silver followed suit, surging to nearly $110 an ounce. Precious metals continue to roar higher as investors and nations alike scramble for financial stability in an increasingly uncertain world. What’s most striking? Prices have already blown past many of the forecasts for all of 2026; and we’re not even a month into the year.
Silver 'Just Starting' To Break Out Amid Massive Surge in Physical Demand, Says Gold Strategist -The Daily Hodl
A Swiss financier and precious metals advocate says silver’s major breakout is just beginning.
In a new market update, the founder of Matterhorn Asset Management, Egon von Greyerz, says silver is going through a fundamental change.
Unlike the 1970s spike driven by speculation, von Greyerz says he does not believe silver has witnessed a blow-off top.
Instead, he says current attempts by bullion banks to sell paper silver are failing quickly.
“So what does that mean for the ordinary investors? Well, it clearly means that silver is just starting the move, and we are going to see, as I have stressed many times, we are going to see multiples of the current price.”
Von Greyerz says physical demand now claims 50% of production, up from 10% last year. The surge stems from solar panels, electric cars, electronics, and defense needs, including missiles and weapons.
“Will it correct? Of course, silver always corrects, but this is not a normal market because it’s now turned into a physical market, which is it should always be rather than the manipulation that we have seen in paper markets.”
In the long run, von Greyerz says he believes silver will reach more than $600 an ounce, with gold surpassing $10,000 an ounce. READ MORE
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1.26.26 - Gold surges past $5,100
Gold last traded at $5,006 an ounce. Silver at $103.75 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Just weeks ago, analysts were forecasting $5,000 gold by year's end. It didn’t take a year; gold blasted through that level before the first month was even over. Momentum is accelerating, confidence is surging, and this is shaping up to be a historic year for gold. Buckle up ... this move may just be getting started.
Another day another high: Gold surges past $5,100 as investors seek shelter from global risks -CNBC
by Lee Ying Shan
Gold climbed to a fresh all-time high, crossing $5,100 an ounce on Monday and extending its record-breaking run as investors seek the safety of the yellow metal amid rising geopolitical tensions and global fiscal risks.
Spot gold prices gained 2.4%, trading at $5,102 an ounce, before slightly paring gains to last trade at $5,086. Meanwhile, U.S. gold futures for February rose 2.1%, reaching $5,087 an ounce.
The precious metal’s surge comes as recent flashpoints from Greenland and Venezuela to the Middle East underscore higher geopolitical risk, reinforcing gold’s appeal as a hedge against uncertainty.
“The recent further leg up in gold and silver prices has arrived on the back of geoeconomics issues related to Greenland,” HSBC wrote in a note last week.
Silver also rallied Monday, with spot prices jumping 4.9% to $107.9 per ounce, also benefiting from industrial demand. READ MORE
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1.23.26 - Biggest Challenger To the US Dollar?
Gold last traded at $4,978 an ounce. Silver at $102.07 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Morgan Stanley has identified what it sees as the single greatest threat to the future dominance of the U.S. dollar; and it's not soaring debt, Russia, China, or even the rise of BRICS. It’s gold. As confidence in fiat currencies continues to erode worldwide, investors and central banks alike are moving toward a tangible, debt-free asset with a centuries-long track record of preserving wealth; and that shift is already underway. The question isn’t if this transition accelerates, but whether you’re positioned before the crowd fully catches on
BRICS: Morgan Stanley Reveals the Biggest Challenger To the US Dollar -Watcher.Guru
by Vinod Dsouza
Leading global investment bank Morgan Stanley has revealed the biggest challenger to the US dollar as BRICS aims to topple it from the world’s reserve currency status. While the bank acknowledged that US President Donald Trump’s policies are accelerating de-dollarization, the US dollar can survive due to the lack of a real challenger.
However, Morgan Stanley pointed out that one asset remains the biggest challenger to the US dollar, and it has a strong yet robust connection to the BRICS alliance. The investment bank wrote that global finances are transitioning to a “multipolar world,” raising questions about the US dollar’s status. The ongoing trade wars and tariffs are adding to tensions against the US.
