Ideas and analysis on money, markets and the world around us.
The constant talk about gold’s lack of yield, which in many analysts’ opinion disqualifies it as a desirable asset, ignores the very important and extremely valuable function that gold performs as an independent and…
Read the articleIt has been over a year since Mr Axel Weber made his surprise decision not to seek the top post at the European Central Bank, which led soon thereafter to his resignation as president of the Bundesbank. These events…
Read the articleThe rate at which the majority of the eurozone is descending into insolvency is accelerating. The rescue package for Spanish banks, which appears to have been provisionally set at a figure designed to impress the…
Read the articleThe silver price is depressed compared with its historical relationship to gold, one ounce being worth about 55 of silver, against the historical rate of 15 or 16. The reason, perhaps, has to do with silver’s…
Read the articleAs Spain is bailed out, with some mystery over who exactly is going to be footing the bill, we are forced to focus once again on the existential threat facing the euro: will the teenage currency make it through…
Read the articleWith eurozone troubles taking yet another turn for the worse, China’s economy struggling, and US jobs data showing the American economy is again heading in the wrong direction, gold has at last started to make some…
Read the articleBloomberg recently published an illustrative slideshow titled “The Real Cost of Owning Gold”. As usual when dealing with precious metals, in an attitude that is widespread among the mainstream financial press, the tone…
Read the articleThe eurozone continues to keep us in suspense in the wake of the French elections, and pending the second Greek election in as many months, the underlying financial deterioration is accelerating. Funds are being…
Read the articleLast year's disastrous collapse of MF Global has impacted financial markets around the world in many ways. Given that it was one of the largest brokers of leveraged products, it is no surprise that this area has felt…
Read the articleThere is a big shift in political sentiment among G8 leaders towards less austerity and more emphasis on economic growth, which was evident at their meeting last weekend. The triggers are the election of Francois…
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