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New MASSIVE Crypto Gains

May 13, 2022 Thomas Prendergast Leave a comment

New MASSIVE Crypto Gains

By Jeff Brown, Editor, The Bleeding Edge

New Massive Crypto Gains

This Is Blockchain’s Next Megatrend

While the pandemic forced many of us to remain at home, we suddenly found ourselves with more time on our hands. And for many of us, that meant more time spent playing games on our phones and consoles. After all, gaming was an easy outlet to escape the insanity of what was happening. So it’s no surprise then that gaming has remained a winning sector over the last few years. And 2021 turned out to be a record year for the entire gaming industry…

Popular mobile games like Roblox, Pokémon GO, and Candy Crush Saga brought in billions of dollars from a captive audience willing to spend more time in front of their screens.

And we also saw the release of the newest generation of bleeding-edge consoles with the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X. As it stands, Sony has already shipped over 17 million consoles, with Microsoft’s system in a distant second place.

Overall, video game sales for the year hit a peak of $60.4 billion – an 8% increase over 2020’s sales. Among the top sellers were such popular series as Call of Duty, installments of the aforementioned Pokémon series, and many more. These sales figures represent the acceleration of a global industry worth well over $138 billion. And historically, this lucrative industry has made millions and even billions for a select group of game developers. We as players obviously don’t get to share in the revenues that we’re helping to generate.

The idea of users being able to financially benefit from the games they play has never truly been possible before. Aside from micro-economies in early massive multiplayer games like Second Life and World of Warcraft, players have typically been locked out of this opportunity. We give game developers our money in the form of individual game purchases, in-game transactions, and other lucrative revenue streams. And for that, we get nothing in return.

But what if game developers allowed users to collect financial rewards for their support? Well, a key technology is enabling this shift today… And it’s poised to disrupt the traditional relationship between game developers and users. What’s more, early investors now have the chance to build their stake in gaming’s next megatrend…

The GameFi Revolution Is Here

Over the last several months, an investment trend with the potential to disrupt the entire video game industry as we know it has been emerging. It’s a trend referred to as GameFi – a mashup of the words gaming and finance. The trend is made possible by combining non-fungible tokens (NFTs), cryptos, and gaming. As a reminder, NFTs are digital collectibles. They allow us to cryptographically secure and authenticate unique assets or data on a blockchain. And these tokens are not just static pieces of art. They can be far more interactive and have unique attributes other than just their looks.

With GameFi, developers can build games that leverage NFTs and other digital assets to create a whole range of economic incentives for users. Right now, we’re seeing the birth of a play-to-earn (p2e) model that benefits both users and developers. The funds that deploy capital in crypto are building their war chests to increase their investments in p2e games.

Hong Kong-based game developer Animoca Brands is involved in over 150 NFT and GameFi projects. And it just raised $358 million last month to be deployed to p2e gaming projects. And a blockchain gaming platform called Forte recently raised $725 million in its latest funding round. It’s now a multibillion-dollar gaming company growing its valuation at breakneck speed.

These represent just some of the major investments flooding into the space today. They’re fueling the exponential growth in GameFi projects all over the world.And all of this investment is powering a wave of exciting new applications sparking the mass adoption of GameFi…

These Projects Are Bringing GameFi to the Masses

Consider the blockchain-based game Axie Infinity. It’s a lot like the original Pokémon. Players control different creatures – each with different attributes – and they battle each other. The outcome of any battle depends heavily on the attributes of each NFT and how each one is used.

What makes Axie Infinity unique is that the creatures and the objects in the game are NFTs that must be purchased with the game’s native cryptocurrency. It’s called the Axie Infinity Shard (AXS). And Axie Infinity has a series of economic incentives built right into the game. Players earn AXS tokens as they win battles and accomplish tasks in the game.

Axie Infinity

Source: Niko Partners

AXS itself can be converted into Ethereum (ETH), and ETH can then be converted into U.S. dollars. In this way, AXS earnings can be turned into a useful income stream for any user. Players have bought more than $1 billion worth of Axie Infinity NFTs over the last year. That’s remarkable. And it shows how hot the GameFi trend is becoming.

