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The CHIPS Act Is Setting a New Stage for EVs

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The CHIPS Act Is Setting a New Stage for EVs

by Jason Bodner, editor, Outlier Investor

I was chatting with an old friend of mine earlier this week. He started a company called Stray Dogs Classics.

With chip shortages making new cars hard to get your hands on and used car prices up even higher than new (percentage-wise), he found an opportunity.

He has been importing classic Land Rovers into the U.S. And they’ve been selling like hot cakes. These rovers look like – and are – classic safari vehicles.

1994 Land Rover Discovery 1 300TDI

The CHIPS Act Is Setting a New Stage for EVs

Source: Stray Dog Classics

The cars are reliable as hell… and don’t have a single semiconductor in them.

This is just one example of how the chip shortages are putting a strain on the U.S. auto industry. People are now turning to companies like Stray Dogs for a solution.

And that’s not all… I was helping my mother-in-law shop for a new car last week, and we stumbled across the Audi dealership.

So many of those Audis were beautiful, with leather seats, touch screen displays, and so forth.

But we kept noticing they didn’t have power seats or any of the lane assistance technology we see in commercials.

Audi’s solution to the semiconductor shortage was to cut those “bonus” features – in exchange for a $2,000 dealer credit to make up for not having the options.

These are just two anecdotes to show how the chip shortages are still causing issues for the auto industry.

The good news is, this might not be a problem for much longer.

 

More Semiconductors Are Coming Soon

Yesterday, the Senate passed the CHIPS (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America) Act of 2022. This $280 billion bill will boost the semiconductor industry in a number of ways.

The bill now heads to the House and – assuming it passes there as well – will promptly land on Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.

The CHIPS Act will provide $39 billion for semiconductor manufacturing expansion within the U.S. Another $10 billion is marked for semiconductor research.

This also includes $24 billion in tax credits until 2026 for companies’ investments in the semiconductor manufacturing space.

Overall, the bill aims to spur on the production and innovation in this very critical technology.

And with the CHIPS bill boosting the U.S. semiconductor industry, we might just see a turnaround in the auto industry sooner than expected.

And it’s not a moment too late…

 

More Chips Will Add Fuel to the EV Boom

The auto industry desperately needs more semiconductors… especially because we just hit an important milestone.

The U.S. electric vehicle (EV) market just surpassed 5% of new vehicle sales this year.

Crossing this 5% threshold is an important feat. Historically, tech analysts use the 5% threshold as a signal that mass adoption of a new technology is beginning.

Analysts look at this as the period when consumers’ technological preferences begin to rapidly shift. It’s the point when early adopters of the tech are overtaken by mainstream demand.

Before this threshold, sales, demand, and growth are unpredictable. Afterward, adoption and demand rapidly accelerate.

Infrastructure begins going into place. In this case, necessary equipment like charging stations become more common, and vehicle costs decrease.

If the U.S. follows the same pattern as 18 other countries that have already hit this 5% threshold, then we should expect 25% of new car sales to be EVs by 2025.

That might sound like a crazy number of EVs. But green initiatives and high prices at the gas pump are pushing demand for EVs higher than ever before.

And the EV industry is putting immense pressure on chip makers to produce more. We’re not just talking about EV giants like Tesla either. Ford, Chevy, GM, Toyota, Honda, VW, Hyundai, and more all have EVs out now or in the pipeline.

And now with the CHIPS Act making its way through legislative channels, we might see an end to the semiconductor shortage… and the biggest EV boom in history.

 

How to Capitalize

We have an incredible opportunity to invest in an industry that’s been beaten down for the last year. The semiconductor industry has suffered downgrades, neon shortages from the war in Ukraine, and supply chain pinches.

The VanEck Semiconductor ETF tracks the performance of the semiconductor industry, and it’s down 27% in 2022 alone.

That means the VanEck Semiconductor ETF is priced at a huge discount right now.

VanEck tracks the top 25 companies in the semiconductor industry. And it holds names such as Intel (INTC), NVIDIA (NVDA), Broadcom (AVGO), and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM).

These companies are developing new manufacturing facilities to meet increasing world demand. And most are even setting up new shops right here in the U.S.

And as the EV boom really gets underway, these companies are going to see more demand than ever before in the coming years. That’s a big tailwind…

Growth is right around the corner for a number of these companies and the overall semiconductor industry… which means savvy investors should consider adding at least a small position to this sector in the near future before things really take off.

 

New Opportunities Are Emerging For Citizens of The World.

Freedom and democracy may appear to be struggling to stay alive in America, but there may be a knock-out punch ready to be released. The evolution of the blockchain-enabled metaverse is going to enable the 'Citizens of the World' to gain their own Freedom by democratizing power and creating a new world with new rules, new players, and new opportunities. For 99.99% of us, the metaverse will improve our real-world lives through the democratization of power and opportunity.

Along with the major long-term trend of society towards decentralization and smaller-scale organizations, there are new opportunities developing to help 'Preparers' in the cryptocurrency sector. Businesses are beginning to issue their own Crypto Coins that can be traded on Cryptocoin Exchanges.

Markethive.com for example will be releasing its HiveCoin (HIV) in the coming weeks. It has tremendous upside potential that is outlined in a Video by Founder Tom Prendergast, "Entrepreneur Advantage…".

Not only that, if you go to their website and register as a FREE Member, you will be given 500 HiveCoins for "FREE" along with access to several Earning Opportunities and online tools to increase your HiveCoin balance.

Be sure to check it out today – Markethive.com

Markethive

Tim Moseley

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Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Mining 2023 Forecast amp Predictions

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Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Mining 2023 Forecast & Predictions

Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Mining 2023 Forecast Predictions

If you are looking for a cryptocurrency and want to know if it will grow in value in the coming years, then you are at the right place. Bitcoin is an open source, borderless form of transactional currency that defies the central government's control. Despite this fact, Bitcoin has been called the world's most popular cryptocurrency, and the future for it seems bright.

