Blog
The ECB is cutting rates again. But this is no return to stability.
This week, the European Central Bank lowered its benchmark rate to 2 percent. It was the eighth cut in the past year. Since last June, borrowing costs across the Eurozone have been halved. It is not a sign of strength. It is a sign of concern. Inflation pressures have eased, but the real driver is […]
Is China about to reset the gold price?
There’s something happening in the gold market. It isn’t loud or headline-grabbing, but it could reshape everything we take for granted about global finance. The Shanghai Futures Exchange has announced major reforms. On paper, it’s about futures contracts and foreign investor access. But in reality, it’s China laying the foundation for something far more ambitious. […]
On Tariffs, Chaos, and the Quiet Power of Resilience
Every so often, a legal ruling reverberates beyond the walls of the courtroom, not because of its immediate consequence, but because of what it reveals about where we are and perhaps, where we’re headed. This week, the U.S. Court of International Trade handed down one such judgment. It ruled that the sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs, […]
The Fed Is Lying to Itself
There’s a line that came to mind this week. Something a wise man once said: “Narratives, like currencies, only work if people believe in them.” Well, belief is wobbling. Let’s start with something rather curious. Most didn’t notice but a few days ago the cost of credit default swaps on U.S. government debt quietly rose to levels […]
Christine Lagarde wants the euro to rival the dollar. Investors prefer gold.
This week ECB President Christine Lagarde proposed that the euro could rival the dollar if only the EU would finish what it started. Her wish list included deeper capital markets, more military muscle, new trade agreements, and a jointly-financed supply of “safe” assets. In short, she wants a stronger currency. What she has is the […]
The Gold Beneath Our Feet
A fascinating article in the Financial Times recently caught my eye. Written by Sarah Dadouch, The Great Syrian Gold Hunt, described a modern-day treasure hunt taking hold across post-Assad Syria. At night, the streets of Damascus shimmer with the glow of metal detectors. In the countryside, men with shovels and tattered maps arrive on private […]
The Bond Crash Has Begun. Buy Gold.
This week, Japan’s government bond market, one of the largest and most tightly managed in the world, showed unexpected signs of strain. Auctions for 30- and 40-year government bonds saw no demand. For a major economy with a historically captive investor base, that’s a significant moment. It suggests growing unease around long-term debt, fiscal credibility, […]
The ECB Admits Gold Might Crash The System
In a recent note, ECB economists highlighted the risks that could arise from rising demand for physically settled gold contracts, particularly during periods of geopolitical stress. Their concern? That such demand might contribute to wider financial instability in the eurozone. It’s a rare admission. And an important one. Gold has long been viewed as a […]In Memoriam: Stephen Flood’s Statement on the Passing of Paul Tustain
The global bullion industry has just lost one of its greatest minds. Paul Tustain of BullionVault tragically died in a motorcycle accident in Spain this past Thursday the 17th of May. I first came across Paul Tustain in 2006. BullionVault, the company he founded, was already on my radar. It was a fast growing web […]