Simply put, the more players play, the more they earn… and the more valuable their cryptocurrency and NFTs become. This is a classic network effect. And it has built multibillion-dollar tech companies over the last two decades.

There are many more examples of games like Axie Infinity leveraging p2e dynamics that we can consider. A recent Solana-based move-to-earn project called STEPN crosses the bridge between the digital and physical world. This game literally pays us to move. Users download the STEPN application, which also acts as a crypto wallet. We can then purchase an NFT sneaker, or even rent a sneaker if the price is too expensive.

The STEPN App

Source: STEPN

Those who have an NFT sneaker can literally get paid to walk, jog, or run each day in STEPN’s native cryptocurrency – GST. It’s not just pocket change either. It’s possible to easily earn $20–30 just by walking or running for 10 minutes a day. And for those who are more committed and willing to be active for 60 minutes a day, you can earn hundreds more simply by playing.

We can also consider the p2e game Game of Silks. This game is pioneering a kind of NFT called a “Digi-fizzy.” These are essentially NFTs that are linked to a real-world asset – for example, a pair of digital sneakers that enables users to receive a physical shoe. The project is creating NFTs that in part represent the actual traits, characteristics, and real-world performance of real racehorses.

Game of Silks tracks each horse’s training progress and racing results. Owners are then rewarded with the game’s native cryptocurrency when their horse does well in real races. The project also tracks each horse as it gets old enough to breed. When a horse produces offspring in real life, Game of Silks mints a new NFT for that horse. It’s a different twist on “breeding” with NFTs. And it rewards those who own the parents’ NFTs accordingly.

These are just a small segment of the projects leveraging the power of NFTs, smart contracts, and other assets on the blockchain. Now, I mention these projects because they represent some of the most novel deployments of the GameFi trend happening right now… And in the coming years, we’ll see more projects like these emerge. The reason GameFi is surfacing now is because of major innovations happening in blockchain tech. We’re seeing the proliferation of projects dedicated to improving the infrastructure behind blockchain technology emerge week after week… And the projects enabling these innovations are forming the next major investment opportunity for us right now.

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

Tim Moseley

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Gold price on ‘cusp’ of 2k rally here’s how not to miss it Bloomberg Intelligence

May 12, 2022 Thomas Prendergast Leave a comment

Gold price on 'cusp' of $2k rally, here's how not to miss it – Bloomberg Intelligence

After a disappointing May start, gold could be on a cusp of a major breakout above $2,000 an ounce, according to Bloomberg Intelligence.

After falling 6.5% in the last month, gold is now near a bottom, with the $1,800 an ounce serving as a floor for prices, Bloomberg Intelligence senior commodity strategist Mike McGlone told Kitco News.

Investors have been reevaluating their risk-on positions as the Federal Reserve looks to tighten by 50-basis-points in June and June as it fights inflation.

"Gold is near a bottom and on the cusp of a pretty significant breakout — when it gets above $2,000 an ounce and never looks back," McGlone said. "One day, we're going to wake up, and gold is going to pop above $2,000 an ounce, which is resistance that will be converted into support, and never look back."

The $2,000 an ounce level has been a critical psychological resistance point for gold, which the precious metal failed to sustainably breach this year despite coming close in March.

Gold's main obstacles in the second quarter have been rising U.S. yields and a strong U.S. dollar. This is especially visible when gold's USD performance is compared to yen or euro.

"The dollar strength is putting pressure on the price of gold in terms of the U.S dollar. In terms of the yen, gold is up 20%. In terms of the euro, gold is up 15%. In terms of the U.S. dollar, it's flat. So people holding gold in Europe and Japan are performing much better. It's been a good hedge against their currency declining. It's just a matter of time before but catches up in the U.S. dollar," McGlone explained. "But once you reduce that headwind, which I think we're on the cusp of, gold should take off, and that's just based on past performance."

One of the drivers to trigger the next rally will be markets shifting gears to price the end of the Federal Reserve's tightening cycle. And that is already starting to happen, McGlone pointed out.