Amid the growing BRICS de-dollarization efforts, Morgan Stanley wrote that gold is the “biggest challenger” to the US dollar. “On net, we think these factors are neutral to slightly accelerating this transition away from the dollar. But their evolution over the near term will likely be critical in determining the extent of this shift,” it said.
Morgan Stanley noted that gold is being accumulated by BRICS immensely to take on the US dollar’s dominance. The BRICS alliance is the largest purchaser of gold since 2022, after the US imposed sanctions on Russia. Countries such as China, Russia, India, and South Africa have been steadily buying the precious metal. READ MORE
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1.22.26 - Global Monetary Order Breaking Down
Gold last traded at $4,922 an ounce. Silver at $96.22 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Ray Dalio is warning of a potential breakdown as central banks around the world continue to shift aggressively into gold; a move that, by definition, is a shift away from fiat currencies. This global trend is accelerating, and the impact is becoming increasingly visible. The U.S. dollar appears to be bearing the brunt as it continues to struggle amid this historic realignment.
Billionaire Ray Dalio Warns Global Monetary Order Breaking Down As Central Banks Diversify Into Gold -The Daily Hodl
Billionaire investing icon Ray Dalio says the global monetary order is suddenly experiencing a major shift.
In a new CNBC interview, Dalio says central banks are moving away from holding fiat currencies as a reliable store of value.
“The monetary order is breaking down. What I mean by the monetary order is that fiat currencies and debt as a storehold of wealth is not being held by central banks in the same way and that there was a change. The biggest market to move last year was the gold market, far better than the tech markets. And the US markets underperformed foreign markets.”
Dalio notes central banks are diversifying their assets by increasing their gold holdings as the US dollar is losing its luster.
“We know that both the holders of US dollar denominated debt, which is money, and those who need it, the United States, are worried about each other. If you have other countries who are holding it and they’re worried about each other, and we’re producing a lot of it, that’s a big issue…
Maybe there’s not the same inclination to buy US debt… READ MORE
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1.21.26 - Global anxiety accelerating
Gold last traded at $4,831 an ounce. Silver at $93.10 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: If you've been following the markets at all, the record-breaking surge in gold and silver shouldn't shock you. What should grab your attention is why it's happening; and why so many analysts say it's far from over. Global anxiety is accelerating, risks are stacking up, and investors are fleeing to real assets that can’t be printed or manipulated. Today’s metals prices may soon look like a steal compared to what’s coming next.
Gold breaks new record on Greenland tariff threats — $7,000 level on the cards -CNBC
by Lee Ying Shan
Gold prices climbed to a fresh record above $4,800 on Wednesday, extending a sharp rally as investors sought safety amid tariff threats from the White House and renewed concerns about a global trade war.
The surge has reignited debate among investors over how much prices can rise after a blockbuster year for the bullion.
Following a record-breaking 2025, gold has entered 2026 with momentum intact as geopolitical tensions, falling real interest rates and efforts by investors and central banks to diversify away from the dollar reinforce its role as the world’s ultimate haven, analysts said.
Forecasts are increasingly bullish. Analysts surveyed by the London Bullion Market Association expect prices to rise above $5,000 this year, citing expectations of lower U.S. real rates, continued Federal Reserve easing and sustained central-bank diversification away from the dollar. READ MORE
Gold Smashes $4,886 as Silver Teases $100 and Global Anxiety Boils Over -Bitcoin.com
Precious metals fans are grinning ear to ear as both gold and silver have climbed to fresh lifetime price peaks. On Wednesday, a single Troy ounce of .999 fine gold jumped more than 2% against the greenback, clocking an all-time high of $4,886.
At 8:50 a.m. Eastern time, gold is changing hands at $4,872, while silver is flirting with triple digits at $94.91. The move has been fueled by geopolitical turmoil, trade-war jitters, and growing chatter that the fiat monetary regime may be cracking at the seams.
With those pressures piling up, analysts and market watchers expect precious metals to keep climbing as investors rush toward hard assets. Wednesday shows gold still pressing higher, while silver—fresh off last week’s eye-popping run—appears to be catching its breath. READ MORE
Gold powers above $4,800 as global risks fan record safe-haven rally -MSN
by Pablo Sinha
(Reuters) - Gold prices extended their record run to breach the $4,800 per ounce level on Wednesday on safe-haven flows driven by escalating friction between the United States and NATO over Greenland.