Bitcoin is a borderless transactional currency

A decentralized world will have greater outcomes for users. While decentralization has affected the biggest industries in the world, cryptocurrency is leading the charge. Blockchain technology provides solutions for cross-border transactions while providing transparent and immutable data. The transition to a borderless world is fast underway. Blockchain is transforming the retail industry, making it easier for individuals to use. In addition, the blockchain is becoming a retail movement, making it easier for individuals to use cryptocurrency.

Traditional borderless payments require a network of intermediaries – often banks and financial institutions – to facilitate the transaction. Then, the recipient must wait anywhere from one to five days for the transaction to settle. Even then, banks and other intermediaries take a cut of the transaction. By contrast, peer-to-peer cryptocurrency exchanges remove intermediaries and record all transactions in a blockchain, eliminating these middlemen and facilitating borderless payments.

It is a store of value

The idea that Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining is a store of values has gained ground in recent years, with more people buying and holding Bitcoin. But is the idea really accurate? This article explores the pros, and cons of the store-of-value meme, as well as some key arguments on both sides of the debate. After all, what's a store of value if no one is willing to exchange it for something of equal or lesser value?

There are many arguments in favor of cryptocurrency as a store of value. First, because it's decentralized and purely digital, it is difficult to seize. It is also trivially easy to carry around. That makes it an excellent choice for storing value, without the risk of third parties. With fiat and gold, you always run the risk of your bank defaulting, or your vault being closed down, so having Bitcoin on hand can give you peace of mind.

It is a currency that refuses to bow to central government pressures

In the near future, we can expect the Federal Reserve to continue its "tightening monetary policy," insisting on a pause in inflation until 2023. In fact, the United States will be challenging with inflation for many years to come, as the federal debt continues to grow at an alarming rate. As policymakers wrestle with protecting Americans from inflation while continuing to fund deficit spending, they will be faced with the Solomonic dilemma. Bitcoin's resistance to central government pressure will become even more apparent.

It is seen as the most popular cryptocurrency in the world

Blockchain technology has enabled the use of cryptocurrencies to transfer value between individuals and businesses without the use of middlemen. These cryptocurrencies are now accepted across the globe without the use of a central bank and are free to move from country to country. Cryptocurrencies are not governed by a government, instead, they are controlled by peer-to-peer networks of computers that run free open-source software. Anyone can join these networks.

Although other cryptocurrencies are emerging, Bitcoin has continued to gain popularity with investors. Among the other cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin has been around longer and has the highest market cap. Market cap is based on circulating supply and current price and is a good measure of a currency's risk. High market caps are considered more secure than low circulating supply numbers, and many people believe Bitcoin is the best choice for investors.

It is seen as the most popular altcoin in the world

During Wednesday's sell-off, Gen Z started referring to bitcoin as the "boomer coin." Although the first cryptocurrency to launch, bitcoin is now the largest by market value, it is still seen by many as a store of value. That popularity has led to the rise of a plethora of altcoins, including dogecoin, which was initially designed as a joke.

There are a few different altcoins in the world, but Bitcoin is the clear leader in the crypto market. The crypto that launched first was Bitcoin, a pseudonym used by an unknown group or individual. However, the currency has since grown to be worth $1.2 trillion. Although some specific cryptocurrencies trade at higher volumes than others, overall market capitalisation keeps them in the top ten.

Tim Moseley

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Is Bitcoin Worth the Hype?

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Is Bitcoin Worth the Hype?

Bitcoin

If you've ever wondered what Bitcoin is, you're not alone. This decentralized digital currency is not issued by a central bank, and as a result, its technical rules are still in flux. Its primary purpose is black market transactions, but is it worth the hype? Read on to learn more. You can also start a Bitcoin investment if you'd like to try your hand at it for yourself. But remember, before you go all in, there are a few things you should know.

Bitcoin is a digital currency

If you've been following the recent news, you may have heard of bitcoin, the first digital currency. Bitcoin was first introduced in 2009 by a mysterious individual or group known only as Satoshi Nakamoto. Although the identity of the creator remains unknown, there's little doubt that he invented the currency in order to create a worldwide electronic payment system. While the purpose of bitcoin is unclear, it's generally accepted as a form of currency by companies and individuals, including PayPal. Even the country of El Salvador has accepted bitcoin as its currency.

The price of bitcoin fluctuates based on supply and demand. As there is no central authority to control supply, the price of bitcoins is dependent on demand at a given time. Bitcoins do not have a fixed value, and its price is subject to speculation and manipulation. It has made billionaires including the creator of bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. Other people who have made a fortune using bitcoins include the Winklevoss twins, who parlayed a $65 million payout from Facebook into a venture capital fund.

A new version of Bitcoin is on the way. The Bitcoin blockchain will soon be fully functional. This will allow you to purchase goods and services online without the need to worry about foreign exchange fees. You can use bitcoins to make payments anywhere in the world using the Internet. However, if you're looking for a safer, more private way to buy and sell digital currency, Bitcoin is probably the best choice. There are no central banks or governments regulating bitcoin, so you can be sure that your money is secure.

Bitcoin has received significant growth in recent years. In 2014, the first major retailer to accept Bitcoin was Overstock. It reached $20,000 before falling in value. In the early 2010s, the price of Bitcoin was nearly $20,000, but it lost half of that value after the COVID-19 virus. By 2021, it reached $60,000, and El Salvador has made it a legal tender. A Bitcoin address is a string of 33 characters that contains your balance and public address.