"This week was the first good sign that I've seen in a while. I use the one-year-out fed funds future (FF13) for hike expectations. And they are just starting to take away some of that tightening. Why are they doing it? Because the stock market has reached an inflection point of weakness," he said. "I'm looking at bond yields potentially peaking at 3% in the 10-year and the fed funds peaking around 3.4% and dropping to 3%."

The Nasdaq is already down 23% on the year. And this is helping the U.S. stock market reach that inflection point, where Fed's rate hike expectations will be reduced.

"The market is heading that way. We're at that point where the stock market going down is enough to help take the Fed's tightening out of the market and alleviate inflation and shift us back over to a deflationary environment. That's been some of the best foundation for gold in the last few years when gold bottomed in 2015 and 2018," McGlone said.

Gold price is manipulated by the Fed, suspects mining tycoon Frank Giustra, but suppression can't last forever

According to McGlone, the big problem facing the Fed in the long term is not inflation but deflation. "A year from now, when you get April CPI [consumer price index], it'll be much lower, and even negative," he noted.

McGlone did note that it's an if statement. "The Fed wants the stock market down because they need to reduce the ability for people to buy stuff. And I think that's just started to happen."

Crude oil, for example, is very likely to drop to $50 rather than rise to $200. And if the U.S. stock market continues to decline, it's "virtually a guarantee" that inflation will be lower on a 12-month basis. "You want to measure inflation from a big-picture point of view — 120 months. And that's where we see bond yields decline," he said. "The base effect for inflation will go down."

In this scenario, gold will be a primary asset to go to. But when allocating to gold, it is best to pair it with Bitcoin, McGlone added.

"Looking at modern portfolios, gold is naked if not paired with Bitcoin in portfolios," he stated. "Bitcoin is becoming global digital collateral. It's a small portion in virtually all portfolios, and it's gaining momentum. I don't see what stops those trends. Bitcoin's limited supply is a recipe for higher prices unless demand or adoption declines. And I see them rising."

By Anna Golubova

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

Tim Moseley

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Opportunity in darkness

May 11, 2022 Thomas Prendergast Leave a comment

Opportunity in the darkness

When it is at its worst, everything can suddenly get better

Many of us are today facing dark period of life and experiencing what it's like to be at rock bottom. And we have to consider how we can emerge victorious from this pain. Even when it is sometimes cloudy, dark and the sun is not shining, it gives us a lot of opportunities.

Famous writer J. K. Rowling says: "the bottom became for me a solid foundation on which I built my whole further life.“

In the dark, the light can shine most strongly. Darkness, fatigue and suffering are disguised opportunities.

People who are going through something psychologically very painful often describe a similar principle: that the pain (darkness) allows them to go into greater depth. A Czech psychologist Dušan Kadlec writes in his book From the bottom to the stars, "obstacles are put in people's way to make them extraordinary people.“

If you are really very tired, but you are still able to at least walk and move gently, it is highly recommended, for example, go to practice yoga. It is my repeatedly experienced experience: when we are most tired or most stressed that any relaxation has the strongest effect for us. You don't even think about it, and everything can be different. You can feel the most tired in the world, and after sixty or ninety minutes of exercise, you feel, on the contrary, like the most refreshed people. In general, it is also true: when we go through great suffering and great darkness, we are much more grateful for any small light.

Pain can be the biggest teacher
Pain reminds us that somewhere there is a mistake. That we forgot something. Not that we are bad, but that the pain is meant to remind us of something.

Finally here some breathing exercise: The royal way to cleanse the nervous system is slow breathing

Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Slow breathing should be pleasant for you, without any pressure.
Controlled breathing (in yoga "pranayama") occupies a privileged place among ancient medical practices. Modern research has shown that the advantages of controlled breathing are quite real.

Controlled breathing relieves symptoms:
• insomnia
• anxiety
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• depression

You can start with relatively quick breathing – count to 4 inhaling and then again to 4 exhaling. Slowly you can change it to 4 = inhaling, 2 = stopping, 8 = exhaling. Repeat this procedure for at least several minutes. Later when you are already trained you can prolong the intervals . There should be no overstrain of the will. People with high blood pressure and pregnant women should keep their own pace and, above all, avoid pressure when holding their breath.