Spot gold climbed 2.1% to $4,861.38 per ounce by 1024 GMT, after scaling a record $4,887.82 earlier in the session. U.S. gold futures for February delivery climbed 2% to $4,863.10 per ounce.
Spot silver rose 0.5% to $95.04 an ounce, after hitting a record high of $95.87 on Tuesday, powered by a cocktail of factors including sustained physical tightness and safe-haven demand.
"There continues to be a myriad of factors boosting bullion, not least simply its safe haven quality. The Greenland crisis is front and centre with President Trump expected to deliver his Davos speech later today," said Jamie Dutta, market analyst at Nemo.money. READ MORE
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1.20.26 - Longstanding bitcoin bull exits his position
Gold last traded at $4,763 an ounce. Silver at $94.57 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A longtime Bitcoin bull has just made a dramatic pivot by dumping his entire crypto position and moving into gold. This isn't just a shift; it's a flashing red light for investors who thought digital assets were untouchable. As confidence in crypto wavers, gold is once again asserting itself as the ultimate safe-haven; and those who move early stand to benefit most.
This strategist and longstanding bitcoin bull exits his position and switches allegiance to gold -MorningStar
By Jules Rimmer
Jefferies strategist Chris Wood is concerned about bitcoin's reputation as a store of value with the advent of 'cryptographically relevant quantum computers'.
Quantum computing is going to be with us sooner than we thought, and its potential for cracking the code underlying the whole concept of bitcoin (BTCUSD) poses an existential threat, according to the concerns of one strategist. That means the cryptocurrency's claim to be a secure and reliable store of value could be in jeopardy.
This strategist, Chris Wood - a bullish advocate for bitcoin since 2020 - is sufficiently worried that he is eliminating his whole 10% recommended weighting in bitcoin from his recommended portfolio and reverting his allegiance back to gold (GC00).
Wood is the global head of strategy at Jefferies. He's a well-known commentator on financial markets who has expressed his opinions for 30 years in the popular weekly newsletter "Greed and Fear." In December 2020, when bitcoin's price was $22,000, Wood told U.S. pension funds that their long-term portfolios should contain a 5% weighting in bitcoin as a digital alternative to gold. The following November, he doubled it.
He said that bitcoin had become investible from the standpoint of institutional investors with custodial arrangements in place for digital assets.
Wood has been concerned about the dollar-debasement trade since 2002. He has consistently argued that asset allocations should include a 5% weighting in gold bullion and a 10% weighting in unhedged gold-mining stocks. Since 2020, when Wood began to divide his loyalties between gold and bitcoin, their respective returns have been 325% and 145%. READ MORE
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1.16.26 - How BRICS May Deliver Structural Shock To US Dollar
Gold last traded at $4,597 an ounce. Silver at $89.79 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a shift that every American investor should be paying attention to. As more trade moves away from the dollar and into alternative currencies and settlement systems, long-term demand for dollar-based assets could erode faster than most people expect. If this trend accelerates, it could reshape everything from inflation to savings power, making precious metals more important than ever.
How BRICS May Deliver Structural Shock To US Dollar System -Zero Hedge
Authored by Pepe Escobar
The oligarchy that really controls the Empire of Chaos has hit the panic button, as the structural contours of Hegemony seriously wobble.
The petrodollar is one of the key features of this Hegemony: a recycling machine channeling non-stop buying of US Treasuries then spent on Forever Wars. Any player even thinking of diversifying from this infernal machine is met with asset freezes, sanctions – or worse.
At the same time, the Empire of Chaos cannot demonstrate raw power by bleeding itself dry in the black soil of Novorossiya. Dominance requires ever-expanding – plundered – resources, side by side with that non-stop printing of US dollars as a reserve currency to pay for astronomic bills. Additionally, borrowing from the world works as imperial financial containment of rivals.
But now a choice becomes imperative – an inescapable structural constraint. Either keep astronomical spending on military dominance (enter Trump’s proposed $1.5 trillion budget for the Department of War.) Or keep ruling the international financial system.