It is not issued by a central bank

Bitcoin is a digital currency that is not issued by a central bank. It was invented in 2009 by an anonymous programmer using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. In 2009, he published open-source software for the bitcoin network and a white paper explaining the technical design. Another example of a virtual currency is PokeCoin, which is used for in-game purchases in the popular Pokémon Go video game.

It is unregulated

There's a lot of confusion about whether Bitcoin is regulated or not. While it's true that the technology behind bitcoin has no government oversight, the peer-to-peer network has rules and regulations of its own. Moreover, it's not clear if these rules apply to individual users using bitcoin in commerce. In any case, it's better to follow existing regulations than break them. Listed below are some ways that bitcoin is regulated.

One advantage of bitcoin is its low or no-fee transactions. The fee structure is designed to support faster transactions. This is great for small businesses that don't want to spend a lot of money. However, small businesses shouldn't use bitcoin because of its lack of consumer protection laws. Even if a customer gets scammed, there's no recourse for them, since bitcoin transactions are irreversible. The price of bitcoin can rise and fall significantly in a short period of time.

A downside of bitcoin's unregulated nature is that it is vulnerable to manipulation. The Bank Secrecy Act requires all exchanges to comply with anti-money-laundering rules, which is crucial for the protection of consumers. While Bitcoin's unregulated nature makes it more vulnerable to manipulation, it's still widely used. Recent studies by Gandal et al. (2018) found that suspicious activity on Mt. Gox was associated with price fluctuations. Furthermore, a study by Griffin and Shams (2020) looked at intraday price dynamics to determine whether suspicious activity was associated with higher bitcoin prices.

Although Bitcoin is a controversial digital asset, the emergence of a regulated regulatory framework will bring more opportunities to lawyers, accountants, and financial advisers. As Bitcoin gains acceptance as a payment method, it is increasingly becoming more recognizable as a legitimate monetary system. Moreover, as more corporations adopt Bitcoin, the network of users is evolving, making it more secure and reliable. In the meantime, more corporations are revisiting their assumptions about the digital asset.

It is used for black-market transactions

The use of Bitcoin for illegal drug trade is widespread, and cryptocurrencies have made it possible for customers to conduct such transactions without incurring high transaction costs. One example of this type of activity is the Silk Road, which is an online black market for illicit drugs. The site uses only bitcoins to make transactions but previously prohibited the sale of harmful products such as guns. The Silk Road is saying to make around $2 million a month from drugs alone, and the site is accessible through the TOR network of computers.

While Bitcoin transactions are relatively anonymous, this anonymity is a big factor in attracting criminals to use it for illicit trade. This cryptocurrency was recently used in a recent attack on the Colonial Pipeline, a key gas line servicing the eastern U.S. The hackers demanded $4.4 million in Bitcoin in exchange for the pipeline's return, but the U.S. government was able to seize $2.3 million of the ransom.

It is a long-term investment

If you are thinking about investing in Bitcoin, you probably already have a general idea of what it is and what it does, but if you are just beginning to get into the world of cryptocurrency, you may be wondering if it is the right long-term investment. While it is true that there are no short-term guarantees, you can't go wrong by putting some money into Bitcoin and holding onto it for the long term. This type of investment is based on the blockchain technology, the basis of Bitcoin. While Blockchain is the most sought-after technology globally, it's only on paper, and will take years to be fully implemented into industries and be widely accepted by the general public. It also costs a lot of money to implement, which means that Bitcoin is only suitable for long-term investments.

According to a survey, the percentage of American investors who own Bitcoin has increased from 20% in 2020 to 26% in 2021, and most of them have decided to hold on rather than cut their position. This indicates that more investors are seeing Bitcoin as a long-term investment and a value-preserving asset. Furthermore, more than half of investors surveyed say they have invested in Bitcoin for the first time in the past year, and that the majority of those who have made this decision are still holding onto the currency.

Another key point to remember is that Bitcoin is a volatile asset, and that the value of a single coin can fluctuate dramatically within a short period of time. While investing in Bitcoin is not a short-term decision, it's a wise one if you plan to hold it for a long time. The upside of using Bitcoin for long-term investments is that you can generate a large profit from it. You can also use large purchases of Bitcoin to capitalize on a surge in price, and sell them for a higher value when there are many buyers around. If Bitcoin can be a popular asset in the future, you'll be able to earn a significant amount of profit by simply waiting for the price to climb.

Tim Moseley

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European Union And The Green Deal

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European Union And The Green Deal –  A Tall Order

 

The European Green Deal, approved in 2020, is a set of policy initiatives by the European Commission with the overarching aim of making the European Union (EU) climate neutral in 2050. An impact assessed plan will also be presented to increase the EU's greenhouse gas emission reduction target for 2030 to at least 50% and towards 55% compared with 1990 levels. The plan is to review each existing law on its climate merits and also introduce new legislation on the circular economy, building renovation, biodiversity, farming, and innovation.

There has been criticism of the deal not doing enough but also of potentially being destructive to the European Union in its current state. Former Romanian president, Traian Băsescu, has warned that the deal could lead some EU members to push toward an exit from the union. 

While some European states are on their way to eliminating the use of coal as a source of energy, many others still rely heavily on it. This scenario demonstrates how the deal may appeal to some states more than others. The economic impact of the deal is likely to be unevenly spread among EU states.

In addition, many groups such as “Greenpeace,” “Friends of the Earth Europe,” and the “Institute for European Environmental Policy” have all analyzed the policy and believe it isn't “ambitious enough.

The European Union is committed to becoming the first climate-neutral bloc in the world by 2050. This requires significant investment from both the EU and the national public sector, as well as the private sector.