Thanks to practice, this whole process will become very simple and pleasant. It is thanks to the peace and tranquility that come with the unfolding of the breath, when the mind and body open up and receive the healing light. This breath cleanses the lungs and other organs. It brings more oxygen to the brain, leads to greater calmness and clarity of thinking. It is the breath that allows us to maintain a balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic system.

The Persian poet Saadi Shirazi (1210-1291) says:

"Deep in the sea lie hidden treasures of immeasurable value. You'll find safety on the shore.“

Our world, from the laws of physics to social relations, is based on polarity. Life develops in a world of opposites between two poles. Each system and organism strives to achieve completeness and unity, which means the unification of polarity. Knowledge of good and evil. Who wants to remove only one pole from the world, unconsciously strengthens it.

Hope is never lost, thanks for reading

Margaret

Tim Moseley

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Janet Yellen: It’s Better To Be Dead Than Poor

May 11, 2022 Thomas Prendergast Leave a comment

Janet Yellen: It's Better To Be Dead Than Poor

by Dana Loesch, publisher, Chapter & Verse

Janet Yellen: It's Better To Be Dead Than Poor

The Harsh Sexism of Zero Expectations Within The Pro-Choice Movement

One of the biggest lies the left has ever told women is that we aren’t strong enough to raise the life we co-create. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen repeated this very lie today while testifying before the Senate Banking Committee:

CBS News @CBSNews

U.S. Treasury Sec. Janet Yellen testified to the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday that research has shown denying women access to abortions increases their odds of living in poverty or on public assistance – an impact that will have "very damaging effects on the economy."

May 10th 2022

According To Yellen, It’s Better To Be Dead Than Poor

Yellen’s perspective is nothing more than heinous class warfare. She promotes an ideology that claims you cannot escape the status into which you were born unless the government elevates you.

It’s an anti-American and anti-woman ideology that conveniently absolves the progressive patriarchy of any and all responsibility while reframing the co-creation of human life as a “women’s rights” issue. It’s a brilliant, Machiavellian scheme that lures millions of women into advocating against their own interests under the guise of some “right” that progressive men use as a prop when asked to take responsibility for the life they co-created.

“Well, It’s A Woman’s Right”

Now that third-wave feminists insist that men can also have babies, that protective hedge is gone.

I grew up poor in a run-down house in Hematite, Missouri. I was raised by a single mom until I was a teenager and my step-dad entered the picture. During my elementary school years, I occasionally had to borrow notebook paper from a cousin because we couldn’t afford it. For days we lived on milk gravy and biscuits because my mom couldn’t afford anything else. A McDonald’s Happy Meal was a real treat. I didn’t know the unhappiness of poverty because that was never presented to me as a factor worthy to determine my happiness or influence my perspective of others. All I knew as a child is that I was living, and I loved life.

It wasn’t easy for my mom. It’s not easy for a lot of moms. Life isn’t a guarantee of easy. Lack of ease doesn’t mean presence of discrimination, either. Sometimes the worst discrimination comes from the adults in your life that are supposed to love you and care for you.

Democrats used to mock what they claimed was Republicans’ buttoned-up prudishness for the latter’s views on sexual responsibility (yet it was Democrats, not Republicans, who blocked over-the-counter birth control) — but it’s Democrats who refuse any talk of responsibility today.

They call discussion of responsibility “shaming” as a way to emotionally blackmail the populace from discussing the scientific cause and effect of sex. It’s not teenagers in backseats getting abortions, it’s older women who are already mothers, who know how babies are made, and who view abortion as a form of birth control.

Ylan Q. Mui @ylanmui

WOW: @SecYellen weighs in on the abortion debate — with an economic angle: "Eliminating the right of women to make decisions about when and whether to have children would have very damaging effects on the economy and would set women back decades."

