A wider perspective.

Ideas and analysis on money, markets and the world around us.

Controlling copper and silver prices

There is an unwarranted assumption that market prices are always right, and represent "fair value". In the case of commodities, particularly metals, this is not necessarily true, because regulated financial markets make…

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Market Report: Bear squeeze come and goes

This week started with a sharp bear squeeze, which took gold from $1178 to $1214, and silver from $15.70 to $16.71. These higher prices on Wednesday proved to be the peak for both metals, before they fell back sharply…

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Why deflation is unlikely

Financial markets are becoming aware that the US economy is stalling, so investors increasingly take the view that with demand likely to stagnate or even fall, prices for goods and services will soften. This is already…

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Prospects for Platinum

Platinum is incredibly rare – in fact, it is estimated all the platinum ever mined would only fill a space of around 25 cubic feet. Global gold production is more than ten times that of its rarer cousin – so why is…

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Gold, the SDR and BRICS

Last Monday there was a meeting in Washington hosted by the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF) to discuss the future relationship, if any, of gold with the Special Drawing Rights 1 (SDR). Also on…

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