 

Green Deal and the new political situation

But when the armoured conflict between Ukraine and Russia started, the analysts warned that the green deal for Europe, or the green deal in its current form, was over. Decarbonization will continue but on a much more rational and pragmatic floor plan. According to analysts, the emphasis will be much more on the greater self-sufficiency of the European Union in energy.

The supporters of the ambitious transformation dream about changing the EU into a fair and prosperous society with a modern and competitive economy. 

However, realistic economic experts do not see the situation and possibilities of European states rosy; some consider the whole plan completely unfeasible.

Over the coming years, one-third of all EU investment, amounting to EUR 1.8 trillion, is to be directed towards emission-free alternatives and resource efficiency.

 

Opinions of non-governmental economists

Former president of the Czech Republic Václav Klaus, who is one of the leading economic experts, criticizes the goals of the green deal. An advisor from his institute says:

"To subordinate to it the social and economic life of today? And for the sacrifice, which will undoubtedly mean a significant reduction in the standard of living. And it will certainly mean poverty for a part of society. For a part of society, this will also mean that they will probably not buy a car quite soon.“

This senseless plan obliged all  27 member states of the union to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. An ambitious plan and package of measures, the Green Deal, or the Green agreement for Europe, is intended to help achieve this. 

The partial goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990. Both European citizens and experts think the green deal is a naive communist idea.

EU insists on its goals

When the Russia-Ukraine conflict started, some experts said that the Green Deal was dead, but the European Union still insists on continuing its ambitious goals.

And yet a global experiment to limit all emissions, an experiment called covid, when the use of cars was very limited and production reduced, showed us that it had zero effect on global emissions. The whole green doom is a completely useless farce that solves nothing at all. It's more of a sham.

Some citizens of central Europe remember the referendum on joining the EU. When they confessed to their friends and family members that they were voting against entry, they looked at them like they were weirdos. They're saying today what a visionary they were!

Now they wonder where in the green deal those convoys of LNG tankers, which are supposed to supply the whole of Europe with gas, will be classified. If you add up the amount, it's an epic environmental disaster.

 

Greenhouse gas emissions per EU countries

According to the European Environment Agency, the EU was the world's third-biggest greenhouse gas emitter after China and the US in 2015.

Under the Paris agreement, the EU committed in 2015 to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. In 2021, the target was changed to at least a 55% reduction by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050.

The EU is also working on achieving a circular economy by 2050, creating a sustainable food system, and protecting biodiversity and pollinators.

Despite all the efforts of the official representatives of the European Union, many politicians and economists have a different opinion. They think that it is absolutely necessary to be careful in expectations on the issue of the Green Deal.

The current energy and economic crisis were dealt with long before the current situation in Ukraine. Green deal ideas are appealing. Who among reasonable people would want to destroy their environment? 

However, the implementation is completely out of control, and the economic impact is already large. The ecological revolution wanted to overtake natural evolution and the free development of things.

 

Alternative opinions of experts

Some economic experts warn that the decline in living standards is inevitable as the rise in electricity and fuel prices overwhelms us. We can characterize the current period as a time of great uncertainty, a decline in living standards, unsettled finances, the refugee crisis from Ukraine, ever-increasing inflation, and fear of skyrocketing energy and food prices.

It is in the interest of Europe to avoid social storms. If they stopped and closed the gas taps, only an idealist would imagine that this would not cause riots.

The course of events lately resembles a collapsing domino. The war in Ukraine, anti-Russian sanctions, the shortage of oil and gas, and the rise in prices triggered a chain reaction. Worryingly, some of the cubes with subsequent domino-effect, we pick ourselves, or we have arranged them so that as many as possible fall.

 

A moment to consider our options

Reasonable people cannot think that the way is to ban internal combustion engines, to order everyone to do what they are supposed to do and pay for it by printing new money – what was promoted in the union as the green deal. This means huge amounts of money again will pour into the economy. 

Because making people drive electric cars, but because they're expensive, we're going to subsidize them. And we're going to subsidize them by printing new money that we're going to put on the market, which is going to cause inflation again to rise — that's not the way to go.

No technology has been introduced in such a way that its predecessors have been banned: that the emperor ban the use of steam engines to promote electricity, it has not been; that fixed telephone lines have been banned to promote mobile operators, it has not been; that floppy disks or CDs have been banned, it has not been. This is an ideology that completely destroys any rationality.

At such a moment, it is necessary to stand firmly on the ground and forget for a moment the romantic idea of dancing on meadows strewn with flowers, among solar panels, in the background with graceful propellers of wind farms. The crisis has shown us the need to build self-sufficiency, including energy.

Green deal = a new left-wing ideology of other Paradise-Builders on earth, which will not help anything, but someone will make huge money from it. As usual, anyway.

The West began to devour itself, destroying the roots on which it grew as a civilization. Under the flag of the green religion.

 

Sources:

European parliament news

Politico EU

E15.cz

Novinky.cz

About: Markéta Hálová. (Czech Republic) A crypto enthusiast, keen online marketer and passion for photography. I love interacting with the community of Entrepreneurs at Markethive. I believe in free speech, liberty, sovereignty for all. Find me at my Markethive Profile Page | My Twitter Account | and my LinkedIn Profile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim Moseley

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Gold stages a relief rally after the Fed announces a 34 rate hike

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Gold stages a relief rally after the Fed announces a 3/4% rate hike

As anticipated the Federal Reserve concluded the July FOMC meeting with an announcement that they will raise rates by 75 basis points or 3/4%. While this was overwhelmingly expected as opposed to a larger 1% rate hike, there were subtle changes in the statement as well as comments made by Chairman Powell during the press conference.