The Empire of Chaos cannot do both. READ MORE
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1.15.26 - Chaos has set gold and silver ablaze
Gold last traded at $4,615 an ounce. Silver at $92.39 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Gold and silver continue to explode as confidence in fiat currencies erodes and investors rush into assets with real, intrinsic value. This is exactly what happens when smart money moves first; precious metals don’t just protect wealth, they reprice it during periods of economic stress. If you’re still sitting on the sidelines, this rally is a clear warning: those positioned in physical gold and silver stand to benefit, while the unprepared will pay the price.
2026 chaos has set gold and silver ablaze -CNN
Analysis by David Goldman
Trump is threatening to take “strong action” against Iran just after capturing the leader of Venezuela. His administration is criminally investigating the chair of the Federal Reserve and is taking a scorched-earth approach on affordability by threatening key profit drivers for banks and institutional investors.
2026 has gotten off to a chaotic start.
You’d think that would be enough to send the stock market into a downward spiral. But equities traders are taking most of that news in stride: Stocks hit an all-time high Monday and have fallen back just a smidge since then.
Instead, investors have expressed their fears by setting the metals market on fire.
Silver rose more than 6% Wednesday, rising above $90 an ounce and is up 29% this year. That’s a stunning gain, especially considering silver prices surged 141% in 2025 for their best performance since 1979.
Gold is up nearly 1% Wednesday, well above $4,600 a troy ounce, and it has gained 22% this year. Like silver, gold also posted its best year since 1979 in 2025, jumping 65%. READ MORE
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1.14.26 - Silver Hits $90 - Consumers Struggle - Stablecoins Frozen
Gold last traded at $4,631 an ounce. Silver at $93.14 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: As silver surges past $90 and gold races toward record highs - signaling a global flight to safety - cracks are widening everywhere. Hundreds of millions in stablecoins are being frozen and nearly all working Americans are slashing spending as the cost of living continues to crush household budgets. In this environment of eroding trust, tightening liquidity, and weakening consumer strength; precious metals stand out as one of the few real hedges against it all.
Silver Hits Record Above $90 as Precious Metals Rally Powers On -Yahoo! Finance
by Yihui Xie
(Bloomberg) -- Silver broke above $90 an ounce for the first time and gold flirted with a record high as attacks on the Federal Reserve, the prospect of more US rate cuts and a tense geopolitical backdrop added impetus to a blistering rally in precious metals.
The white metal jumped as much as 5.3% to touch $91.5535 an ounce, while gold was within $10 of an all-time peak. Underlying US inflation in December wasn’t as high as feared, but economists said the data was artificially depressed by the record-long government shutdown. The Fed is expected to pause rate cuts for several months, but swaps markets are pricing in at least two more later in the year.
Precious metals are off to strong starts this year, building on dramatic rallies in 2025, with the prospect of a criminal indictment against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reviving worries about the monetary authority’s independence. Central bankers across the world have rallied behind Powell and JPMorgan Chase & Co. Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon said the move could backfire. READ MORE
92% Of Employed Americans Have Cut Back On Spending As The Standard Of Living In The US Crumbles -ZeroHedge
Authored by Michael Snyder via The Economic Collapse blog
The headline of this article is not a misprint. The reason why “affordability” has become the number one issue for U.S. voters is because most of the population is being absolutely crushed by the rising cost of living.
Just look at how much you are paying for electricity compared to five years ago. And just look at how much you are paying for food compared to five years ago. Housing costs have risen to absurd heights, property taxes have become absolutely insane in many areas of the country, and health insurance premiums have more than doubled for millions of Americans. It isn’t just a coincidence that so many people are bitterly complaining about the cost of living these days. The truth is that most of the country is experiencing very real pain.
Of course it isn’t an accident that this has happened. Our politicians have borrowed and spent 28 trillion dollars that we did not have since Barack Obama first entered the White House in January 2009, and I warned that all of this money would create rampant inflation. READ MORE
$182,000,000 In USDT Stablecoins Frozen By Tether on Tron Blockchain Amid Suspicions of Scams: On-Chain Data -The Daily Hodl
More than $182 million worth of USDT stablecoins have been frozen on the Tron blockchain amid suspected scam activity.
In a series of alerts shared on X by Whale Alert, blockchain trackers reported that multiple Tron-based addresses holding large USDT balances were frozen, totaling roughly $182 million.
