Trouble Afoot: Bonds and Gold Are Telling the Tale

Originally published at: Trouble Afoot: Bonds and Gold Are Telling the Tale – Peak Prosperity

In this podcast with David Russell, CEO of GoldCore, we discussed the current state of the global economy, particularly focusing on the weakness in global bond markets which are clearly signaling that something big is afoot.

In particular, bond markets in developed countries are showing signs of strain, reminiscent of the financial turmoil of 2006-2008. If you could look back with perfect vision, what would be the moment in 2008 that clearly said, “big trouble is on the way?” Would it be the collapse of Bear Stearns or something else? For me, the purchase of $11 billion of gold in April by “somebody” off the US Comex was a similar moment. Too big to ignore or forget.

David went on to point out that while central banks and institutional investors have been driving the gold market, there’s now a noticeable increase in interest from high net worth individuals, signaling a broader understanding of the economic uncertainties we’re facing.


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But the retail market, especially in the West, remains somewhat detached, still viewing gold as a short-term investment rather than a hedge against inflation and economic instability. However, in China, the opposite is true; the government is actively encouraging its citizens to buy gold, even offering incentives like coupons, which is a stark contrast to the Western approach.

A significant part of our discussion was around the European Central Bank’s recent warning about gold markets posing a threat to financial stability due to potential physical settlement demands in times of geopolitical stress. This acknowledgment from a central bank is quite telling of the underlying tensions in the financial system.

We also touched on the massive exposure banks have to gold derivatives, which could lead to significant losses if there’s a sudden spike in gold prices due to physical demand. This scenario could trigger a broader financial crisis, affecting not just gold but all asset classes.

David and I agreed that the current economic environment feels eerily similar to the prelude of the 2008 financial crisis, with various indicators like the Japanese bond market’s volatility and the U.S. debt ceiling issues pointing towards a potential seismic event in the financial markets.

In these times, the importance of holding physical gold and silver cannot be overstated. They serve not just as investments but as a means to take wealth out of the increasingly volatile financial system. The conversation underscored the need for individuals to consider precious metals as part of their portfolio, not for short-term gains, but for long-term security and stability.

Lastly, we discussed the unique position of silver, with its industrial demand and supply constraints, making it an attractive investment despite its price not reflecting its fundamental value yet.

Stay tuned, as these are indeed interesting times, and understanding these dynamics is crucial for anyone looking to safeguard their financial future.

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Have not listened yet but these two statements are speaking loud and clear. I am adding physical demand to my trigger watch list - indicators that the much anticipated shift is occurring in earnest. Meaning the end of this Fourth Turning cycle is ever closer.

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My moment was a bit earlier than that, but not by much.
Watching house prices in 2006 in my neighborhood go up by 5 ~ 6 times what I paid and realizing that I could no longer live comfortably in a place that had been “home” to me for over a decade.
That was the moment.

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My daughter just sent me an update of a home in her area in Maine. The sold in 2019 for $635,000 and was just listed for $1,425,000. Another version of Unsustainable.

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I think we see the train a comin, and we know gold/silver get’s us off the tracks but, as you pointed out, the ECB is so aware of this that they are broadcasting the possibility of a physical run on gold and the damage to the financial system it might create. As someone said, “A dying person is willing to try any medicine”.
So owning PMs is part of our solution, but how will TPTB counter that? Confiscation or making it illegal to own? Illegal to buy except for central banks or governments giving them the power to set prices? Massive excess profit taxes on gains, either from sales or just from unrealized capital gains?

Owning gold/silver might be only half the answer as to how to preserve your wealth in the coming crash. What else must be done beforehand to be able to protect yourself from how governments and banks respond to the crash.

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The one big crucial issue is how to exist/live/survive outside of the banking system. This the Achilles’ Heel of modern society.

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We fight to protect what we’ve worked for one way or another.
Since our government has proven to me that they have no ethics…my Au and Ag will be protected with Pb.

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Roosevelt in 1933 seized all the gold.

I assume that some jurisdictions will do this much more readily than others. Once it happens in one place, I’d assume its just a matter of time until it happens in the others.

“Collectibles” were exempted, at least in the US. I’d assume the EU would basically seize everything because “climate change” or “Putin Bad” or whatever.

https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-6102-forbidding-the-hoarding-gold-coin-gold-bullion-and-gold-certificates

Penalty for “hoarding”: 10 years in prison.

