Financial markets

Far removed from the turmoil of the bond markets, gold continues to move ahead without the slightest speculative excess, and in a climate of general indifference.The price of gold in yens is now rising exponentially, just as it would against any currency of a country in a sovereign crisis.

Escalating geopolitical tensions and the risk of aggravation in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are adding new challenges to a fragmented world. The international economic and financial system can only emerge from this situation weaker, as inflation persists and growth remains weak....

This week we will look at the performance of gold compared to the United States financial sector. When this relationship is rising, it can be said that investors are showing a preference for hard money. When it is falling, investors are showing more confidence in the paper money system.

The relationship between gold and real rates broke down when real rates turned positive again. What counts now is the search for solvency, not the search for yield. The return of investment takes precedence over return on investment.

The reshaping of the world economy and the global order is in full swing. There are powerful factors, such as the shift in economic, demographic and military weight, that are driving the readjustment in the (geo)political arena. And this readjustment is also reflected in the change in gold flows.

We now have two dangerous wars, maybe we will have a global war. We have a coming collapse of stock markets and debt markets and a banking system which probably will not survive in its present form.

The rise in interest rates initiated by the Fed has had a devastating effect on bonds, which were massively purchased by banks, insurers and pension funds when rates were low. The question is whether this fragility in the banking and insurance sector is likely to trigger a credit crunch.

House prices have only risen for those using government paper to buy them. They're cheaper than several decades ago if you're using real money, i.e. gold.

Gold investors feel like they have been on a rollercoaster this month, as price has ranged from as low as $1,810 to as high as $1,932. Sometimes, a pick up in volatility means that a big move lies ahead. Most often, an increase in volatility is a wise opportunity to take a step back and look at th...

Inflation seems to be picking up again in the United States. In addition to the geopolitical situation, there is also likely to be a great deal of unrest on the US debt front.