A change in the Chairman's tone

In essence, for the first time in any press conference this year, the chairman expressed a slightly more dovish tone than previously expressed regarding rate hikes. While he continued to toe the line that all future decisions will be data-dependent, he added for the first time since the Fed began to raise rates that the Federal Reserve feels it is 'likely appropriate to slow increases at some point. That being said, he offered no real insight as to a timeline of when this might occur.

With the second quarter GDP report coming out tomorrow and advanced estimates by the Atlanta Federal Reserve predicting an economic contraction of 1.6%, Chairman Powell put a spin on the current economic outlook.

"I do not think that the U.S. is currently in a recession, and the reason is there are just too many areas of the economy that are performing too well. To be sure, growth is slowing for reasons that we understand. Growth was exceptionally high last year, 5.5%. We would have expected growth to slow. There's also more slowing going on now."

The chairman did add that preliminary GDP numbers should be taken with a grain of salt.

Gold reacts with positive price gains and the dollar weakens

Gold traded to a low of $1709.10 in overseas trading before the release of today's report. Gold began to gain strength immediately following the release of the report and strengthened as Powell spoke during the press conference. Gold futures basis the most active August contract traded to a high of $1739.60.

As of 4:43 PM, EDT August gold is currently fixed at $1733.10 a net gain of $15.40 or 0.90%. Concurrently, the dollar declined in value today giving up 0.68% or 0.729 points with the dollar index currently fixed at 106.315.

Tomorrow the financial markets will react to the latest numbers on the second quarter GDP, this will be the next opportunity for traders to factor in the most recent data about the current strength of the economy. The Federal Reserve will not hold another Open Market Committee meeting until November 2 which means that there will be additional PCE and CPI inflation reports to determine their future forward guidance.

This will allow market participants to factor in additional reports as they become available into current pricing without the added pressure of upcoming rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.

By Gary Wagner

Contributing to kitco.com

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

 

Tim Moseley

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Entrepreneur Spotlight – Using Politics To Your Advantage

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Entrepreneur Spotlight – Using Politics To Your Advantage

Reading The Signs

We are midway through 2022. Dependant on your viewpoint and reflections of the last two years, and now that lockdowns and related restrictions have been removed,  you may be hoping that we have come through a ‘global pandemic’ and can now pick up the pieces of life with the intention of getting back to some sense of normality over time. 

If you were one of those who thought this was all about the money, mass surveillance and control, nothing which unfolded would have surprised you. You may have been observing this within the context of the World Economic Forum’s long held desire to perform a great global reset.

There were so many things that troubled me, particularly how critical thinking and debate were suppressed. No longer were the populace encouraged to think with an open and critical mind. We were told what to think. 

Dr Robert Malone and Dr Geert Van Bosche are two examples. Both are vaccine creators, not anti-vaxxers, yet they called for the immediate cessation of the experimental jabs pending further enquiry due to what their research uncovered. Significant suppression of the natural immune system was one of the findings.

They were ignored and vilified. This was a big indication of a nefarious agenda, because the nature of truth is that it always welcomes debate and enquiry. It does not hide. 

Incompetence or Beyond?

So what is the political weather forecast looking like today? What have we learned from the last two years?  Did the government act well in the interest of health?  Was error,  incompetence or corruption at play?  Is the war really about one country against another or is it something else?

It is difficult to make the case for incompetence when the same patterns of behavior keep repeating. For example, the CDC has just confirmed that they did not take into account VAERS [Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System] in their analysis! 

As I write this article many papers and conversations have been declassified over in the USA, and the process continues. It seems that history is repeating itself in certain ways.

In 2019 a tabletop simulation exercise around the release of a respiratory virus resulted in the ‘CV-19 pandemic’. In March 2021 a tabletop simulation exercise revolved around the monkeypox, and now we have the alleged occurrence of the monkeypox virus. [see page 8]

At the same time the BBC got caught out again resurrecting old photos of monkeypox and overlaying them in the main news, as if they were current. They also did this for the Ukraine-Russia conflict. 

 

Picture Source: BBC

That is the same BBC that was found guilty in court many years ago of misrepresenting certain facts, by reporting the collapse of the World Trade Center building 7, more than 20 minutes before it collapsed. Video evidence was produced by Tony Rooke. The video has been removed from YouTube.

CNN were caught on camera in an underground initiative by Project Veritas, acknowledging the deliberate exaggeration of covid case numbers as part of a fear and propaganda strategy to get more viewers, not to mention their paymasters. 

They added that the next target for fear and propaganda would be climate change. Yet the government and media project disinformation onto those who question them. It was just another example underlying that the media are not into independent journalism.

There is a report out directing that all UK airports should shut within 10 years, and the rationale given is climate change with none other than Neil Ferguson’s name popping up again.

True to form, in the UK Easyjet is canceling around 10,000 flights across the summer, Gatwick are canceling flights, and we are in the middle of major train strikes countrywide.

Several countries have triggered more emergency measures, among them are Italy, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands. Ecuador has recently declared a state of emergency, as the indigenous people rise in protest.

I would suggest that the real war seems to be the Global Elite versus We The People, rather than one country versus another. I would further suggest that it goes deep to the heart and soul of sentient beings, the war to stop you thinking for yourself, living from the heart in service to mankind.

Its roots go back a long way, and that is an article for another day. For now, how do you as individuals and entrepreneurs proceed moving forward? Let’s explore this.

Picture Credit: charlesdeluvio-OWkXt1ikC5g-unsplash

The Opportunity  

In a world where deception, destruction and coercion have become rife, I believe there is always opportunity in times of challenge and adversity,  to turn things around for the benefit of mankind. In doing so it can turn what appears to be a very rough storm into a perfect storm.

I would invite you to view current reality as a mirror and use it to mirror or reflect back the opposite of all that is not good being played out. I share some examples from my experience of what that might look like. Add or edit it for your situation.

