Gold Editorials & Commentary

The economic contraction that started in 1929 was the worst in history. Given the scale and importance of this event, it is remarkable how little is generally known about both its course and its causes.

I've developed a bad habit lately - I don't answer a lot of my e-mail. I feel bad about it because I want to answer, but I can't.

A "Buyers Strike" . .

These are times of unprecedented volatility in the financial markets, particularly on Wall Street.

Our local hometown hero, Durban Roodepoort Deep, released it's Q1 2000 operating results on 3 May 2000.

The previous installment in the Bubble series ended with a view hints of how one could about using the long and strong psychological lever offered by the Dow Jones if one happened to be assigned the task of engineering a soft and controlled landing for the equi

The prospect of a sound American government fiscal policy under either Republocrat nominee is bleak at best. Precious metals should do quite well as the economic structural rot is further exposed, like a receding gumline.

My most recent jeremiad in this space drew such a savage response from some quarters that I am obliged to consider the bullish case, which may be firming, at least for the near-term.

A "fade" in-front of the ECI and GDP deflator . .

In another stunning display of a metals market going out of control, the New York Mercantile Exchange's April Platinum contract entered the Commodity Hall of Shame this week.

With the mainstream financial press tossing around the word "inflation" like a hot potato, it is no wonder that the investing public has been deceived into thinking inflation (specifically, consumer price and wage inflation) is a factor which could have a consi

It's the fiat money stupid. Exactly what will it take for the American people to see the linkage between fiat money, inflation, political and economic corruption?

Cisco Systems is one of the world's most successful companies. You may not own it, and I don't suggest you buy it. But you should know what is happening to this company if you really want to understand what the market has in store.

[Note: What follows is an installment series based on the 1932 book, "A Bubble that Broke the World," by Garet Garret, and its application to our present financial environment.]

Forecast dynamic upside continues . .

In recent weeks we have outlined our view that we stand on the cusp of a nearly 10-year deflationary period which will wipe out the values of numerous assets, most notably stocks, commodities (excepting gold), and real estate.

Let me stick my neck out here - I think that the news of Handy & Harman's bankruptcy is among the most important events in the silver market of the past fifty years, up there with the US removing silver from coinage, the Hunt Brothers, and Warren Buffett.

There were a series of movies made in the 1940's and 50's chronicling the adventures of a fictional American "hillbilly" couple called Ma and Pa Kettle.

A news brief appearing on the front page of the April 13 Wall Street Journal reported the recent findings of an experiment to discover that elusive quality that gives the jellybean its distinctive flavor.

It is only on days like Friday that I can stomach a few minutes’ worth of the drivel that passes for market wisdom on CNBC.

Not alleging conspiracies . .

[Ed. Note: Following is part 5 of a 5-part installment series on Robert T. Patterson's classic work, "The Great Boom and Panic," which examines the stock market crash of 1929, and its application to today's trading environment.]

One can hardly read the financial press these days without being deluged with exuberant praise for the wonders of the technologically-based "New Economy." Technology, being the backbone of the modern U.S.

April 12, 2000

The Irrational Economist

To: Paul Krugman, NYTimes

From: Jude Wanniski

Re: The Crazy Stock Market

"Blue Skies" was the most popular song in 1929 - all across the land, but especially in Wall Street.

We're said to be in a culture war, characterized, among other things, by an assault upon traditional values. That is clearly exemplified by our use, or misuse, of language.

It started to look like October 1929 all over again in the equities markets this past Tuesday. Stocks were falling like rocks tossed off the Empire State building. It really was beginning to look like doomsday! Then, like clockwork, it happened again!

HERE'S THE standard put-down of gurus who have been saying for years that the bull market is about to end: Even a broken clock is right two times a day.

Treasury Bulletin (www.fms.treas.gov/bulletin/b10esf.pdf) contains the Exchange Stabilization Fund's balance sheet and profit and loss statement for the q