Laurent Maurel

The realization of the disconnection between the paper market and physical supply is likely to come very late: it is only when copper reserves are almost exhausted that the importance of physical versus paper will be truly measured. This sudden realization, which will also occur in silver, could...

The banking crisis, which is mainly affecting U.S. regional banks, has deepened this week. The Fed has spent $400 billion to save the banking sector and avoid bank runs. Jerome Powell just announced a pause in the rate hike, but that doesn't mean that the Fed will pivot: high rates will continue...

Without a quick solution to the threat of a payment default, we risk entering a new systemic crisis, this time affecting one of the pillars of the financial system.

Physical silver demand has dramatically skyrocketed. The deficit was barely 50 million ounces last year. This year, the deficit has exploded to 237 Moz. In other words, silver demand exceeds supply by 7,393 tons. A colossal figure!

The debt/GDP ratio is now too high to continue the restrictive monetary policy. The Fed is stuck, it has no choice but to stop its fight against inflation in a context of economic slowdown. Stagflation is now inevitable. It is precisely this type of stalemate and stagflationary environment that g...

The bullish impulse in silver prices is, in any case, very strong in recent weeks. The movement resembles the very bullish phases of 2010 and early 2020. Silver rises on "feverish rush". This is characteristic of a metal whose prices are highly regulated by the futures market and whose tangible u...

The level of French banks' CDSs does not currently present any risk for these institutions, probably because of a less aggressive monetary policy in Europe, which limits the damage. An acceleration of the rise in interest rates in Europe would threaten the French government's deficit, but it is i...

Are central banks panicking? The Fed's surprise intervention to try to stop the contagion linked to the SVB bankruptcy was not enough to stop the global run on bank deposits.

The failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the 16th largest US bank by assets, has put the financial markets under pressure. Beyond the systemic risk to the US tech ecosystem, the bank run phenomenon could spread to the entire banking sector.

Rates have gone from 0% to 5% in a few months! This new rise in rates is putting pressure on the price of gold. The yellow metal is holding above $1,800, en route to its support just below that level.

For the time being, although the U.S. economic numbers are not impressive, they do show some resilience, especially on the consumer side. Unfortunately, the situation in Europe is quite different. The geopolitical event of the week is China's dramatic shift in rhetoric toward the United States.

Gold is still very high relative to rates, probably because of the US fiscal risk and new inflationary expectations. This strength is also explained by the worsening geopolitical context and the stalemate in the Ukraine. Any threat of new sanctions now acts as a support for the price of gold.

Savers are not the only ones who have become poorer in the last two decades. Companies have also experienced a shortfall compared to the gold prices rise. If these companies had invested even a small part of their cash flow in gold, it would have greatly improved their financial situation...

We are experiencing a 2008 crisis in reverse. In 2008, the risk came from the banks and spread to households and businesses. The government intervened to restore the stability of the entire system. Today, the risk comes from the State. It is the government that has to ensure the survival of busin...

Regardless of the extent of the economic slowdown, and the extent of future demand, metal supply is being revised downwards in most markets. Forecasts for 2023 suggest that inventory levels will not follow the usual intrinsic demand cycle. Indeed, we are already seeing real "runs" in some markets...

Despite the positive effect of inflation on these payroll tax receipts, the amount the government has to pay to pay down its debts and for its public spending programs is far too high for these inflationary revenue increases to affect the overall figure: the United States is in a budgetary bind.

In a recent interview, Nouriel Roubini discussed the ten "mega-threats" facing the world: war, public and private debt crises, and the demographic bomb... all of which will cause investors to rush towards gold, leading to an increase in the metal's price to $3,000 by 2028. The famous economist pr...

A better-than-expected job market, a receding Fed pivot: all indications are that the U.S. real estate crisis is likely to be long-lasting. If real estate is no longer a safe haven, it is logical that gold will once again become the preferred tangible asset for investors.

How international investors anticipate the value of the greenback is now fundamental to gold's future. There are powerful forces currently vying for the determination of the dollar's value. There are both bullish and bearish forces.

As we close out the year 2022, it must be admitted that the performance of gold and silver prices in 2022 has surprised many analysts. The performance of precious metals is all the more remarkable in the face of sharp declines in equity and bond markets. Gold is outperforming the indices by more...