Replace Blame With Responsibility

It's so easy to get stuck in blame mode, and while it may feel justified, what is more  important is to take responsibility in how you move forward with what you know. Focus on the solutions that you can be a part of.

Be A Force For Good | Innovate 

Instead of recycling the destructive forces at play out there, reflect peace and honor for what you believe. Show love and care in the way you go about your business, so that social distance can be replaced with heart and soul connection.

Image source: https://startups.co.uk/strategy/essential-start-up-tips-for-young-entrepreneurs/

If ever there was a time to innovate or bring radical change, it is now, and it needs brave and present entrepreneurs to do so, in order to build on different values. There are some great examples of this already going on, which you can be a part of.

Markethive of course, is one such example, creating an ecosystem for the entrepreneur that is safe and honoring of free speech, while combining a social network with an inbound marketing platform for you to develop and hone your marketing skills in business.

One Small Town is another example of a global movement to put new structures in place that are based on values of sharing, kindness and compassion, designed to make these nefarious structures obsolete.

The opportunity is there to become part of the solution, rather than waiting to be rescued. If innovation feels like a bridge too far, bring it back home to something more simple. Evaluate yourself and your business to see where you can reflect the changes you wish to see in the world.

Be Honest and Transparent

Where have you given your power away and compromised against your better judgment? Have you buried your head in the sand out of fear? Are there mistakes which need correcting?

Be willing to look with honesty at yourself and acknowledge where you may have fallen short of your own standards in business, and resolve to raise your game. Forgive yourself and resolve to be a better version of yourself.

Rebuild Trust

Trust toward government and businesses across were already hitting new lows before 2020 as indicated by the Edelman Trust Barometer Report in 2017. I wonder what the results would be today.

The advent of the blockchain will help to restore trust and transparency but on its own it is not enough. Learn to build trust again, not just in your abilities and expertise, but also in all your professional relationships, including how you conduct yourself in the process of business.

Look after Your Health

Health has been shoved in our faces in a ‘one size fits all’ manner. If your health is vulnerable right now, down tools and take the time to nurture it and strengthen your natural immune  system. It does not have to cost money. 

Learn to breathe slowly and deeply to oxygenate your system. Walk and be with nature,  expose yourself to some natural vitamin D. Keep yourself well hydrated. Dehydration is a common cause of fatigue.

Health is more than just the physical stuff. Learn to take inventory of your mind and emotions. Take time to feed your mind so it can support your health. I recently read Emile Coue’s book ‘Self Mastery Through Conscious Autosuggestion’. 

It is a simple and powerful read, especially when you apply it. Affirm that which you  wish to be true but learn to embody those positive affirmations in practice for them to take root and shape your life.

Evaluate Your Business

Be willing to take a step back and evaluate where you are in life and business, especially if you suffered losses in business. What have you achieved that you can be grateful for in spite of your losses?

If you need a structure for evaluation there are tools like a PESTLE. This looks at the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Financial factors which influence business.

Put one foot in front of the other with your action plan. It's better to do a few things well than a lot of things superficially. Restore depth of thinking and quality to become more  accomplished.

Informed Consent

Replace coercion with empowerment through informed consent. Where your products and services are concerned make sure you walk your prospects through the plus and minuses of what you have to offer.

Allow yourselves and others their freedom of thought and expression. Let others know they can speak freely in your presence without fear. Then they can make an informed decision, and determine if it is ‘the glove that fits the hand’ rather than to be subjected to an aggressive marketing campaign with no substance, with forced solutions thrust upon them.

Show Courage and Develop Inner Strength

Do not give into fear. Believe in your gifts and abilities, and dare to keep expressing them, no matter what. There is nothing to be gained by living below the level of what you are capable of. Mankind needs to be raised up by your gifts and abilities, not kept down.

These are some of the many things I have been cultivating further in response to what is going on in the world. It doesn’t necessarily need 7 billion people to bring about a massive change. It starts with you.

Even if a small percentage focuses on the change outlined above, we can restore our planet from a warring planet to a more peaceful and prosperous one. Instead of cowering in the face of global adversity we can use what we see to mirror the opposite and allow it to cause us to rise. It is time for the rise of the entrepreneur.

If not you, who?  If not now, when?

That is a narrative which we can create and a script that we can write.

 

About: Anita Narayan. (United Kingdom) My life's work is about helping individuals to greater freedom through joy and purpose without self-sabotage, so that inspirational legacy can serve generations to come. Find me at my Markethive Profile Page | My Twitter Account | and my LinkedIn Profile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim Moseley

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Gold prices remain under pressure as US consumer confidence falls to 957

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Gold prices remain under pressure as U.S. consumer confidence falls to 95.7

Gold prices are struggling to push into positive territory as pessimism grows among U.S. consumers, further raising fears of a potential recession.

American consumer confidence index fell to 95.7 down from June's reading of 98.7, the U.S. Conference Board reported Tuesday. Economists were expecting to see the index at 97.3.

According to economists the sharp drop in consumer sentiment could have a major impact on consumption and weigh on the economy heading into year end.

The gold market is seeing some renewed momentum following the data. August gold futures last traded at $1,716.60 an ounce, down 0.16% on the day.

The report said that the drop in consumer optimism was due to a decline in the Present Situation Index, which fell to 141.3, down from June’s reading of 147.2. At the same time the Expectations Index dropped to 65.3, down from June’s reading of 65.8.

Lynn Franco, senior director of economic indicators at The Conference Board, pointed out that the Expectations Index suggests recession risks continue to grow.