May 10th 2022

When did anyone eliminate the right of women to determine who they want to sleep with and when? It sets women back decades to keep them in the dark about how babies are made. Pregnancy isn’t something done to them — rape and incest account for less than 1% of abortions according to Planned Parenthood’s own figures — it’s something women choose for themselves by inviting consensual, recreational sex. Heaven forbid someone tells a woman to get birth control. Prescription birth control is covered by insurance for issues such as endometriosis and is as cheap as $10 per pack at places like Target. It’s odd to hear objections about expense from people who think $10 per pill pack is expensive but a $700+ abortion isn’t (the priceless value of the life not included).

Abortion isn’t health care. Pregnancy is not a malady. Doctors don’t prescribe dissolving infants’ bodies or dismembering their tiny limbs as ways to cure a common cold. It’s an insulting claim.

Pretending that pregnancy is forced upon women is ironically infantilizing. The left argues that women are too weak or dumb to assume the risks of their own willful actions or manage the consequences of those actions. I disagree. It’s theft of female agency to argue that women are forced to carry babies when they willingly engaged in the act of procreation. It’s the very heart and soul of “empowerment,” yet this is where the left’s farcical “girl power” theater ends.

The Choice Is Before Conception

I loved Senator Tim Scott’s rebuke of Yellen’s logic:

LifeNews.com @LifeNewsHQ

Senator Tim Scott rebukes Janet Yellen for claiming poor black women need abortions: “I’ll just simply say that as a guy raised by a black woman in abject poverty, I am thankful to be here as a United States senator.”

May 10th 2022

One of the worst insults to any woman is the lowered expectations for her capacity to be a mother. True empowerment rejects this.

New Opportunities Are Emerging For Citizens of The World.

Be sure to check it out today – Markethive.com

Tim Moseley

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Investors wait for tomorrow’s CPI inflation report for April

May 11, 2022 Thomas Prendergast Leave a comment

Investors wait for tomorrow’s CPI inflation report for April

Traders and investors are waiting for the release tomorrow of the Consumer Price Index inflation report that will be released right before New York markets open. The CPI will probably be one of the most important economic reports to be released by the government this month. Not only will the CPI be an integral component that will shape and influence market sentiment of individual investors, but it will also help to guide the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy at next month’s FOMC meeting.

The Federal Reserve sent shock waves through the financial markets when Chairman Powell suggested that a couple more ½% interest rate hikes are a likely possibility at the June and July FOMC meetings. As expected, they raised the Fed funds rate by ½ a percent after this month’s FOMC meeting but the announcement by Chairman Powell of possibly three concurrent ½% interest rate hikes was perceived as hawkish and had a dramatic impact on markets.

With some exceptions, we have seen a substantial price correction occur in U.S. equities and in the precious metals. The cost of borrowing capital rising due to the Federal Reserve’s recent and anticipated rate hikes is intended to reduce demand by creating an economic contraction. This had a profound and negative impact on U.S. equities. Since the pandemic corporations in the United States have become addicted to free money and the extended correction is a reflection of the withdrawal pains by corporations as they adjust their forward guidance to reflect the change in the cost of borrowing capital.

Both gold and silver pricing have been in a defined corrective mode since the middle of April. Gold futures traded to a high of $2003 on April 18 and have been losing value for the last four consecutive weeks including this week which is still far from over. Gold futures basis the most active June 2022 contract opened at approximately $1884 and as of 5:06 PM, EDT is currently fixed at $1837.20 after factoring in today’s price decline of $21.40 or 1.15%. Gold has declined 2.49% in the last two trading days.

Typically, upticks in inflationary pressure create bullish undertones for gold prices as it is regarded as an excellent hedge against inflation. However, the current scenario which is a more aggressive Federal Reserve in regards to raising interest rates leads to rising yields in U.S. Treasuries and a strong dollar. Both dollar strength and rising yields have the opposite effect on gold prices creating strong bearish market sentiment as higher Treasury yields reduce investor's attraction to gold as it is a non-interest yielding asset and because gold is paired against the dollar, there is a 100% negative correlation between increased value in the dollar and gold pricing. The net result is that rising inflation took gold prices to $2078 during March (one edge of the sword) and then to its current pricing at $1835 (The other edge of the sword). The drop from $2078 to gold’s current price is a decline of 11.59%. Truly inflationary pressure is a double-edged sword for gold.