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Here’s “median home sales price” (FRED: MSPUS) divided by the price of gold per oz.

Homes appear to be almost 4x CHEAPER in gold-ounces today than they were back in 2000. That suggests gold in 1997-2005 was really underpriced.

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https://x.com/JanGold_/status/1927063739183841759

If you think we are going back to “gold backed” money then yeah, I would expect those citizens who hold it to be punished as I would expect their neighbors to take the side of the state on that issue.

If its going to be a “neutral reserve asset” situation (Luke Gromen) we might skate by largely unnoticed. Gold could still get caught up in an unrealized capital gains tax situation along with everything else, but I’m less worried about gold holders being specifically punished.

That bit in the interview about China giving their citizens coupons to buy gold shows that in some places at least gold holders will be held up a a positive example.

What Im wondering about is if you buy an ETF like PHYS (currently at a discount to NAV) and the public gets into the action and it gets a premium to NAV and then Carney raids the vaults. He’d maybe have to pay “market value” for the gold but he aint gonna pay me the premium

FWIW,
I sold a load of 100 square bales of first cuttings for a 1 oz. gold eagle. That was 20 some odd years ago when peak prosperity was gestating or recent parturition.
My world view was smacked.

The hay was valued at 400$

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Dave, you are correct. Europe does not recognize that power comes from the people. For the top dogs, all power radiates from those at the top. Therefore, like Africa where the chief owns everything and lets his people use his stuff, the top dogs in Europe view everything its citizens think they own as being their possession, their treasure. This is why socialism is the favored dogma in Europe. I expect Europe to nationalize everything, bank accounts, retirement benefits, gas, energy, everything. It is the way things work but the Europeans will deny it vociferously. At the same time they will accept it provided it comes with something believable. Britain used the idea that the government could take anything and everything but gave the people hope by stating that it would all be made good when the government could afford to do so.

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This brings me back to the conversations I have had here a number of times. Having a good plan B. One where gold holders private property rights will be respected. It also brings back up the topic of holding gold outside your country.

As for Carney raiding PHYS vaults. I can see where he would do that for gold stored there that is owned by Canadians but, if he took the gold that was owned by non Canadian citizens, would that be an act of war?

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While a good approach on paper, I often wonder about confiscation in that country as well. How much can/should citizens there trust their highly authoritarian government which already essentially has them under near total surveillance? :thinking:

Think about it though: is this a plausible way to get yet more gold into the country, with the intention at some future point of taking control of it all via confiscation? It is not unimaginable, certainly not under the CCP.

Notes re Canada’s gold below. It is important to know that Jean Chretien is deeply involved with China and has been for a long time. Along with many others. I wonder about the gold sales under him, and where they went to. While we cannot blame Carney for selling our gold, his job - his real job as a WEFer and Net Zero ideologue - as I see it, is asset transfer from the people to the cabal. No asset is safe. If he can tax it, regulate it or outright steal it via such things as bail ins, he no doubt will. Carney, to me, will be The Great Taker. Canadians would do well to step up their due diligence re paying attention.

https://x.com/AndrewJWHaynes/status/1655508913062825991

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“May you live in interesting times.”

A Chinese proverb? I thought it was a curse.

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Very true. There was great trust placed in governmental authority in those days, and people for the most part handed over their gold willingly, at what they thought was fair compensation.

I want to believe that, as a rare upside to our decline in societal trust these past 60-ish years, the vast majority of gold-holders would not repeat this mistake. I could be very wrong about this however.

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The 2008 crash was also signalled by gold early when Buffet bought gold in the fall of ‘07

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I’ve been reflecting on the “Failure to Deliver” to USA BullionVault customers, on the concept of storing little gold bars at a Vault in general, the risk of a failure to deliver at COMEX, the risk of confiscation (theft) by government…and now this article on how there’s a “crypto kidnapping epidemic in France.”

This could easily be a “gold kidnapping epidemic” too, if these same people talked about their gold holdings instead of blatting about their bitcoin holdings.

In some sense, there’s the threat of theft at every level. If you have the molecules at home, then there are breakin issues - same as with bitcoin. If you have them in a vault - confiscation issues. If you have them (indirectly) in an ETF stored in Carney-Canada, there’s more confiscation issues.

No easy answers, it seems.

Maybe diversification. And opsec. As “things get more difficult”, I suspect this overall topic will become more important.

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And most people won’t do much of any of that, until after they’ve been victimized after which it’s almost always too late.

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