“Concerns about inflation—rising gas and food prices, in particular—continued to weigh on consumers,” said Franco. “As the Fed raises interest rates to rein in inflation, purchasing intentions for cars, homes, and major appliances all pulled back further in July. Looking ahead, inflation and additional rate hikes are likely to continue posing strong headwinds for consumer spending and economic growth over the next six months.”

By Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

Tim Moseley

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Gold prices start the week down despite weak USD silver prices down 2

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Gold prices start the week down despite weak USD, silver prices down 2%

Gold investors appear hesitant to jump into the precious metal even as the U.S. dollar starts the week on a soft note.

According to some analysts, the Federal Reserve's impending monetary policy decision this week has pushed many investors and traders to the sidelines. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, markets see a more than 77% chance of a 75-basis point move. Although the prospect of a 100-basis point move is effectively off the table, analysts have said that gold continues to struggle as the Federal Reserve expects to reiterate its hawkish positioning for further aggressive rate hikes in the fall.

August gold futures last traded at $1,718.50 an ounce, down 0.5% on the day. Although some analysts expect gold has room to run higher this week, it will remain at the mercy of the U.S. dollar, which could see new momentum following the central bank's monetary policy decision.

Currency analysts at Brown Brothers Harriman said that they remain bullish on the U.S. dollar even as it sees three days of consecutive losses.

"We are not yet ready to change our strong dollar call. Yes, the U.S. economic data have been weakening, but we do not think a recession is imminent. When all is said and done, we believe the U.S. economy remains the most resilient. However, we expect a period of consolidation ahead for the dollar until the U.S. economic outlook becomes clearer," the analysts said in a note.

Commodity analysts at TD Securities have said that despite some shifting sentiment in the marketplace, gold faces a uphill battle. The analysts said that gold prices need to push above $1,775 an ounce to threaten the current downtrend.

Will gold survive another 75 basis point hike

Although gold continues to struggle in the shadow of the Federal Reserve, it remains one of the best-performing assets in the precious metals space and is significantly outperforming silver prices.

September silver futures last traded at $18.26 an ounce, down nearly 2% on the day. The gold/silver ratio is trading at a fresh two-year high above 93 points. Analysts have said silver will continue to struggle due to growing recession fears. Industrial demand accounts for 60% of silver demand and analysts point out that weak economic growth will lead to lower demand for silver.

In a recent interview with Kitco News, Christopher Vecchio, senior market analyst at DailyFX.com, said that because of the strong U.S. dollar, he prefers to play gold in a pair trade with silver. He added that he is long gold and short silver and expects the grey metal to continue to underperform.

However, some analysts are optimistic that silver can find some footing in a strong gold market.

"Silver is still trying to figure out what it wants to do around long-term support area between $18 to $19," said Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst at City Index. "But the lack of follow-thru has frustrated both the bulls and bears alike. Given gold's lead, the risks are skewed to the upside for silver."

By Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

Tim Moseley

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Analysts Predict Crypto To Go Mainstream

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Analysts Predict Crypto To Go Mainstream

As cryptocurrencies continue to attract the attention of regulators and investors, some analysts have suggested that Bitcoin could become legal tender in many countries very soon. This proposal argues that Bitcoin is similar to traditional currencies such as US dollars or Euros. So it should be possible to enter the mainstream market as a means of payment and a store of value in the same way paper money does now.

However, several significant differences between the two types of assets make this an extremely complicated task, not least because they are subject to entirely different sets of rules (and their associated risks). In the UK and US, where Bitcoin is a form of payment, the government has been more cautious about regulating it than most other jurisdictions.

Anthony Scaramucci, the founder of Skybridge Capital, expects more countries to adopt bitcoin alongside national and international currencies.

He said:

"I think Bitcoin will be used by many Latin American countries as legal tender over time, not just El Salvador, but other countries,"

El Salvador introduced bitcoin as legal tender alongside the US dollar last September. In January, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele predicted that two more countries would adopt Bitcoin as the legal tender this year, Bitcoin.com reported. Devere Group CEO Nigel Green indicated that three countries would adopt bitcoin as legal tender this year in January.

Meanwhile, Alex Hoeptner, CEO of crypto derivatives trading platform Bitmex, said last October that five countries would accept bitcoin as legal tender by the end of 2022.


Image source: Reuters.com

Scaramucci also believes that Bitcoin could reach $500,000 per coin in the long run, according to Bitcoin.com. In addition, he expects that by the end of 2025, there will be more than 1 billion wallets containing Bitcoin, and the number of users will reach 250 to 3 billion in the next decade.

"If it gets there, then I think the maturing asset could be a conversation about whether it acts as an inflation hedge," he said.

A Brighter Future Awaits Cryptocurrency

The digital currency landscape is changing, according to a new research paper from Economist Impact commissioned by Crypto.com. The Economist Impact examines how much consumers trust digital payments and what barriers exist to digitalizing essential monetary functions.

Comparing consumer attitudes to similar surveys in 2020 and 2021, they found that cryptocurrencies and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are now at the crossroads of credit cards and payment apps.

Economist Impact shared its findings on July 6, 2022, in a PDF file titled Digimentality 2022 – Fear and Favoring of Digital Currency. They surveyed 3,000 people, half of whom came from developed economies such as the United States and the United Kingdom, and the other half from developing countries such as Brazil and the Philippines.

14% prefer CBDC, a significant increase from 4% in 2021. Interestingly, 37% of consumers expect their government or central bank to make cryptocurrencies legal tender within the next three years, and about one-third of consumers expect CBDC adoption.

Notably, more than 60 central banks are at various stages of CBDC development. China and Sweden have already launched live pilots, according to the 2021 CBDC Global Index by professional services firm PwC.