The largest single address held more than 50 million USDT, valued at about $49.9 million at the time of the freeze.
Other notable frozen balances include an address holding approximately 46.1 million USDT, another with nearly 45 million USDT, one containing about 29 million USDT, and a smaller address holding roughly 12.1 million USDT. Combined, the five addresses held approximately $182.2 million in USDT before being frozen. READ MORE
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1.13.26 - US Bank Stocks Drop on Proposed Credit Card Interest Rate Cap
Gold last traded at $4,586 an ounce. Silver at $86.94 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Bank stocks slid today as President Trump set his sights on the industry; specifically the credit card companies that have long profited from sky-high interest rates. For many Americans, these cards are no longer a luxury but a financial crutch used to keep up with everyday expenses in an increasingly unforgiving economy. While this move won’t solve every systemic issue, it could offer struggling households a much-needed moment of financial relief.
US Bank Stocks Drop As Trump Proposes Credit Card Interest Rate Cap -The Daily Hodl
US bank stocks are sliding after President Trump proposed a cap on credit card interest rates.
Shares of major banks including Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America fell between 1% and 3%.
Card-focused companies such as Visa, Mastercard and American Express also declined, while Capital One dropped nearly 7%.
Trump said late Friday that credit card interest rates would be capped at 10% for one year beginning January 20th, though the enforcement mechanism remains unclear.
Said an industry trade group of the proposal in a joint statement,
“Evidence shows that a 10% interest rate cap would reduce credit availability and be devastating for millions of American families and small business owners who rely on and value their credit cards, the very consumers this proposal intends to help.”
The proposal sparked alarm across the banking industry, with executives and analysts warning it would render large portions of the credit card business unprofitable, particularly for borrowers with weaker credit profiles. The average US credit card interest rate currently stands at 19.7%, with rates for subprime and store-branded cards significantly higher, according to the report. READ MORE
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1.12.26 - Gold Hits Record as Trump-Powell Clash Shakes Investors
Gold last traded at $4,600 an ounce. Silver at $85.17 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Tensions are once again rising between President Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell; and there is clearly no love lost between the two. As economic uncertainty deepens and market pressure intensifies, this public standoff is only adding more volatility to an already fragile financial landscape. In moments like these, two clear winners continue to emerge: gold, and those wise enough to own it.
Gold Hits Record $4,600 as Trump-Powell Clash Shakes Investors -Newsmax
Gold hit a record high of $4,600 Monday, while silver also set a new peak, as a criminal probe by the Trump administration into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell sent investors back into the asset viewed as a safe haven.
Spot gold jumped 1.7% to $4,584.12 per ounce by 1159 GMT, after earlier hitting a record high of $4,600.33. U.S. gold futures for February delivery gained 2.1% to $4,595.
"With the Fed's independence now openly contested, the 'political risk' discount usually reserved for emerging markets is bleeding into the U.S. dollar, driving investors toward hard assets," said Zain Vawda, analyst at MarketPulse by OANDA.
Wall Street futures dropped and the dollar fell by the most in three weeks as tensions between the Fed and the Trump administration escalated.
Powell said the threat to indict him over Congressional testimony he gave last summer was a "pretext" for the Trump administration to gain more influence over interest rates, which the U.S. President wants cut dramatically. READ MORE
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1.9.26 - The US Dollar Just Hit a 20-Year Low
Gold last traded at $4,507 an ounce. Silver at $80.25 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A new year has arrived, but the message couldn’t be clearer: the dollar’s decline as a global reserve currency is accelerating, not slowing down. This is exactly why nations around the world are racing to stockpile gold at historic levels, and why smart investors are following suit. Physical precious metals are no longer optional; they are essential for protecting and strengthening any serious portfolio.
The US Dollar Just Hit a 20-Year Low in Global Reserves -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
The US dollar has now claimed a major new title, the one that involves the American currency hitting a 20-year low in global reserves. This position has now been handed over to gold, which has emerged as the leading global reserve the world has been hanging on to as of late. Will the American currency ever be able to recover from this setback?