The latest forecast for tomorrow’s CPI report is that inflation will drop from 8.5% to 8.1%. The question becomes how will gold prices react if the actual numbers are above the current estimate? While high levels of inflation have historically been extremely bullish taking gold prices higher the anticipation of a more hawkish Federal Reserve will have the opposite effect.

By Gary Wagner

Contributing to kitco.com

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

Tim Moseley

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Cash is the king as financial market melt-down continues taking gold lower

May 10, 2022 Thomas Prendergast Leave a comment

Cash is the king as financial market melt-down continues taking gold lower

The selling pressure continued as U.S. equities continued in their dramatic decline. On March 28, the S&P 500 hit an intra-week high of 4635. What followed was five consecutive weeks of dramatically lower values. If today’s selling pressure indicates the week ahead, we could certainly witness U.S. equities declining over the last six consecutive weeks. In this short period, the S&P 500 has lost almost 14% in value (-13.89%). Today alone, the S&P 500 lost 3.20%. However, it was the NASDAQ composite that had the greatest percentage decline breaking below 12,000. After factoring in today’s decline of 521.41 points, the tech-heavy index closed at 11,623.25.

Gold prices also experienced a sharp price decline and as of 4:55 PM EDT, the most active June 2022 futures contract is down $29.20 or 1.55% and fixed at $1853.40. The only precious metal to gain value on the day was palladium. Palladium futures gained $50.30 a net gain of 2.49%, and are currently fixed at $2073.50.

The dramatic sell-off in financial markets and the precious metals are in response to both the recent action of the Federal Reserve as well as the Fed outlook for the next two FOMC meetings. The Federal Reserve raised the Fed funds rate by half a percent at this month’s FOMC meeting and indicated that it would likely continue the trend of ½% rate hikes at both the June and July FOMC meeting.

This led to the recent sharp uptick in yields in U.S. Treasuries, with the 10-year Treasury note yield trading to a high of 3.2% today before settling at 3.039%. Higher yields in U.S. debt have been highly supportive of the U.S. dollar taking its value higher when compared to other currencies, and that has pressured both gold and silver prices lower.

The sharp decline in U.S. equities and precious metals over the last month can be directly tied to the spiraling level of inflation. This week on May 11, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the CPI for April. Currently, the Consumer Price Index is at 8.5%, the highest value seen since January 1982. The spiraling level of inflation is at the root of the recent rate hikes by the Federal Reserve as they attempt to slow down economic expansion to bring inflationary pressures down.

Forecasts for the April CPI differ with some analysts projecting a leveling off for a peak in inflationary pressures and others projecting that inflation will continue to run hot. According to Forbes, “April’s CPI estimate will be announced Wednesday before the stock markets open. Expectations are for the all-items rate to drop from 8.5% to 8.1%. To hit 8.1%, the month-to-month inflation rate will have to fall from 2.3% in January, 2.6% in February, and 3.8% in March to no more than 1.25% to hit the expected number.”

However, inflation forecasts released in Bloomberg Markets today say that according to a New York Fed survey, “Longer-Term Inflation Expectations Rise.” In an article penned by Alexandre Tanzi, he reported that “U.S. consumers project inflation in three years to be higher compared with a month ago, a potentially worrying sign for the Federal Reserve as the central bank tries to keep longer-term expectations anchored.”

Whether inflation levels continue to rise to higher levels as they have throughout this year or begin to peak, the probability that exceedingly high levels of inflation will continue to be persistent and not transitory as the Federal Reserve had maintained until recently with Chairman Powell and other Fed members saying that longer-term inflation expectations remain well-anchored.

While the Federal Reserve’s action of sharp rate hikes will most certainly lead to an economic contraction, the Fed cannot control the supply chain issues or the war in Ukraine which have been primary forces that have caused inflation to spike higher.