Skepticism Amidst the Unstable Market and Looming Recession

There is a great deal of skepticism about the future of cryptocurrencies amidst a bear market and looming recession. Some believe that cryptos are nothing more than an overvalued fancy that will eventually crash. In contrast, others remain convinced that they have the potential to revolutionize how we pay for goods and services. However, regardless of people’s individual opinions on cryptocurrency’s long-term prospects, it remains clear that this technology has captured the attention of many investors and enthusiasts across the globe.

In the current state of the market, there is a lot of speculation and few true believers. As a result, the price of most cryptos is in a downward trend, and this will likely continue into the future. Meanwhile, the economy is heading towards a significant recession, likely dampening interest in digital currencies even more.

In the long term, crypto may eventually succeed for several reasons, but it will happen much slower than many belief. First of all, even if the value of the cryptocurrency is rising fast, several factors limit its real value in the market. The value of Bitcoin depends on how many people use it as a currency.

The number of exchanges is limited, and they have to be closed down or bankrupted by regulators; governments can block access to their country, as has happened with China and Russia. Finally, the high volatility of the crypto market means that investors need to accept huge losses or gains; this could be enough to turn off potential customers.

Acceptance of Digital Money Despite Setbacks

Digital money is seen as a more secure and efficient way to conduct transactions. Consumers feel confident in using digital money because it eliminates the need for physical currency, which can be lost or stolen. Additionally, consumers believe digital currencies are protected from fraud and malicious activities. Although the current bear market may have impacted consumer confidence in digital currencies, this does not appear to have dampened their enthusiasm for them overall.

Soon, blockchain technology will be widely adopted by businesses of all sizes. They will increasingly rely on smart contracts to automate and streamline business processes such as: fulfilling customer orders and ensuring the timely delivery of products and services. It’s a significant development for the financial industry, which has been slow in adopting new technologies due to the complexity of legacy systems and the risk of disruption to existing revenue streams should the wrong changes occur during integration with new methods. Blockchain-based solutions will accelerate the adoption of new technologies across other industries, including the healthcare and insurance sectors and supply chain management.

In conclusion, the adoption of cryptocurrencies will continue to grow, and we expect to see more mainstream companies adopting blockchain solutions and services. This is a trend that will accelerate over the next few years as more industries adopt cryptocurrency-based technology for their operations and products, and more merchants accept cryptocurrencies on their websites and in stores using mobile apps or point-of-sale systems.

 

 

 

About: Prince Chinwendu. (Nigeria) Rapid and sustainable human growth is my passion, and getting a life-changing opportunity into the hands of people is my calling. Empowering entrepreneurs provides me with enormous gratification. Find me at my Markethive Profile Page | My Twitter Account | and my LinkedIn Profile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim Moseley

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Goldplatinumsilver – Is the bottom in?

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Gold/platinum/silver – Is the bottom in?

Every bear market ends, and a bull market begins with a short covering rally. Whether you use fundamental or technical analysis, the end result is the same with a change of direction. Since the March peak, Platinum has been trending lower for four months and is finally showing signs of a potential bottom. Thursday's trading range helped create the right shoulder of an inverse head and shoulder pattern. The consolidation over the past four trading sessions has created a flag that has helped accelerate prices through the 21-day moving average. To help you identify additional long-term support and resistance levels, we created a Free "5-Step Technical Analysis Guide that will provide you with all the Technical analysis steps to create an actionable plan used as a foundation for entering and exiting the market. You can request yours here: 5-Step Technical Analysis Guide to Gold.

Daily Platinum chart

Blue Line Futures correlation matrix

I wanted to share one of the slides I keep pinned on my desktop and will help you to understand how connected the precious metals are to the underlying currencies. On Thursday, the ECB raised rates by 50 bps for the first time in 11 years while rolling out the "Transmission Protection Instrument." That action created volatility across both the currencies and precious metals. TPI is a flexible bond-buying program that tames volatility as the ECB raises rates. Call this strategy bullish and bearish at the same time.

Commitment of traders

Every week the CFTC releases the commitments of traders report to help the public understand the dynamics of the market. Diving into the report, we can see that managed money and hedge funds have been short Platinum. We can also see that large speculators in Silver have taken their long exposure down to levels not seen in years, given the $8 sell-off since March. For the second time in history, we saw managed money go net short on Gold. The first time was 2015, which marked the low in Gold, and the second was in 2018, and from that point, Gold went into a multi-year bull market.

Daily Silver Chart

Daily Gold Chart

Our strategy and trend reversal points

We remain bearish, taking tactical shorts on U.S equities on any significant bounce targeting the Nasdaq and Russell 2000. The leveraged stocks that make up these indices are most at risk during a recession. We also maintain our bearish stance on crypto and traditional currencies such as the British Pound, Euro, and Yen. We are also bearish and targeting economically sensitive commodities such as Cocoa, Corn, and Soybeans on bounces. We maintain a bullish stance on China as it continues stimulating its economy. Crude Oil should remain firm in the front months while weakening over time as we get deeper into the recession. One of the most popular precious metals questions I fielded this week was, "at what levels will the "bearish trend" shift to "bullish/neutral"? Those levels are $1787 for August Gold, $3.82 for September Copper, $903.1 for October Platinum, and $20.20 for September Silver. If we see closes above these levels, you can expect the short covering to accelerate into outright longs. Any new positioning should be in December 2022 or into 2023 on futures contract purchases. If you have never traded Silver futures, we completed a new educational guide that answers your questions on transferring your current investing skills into trading "real assets," such as the 1000 oz Silver futures contract. Additionally, you will receive a free two-week trial to our flagship report, "The Morning Express," giving you critical levels of support in resistance in the Gold and Silver. You can request yours here: Trade Metals, Transition your Experience Book.

By Phillip Streible

Contributing to kitco.com

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

Tim Moseley

The Artist that came out of the Winter