According to the latest update by the Kobeissi letter, a new striking development has taken place where the US dollar’s positioning as a global reserve asset has taken a toll. The KL data outlines how the US dollar reserve share has dropped to its lowest in 20 years. Moreover, this percentage has declined 18 percentage points in the last 18 years.
On the other hand, gold has emerged as a leading asset to take note of as of late, crowned as the best reserve asset to explore currently. The central bank’s constant spree of purchasing gold has led the asset to take the top spot, dethroning the king dollar. READ MORE
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1.8.26 - Dalio: 'Biggest Investment Story' Remains Under the Radar
Gold last traded at $4,477 an ounce. Silver at $76.98 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Ray Dalio appears to be viewing the markets through a very different lens than most. He’s far less impressed by record highs in the Dow, or the hype surrounding AI stocks that investors have eagerly embraced in recent years. And I tend to agree with him.
Billionaire Ray Dalio Says ‘Biggest Investment Story’ Remains Under the Radar – And It’s Not AI or Stocks The Daily Hodl
Billionaire Ray Dalio says that the biggest investment story of the moment is under many people’s radar.
Dalio, who founded the asset management firm Bridgewater Associates, says the real investment story last year is the devaluing of fiat currency and the underperformance of US stocks relative to gold and foreign equities.
“Though the facts and returns are indisputable, I see things differently from most others. While most people see US stocks and particularly US AI stocks to be the best investments and hence the biggest investment story of 2025, it is indisputably true that the biggest returns (and hence the biggest story) came from:
1: What happened to the value of money (most importantly the dollar, other fiat currencies and gold).
2: US stocks significantly underperforming both non-US stock markets and gold (which was the best performing major market) principally as a result of fiscal and monetary stimulations, productivity gains and big shifts in asset allocations away from US markets.” READ MORE
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1.7.26 - Metals continue their historic rally
Gold last traded at $4,456 an ounce. Silver at $78.19 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Gold and silver prices are accelerating far faster than most anticipated, driven by a powerful convergence of forces. Rising geopolitical tensions, rapidly expanding industrial demand fueled by the global race for technological dominance, and a surge in investor interest as markets recognize just how undervalued these metals have been all play a role. Together, these dynamics are reshaping the landscape. The three articles below clearly explain not only what’s driving today’s price action, but also why the most significant moves may still lie ahead.
Silver Rallies Today: The Key Factors Behind the Price Move -Investing Haven
China tightened control over refined silver exports, reducing available supply. Prices jumped, volatility increased, and industrial buyers now face higher costs.
China has approved only 44 companies to export refined silver starting January 1, 2026.
The decision quickly changed market conditions. Silver prices jumped, trading became more volatile, and buyers rushed to secure supply.
With China playing a central role in refined silver production, even small policy shifts now move global prices fast.
China’s new export rules restrict refined silver shipments to 44 approved companies, cutting the number of exporters sharply.
China accounts for about 40–50% of global refined silver output, so these limits matter immediately. READ MORE
Gold Prices Jump Today – What’s Driving the Sudden Rally? -Investing Haven
Gold jumped above $4,400 as political shock from Venezuela pushed investors toward safety. Precious metals rose fast as risk appetite faded.
Gold prices moved sharply higher after news broke that the U.S. had captured Venezuela’s president. Spot gold climbed more than 2.7% to trade above $4,400 per ounce, while futures followed the same path.
The sudden move reflected a rapid shift in investor behavior, with money flowing out of riskier assets and into gold, a long-standing store of value during periods of uncertainty.
Spot gold rose above $4,424 per ounce, marking one of its strongest single-day gains this year.
U.S. gold futures also advanced, while silver gained about 3.5%. Traders moved quickly after confirmation of the U.S. operation in Venezuela, which raised concerns about regional stability and market spillovers.
Switzerland’s decision to freeze assets linked to Venezuela’s leadership added financial pressure and increased uncertainty. Gold’s reaction was amplified by its strong momentum. READ MORE
Morgan Stanley Lifts Gold Forecast To $4,800, Citing Fed Cuts And Global Risk -ZeroHedge
Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times
Gold prices are poised to climb to fresh record highs by the end of the year, with Morgan Stanley forecasting the bullion at $4,800 per ounce by the fourth quarter of 2026, as falling interest rates, central bank buying, and persistent geopolitical risk continue to drive demand for the traditional safe-haven asset.
