GoldCore's blog

The Baltic Dry Index, a measure of commodity-shipping rates, has collapsed 39% in just the nine trading days of 2014. It has fallen from 2277 at the end of December 2013 to 1370 today (see chart). This key indicator of global economic health is a warning signal for the global economy in 2014. 

Increasing demand for U.S silver coins is set to send silver premiums higher. The premium charged by wholesale dealers for American Eagle coins from the U.S Mint may rise from 14%. The mint has said that weekly allocations will be reduced despite very strong demand so far this month and record sales in 2013. 

The Perth Mint's Bron Suchecki has written an interesting blog post regarding the real risk of gold coin shortages and rationing happening again. This is another reason why if you are considering buying coins or bars for delivery or bullion storage in Zurich or Singapore, it is best not to wait. "Don't wait to buy gold and silver. Buy gold and silver and wait". 

Simplistic, subjective and unbalanced anti-gold opinions tend to get media coverage. However, it is important to always focus on the empirical evidence as seen in the academic research, price performance over the long term and the historical record. 

Gold is slightly higher today but lower this week. Investor sentiment remains extremely bearish but physical buyers continue to accumulate at these low prices. The UK Royal Mint has run out of 2014 British gold sovereigns due to unprecedented demand.

There are a number of reasons that silver should revert to the long term historical mean but the two primary ones are the fact that geologically in the earths crust there are fifteen parts of silver to every one part of gold. The other reason is that silver is used in many industrial, technological and medical devices and applications today and since the Industrial Revolution a huge amount of silver has been used up. Silver is like oil in that respect, and unlike gold, a lot of silver has been consumed and is gone forever. 

The flash crash had the hallmarks of price manipulation. In order to protect investors and the integrity of markets, regulators internationally should again investigate the gold futures market where such manipulation appears to be taking place nearly on a weekly basis now. 

Unstable eurozone states are particularly vulnerable to default because they no longer have their own sovereign currencies, putting them in a similar position as emerging countries that borrowed in U.S. dollars in the 1980s and 1990s.

2013 Was A Year Of Calm In The World Of Finance ... 2014 May Not Be So Calm  ...  Highlights Of Year - German Gold Repatriation, Record Highs In Yen, Huge Chinese Demand - Lowlights Of Year - Massive Paper Sell Offs in April/June and First Deposit Confiscation and Capital Controls ...

Gold and silver prices surged higher today in the opening hours of trade in 2014. Gold rose 1.8% to $1,220/oz and silver surged over 3% to $20.02/oz.

Gold fell 28% in 2013, while silver recorded a 36% decline. It was gold’s first annual drop since 2000 and gold and silver’s worst performance since 1981 and 1984 respectively.

Draghi's ECB and Carney's BoE have put in place plans for bail-ins and deposit confiscation. Yellen's Fed is quiet allowing the FDIC to do the controversial bail-in 'dirty work' by stealth. Bail-ins cometh ... Prepare ... http://info.goldcore.com/protecting-your-savings-in-the-coming-bail-in-era-international-edition  

Allegations that banks are manipulating gold prices lower continue to gain credence and Bloomberg have published an article by Rosa Abrantes-Metz entitled ‘How to Keep Banks From Rigging Gold Prices’

Chinese demand may once again stem the decline in gold prices. Chinese buyers eagerly scooped up gold at bargain prices overnight after the 4% price fall. Gold volumes for the benchmark cash contract on the Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE), China’s biggest spot bullion market, climbed to a 10 week high as lower prices led to increased buying.

Gold's sell off was again due to paper gold selling by traders and speculators as there was little increase in selling by owners of bullion. Arguably, the fed's tiny taper is bullish for gold as the Fed confirmed that ultra loose monetary policies and the unprecedented zero percent interest policies are set to continue under Janet Yellen. 

The Federal Reserve's balance sheet is set to exceed a whopping $4 trillion today, prompting warnings its ultra loose monetary policies are inflating asset price bubbles and will lead to a devaluation of the dollar and signifigant inflation in the coming years.