In a research note on Jan. 5, the bank said the precious metal’s rally is being underpinned by a combination of macroeconomic and policy shifts, including an expected easing cycle by the U.S. Federal Reserve, a change in leadership at the Federal Reserve, and sustained purchases by central banks and investment funds.
Bullion has already delivered a historic run. Spot gold touched an all-time high of $4,549.71 per ounce on Dec. 26, 2025, and finished the year up 64 percent, marking its strongest annual performance since 1979.
Gold prices jumped again this week after the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro by U.S. military forces heightened geopolitical uncertainty across energy and financial markets. Analysts say such flashpoints have revived safe-haven buying at a time when many investors were already positioned defensively.
“The situation around Venezuela has clearly reactivated safe-haven demand, but it comes on top of existing concerns about geopolitics, energy supply, and monetary policy,” said Alexander Zumpfe, a precious metals trader at Heraeus Metals Germany. READ MORE
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1.6.26 - BofA: Silver Price May Hit $135–$309
Gold last traded at $4,494 an ounce. Silver at $81.28 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Bullish forecasts for silver continue to gain momentum, and this may be the most aggressive outlook yet. Analysts at Bank of America are projecting the potential for silver prices to surge beyond $300 per ounce and are recommending a substantial 20–30% allocation to precious metals ... an extraordinary endorsement of the opportunity ahead.
Bank of America’s Bold Call: Silver Price May Hit $135–$309 -Watcher.Guru
by Juhi Mirza
Bank of America has recently predicted a new metal timeline for 2026. BofA strategists believe gold will continue to emerge as a hedge in 2026, with silver price being the ultimate head-turner, climbing new price pedestals ranging between $135 and $309 in the long run.
As per Bank of America’s leading strategist Michael Widmer, claiming how silver may continue to surprise the markets in the near future. Per the BofA expert, the silver price may eventually climb to hit $135 to $309 as the world continues to restore capital into stable assets like gold and silver.
Explain the rationale behind this estimate. Widmer added how the silver price could soon overtake gold, as investors continue to dive into risky assets for a higher uptrend, a habit that eventually could offset silver.
“Widmer said silver may appeal more to investors willing to take higher risk for extra upside and noted that the current gold:silver ratio of around 59 suggests silver could still outperform gold. He cited the historical low ratio of 32 in 2011 as implying a silver price high of $135, while the 1980 low of 14 in the ratio suggests a silver price of $309 per ounce.” As shared by Kitco.
Other than that, BofA analysts are bullish on gold as well, adding how investors should at least have 20% gold allocation in their portfolios.
“When you run the analysis from 2020, you can actually justify that retail investors should have a gold share well above 20%,” he said. “You can even justify 30% at the moment.” Widmer shared. READ MORE
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1.5.26 - Safe-haven gold propelled to one-week high
Gold last traded at $4,439 an ounce. Silver at $75.69 an ounce.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Gold continues to stand out as a safe haven for investors amid ongoing market volatility and global uncertainty. Recent events in Venezuela underscore the fragility of the world on multiple fronts and highlight how quickly geopolitical instability can ripple through financial markets worldwide.
Safe-haven gold propelled to one-week high by U.S.-Venezuela conflict -CNBC
Gold rose to a one-week high and nearer its record peak on Monday as safe-haven demand spurred by U.S. strikes in Venezuela added to bullion’s appeal, already fuelled by geopolitical tensions and rate cut bets.
Spot gold rose 2.9% to $4,453.22 an ounce, after earlier hitting its highest level since December 29. Gold hit an all-time-high of $4,549.71 on December 26.
U.S. gold futures for February delivery gained 3.1% to $4,463.5 an ounce.
“The situation around Venezuela has clearly reactivated safe-haven demand, but it comes on top of existing concerns about geopolitics, energy supply and monetary policy,” said Alexander Zumpfe, a precious metals trader at Heraeus Metals Germany.
Gold posted a 64% gain last year, driven by geopolitical flashpoints and the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate easing cycle. Expectations of even lower rates, along with central bank buying and ETF flows bolstered the climb. READ MORE
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