Wishing you as always good trading,

By Gary Wagner

Contributing to kitco.com

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

Tim Moseley

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National Self-Perception

May 10, 2022 Thomas Prendergast Leave a comment

National Self-Perception

by Jeff Thomas, International Man Communique

National Self-Perception

"This above all: to thine own self be true."

Bill Shakespeare had a talent for phrasing basic truths well, and this quote is no exception. (Even if you lie to others, don’t lie to yourself, or you’re in real trouble.)

Much has been said about the American self-image, going back to its inception as an upstart nation that imagined it could succeed as a republic, as Athens had failed to do. And, indeed, the US encountered the same basic problem as Athens: having once created a republic – a nation in which the rights of the individual are foremost. Maintaining that condition is not only a constant battle but extremely unlikely over time.

As a form of governance, a republic serves its people well; however, since it doesn’t provide its leaders with much in the way of aggrandizement or profit, its leaders are likely to do all they can to degrade the republic into a democracy. Once having accomplished that, they’re likely to do all they can to degrade it to tyranny.

As Thomas Jefferson said, "History hath shewn that, even under the best forms, those entrusted with power have, in time and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny." He anticipated that, given enough time, the nascent United States would devolve into a tyrannical oligarchy. It has now had that time and has become a tyrannical oligarchy.

It must be said that the US still displays the accouterments of a proud republic, but, at this point, it’s for show only. The inner workings of the US are not that of a republic, nor even a democracy. The US is a quasi-capitalist/quasi-socialist amalgam that’s run by a corporatist oligarchy. Whilst it still has an elected president and congress, those individuals are, at this point, cardboard cutouts who are only allowed to pursue their personal pet projects if they fit in with the unelected Deep State that’s truly in charge.

It’s important to mention that the challenge to the republic began in George Washington’s first cabinet, through regular squabbling between the three cabinet members. But, although the deterioration continued for another hundred years, the US did not abandon its principle to stay out of world affairs for its first hundred years. That occurred by 1900, under the voracious nationalist appetite of one Teddy Roosevelt. The US government began its foray into the empire and never looked back.

Through two world wars, the US wisely held back as European nations beat each other to pieces. Instead, they supplied the combatants with armaments and charged them in gold. In each war, by the time the US jumped in to win the day, their troops were fresh, their armaments were substantial and much of the wealth of Europe had been transferred to them, assuring that they’d prevail at the end of the war. Consequently, they ended the war as the richest nation on earth, whilst the other nations lay in ruins, both physically and economically.

And So Began The Next Era

One in which Americans saw themselves as the "winners" of the wars, as well as the king of the mountain. By 1958, Eugene Burdick and William Lederer had written their novel, "the Ugly American," which accurately presented American diplomats as presumptuous and arrogant. Although Messrs. Burdick and Lederer were both American, they were highly objective and made the effort to see the US and its government as outsiders saw them.

Since that time, the US government has, if anything, expanded upon its presumption and arrogance, declaring in no uncertain terms that it regards itself as the world’s policeman and will enforce its power wherever it sees fit, globally.

In recent decades, it’s demonstrated that conviction, by invading numerous far-flung nations, often for flimsy reasons and, indeed, sometimes for reasons that later proved erroneous. Tellingly, even when the US has been caught destroying a country for a trumped-up reason, the US offered no apology but continued its aggression.

Americans themselves appear to be of mixed opinion on this behavior. Some Americans recognize the presumptuous and arrogant manner of their leaders and decry such behavior and even fear where it may ultimately lead the US. Yet, others parrot their government’s position that a bit of milk may need to be spilled if the US is to "make the world safe for democracy." (They often proudly take this stance, even though invading a country halfway around the world, destroying its cities, killing its people and destroying its economy, only to install a puppet government, can hardly be called democracy.)

How Does The World Outside The US See The US?

Well, many assume all Americans resemble their leaders – dangerous sociopaths, who represent a threat to the rest of the world. Others are more objective and recognize that the American people and the American leadership are not one and the same. This latter group tends to have greater sympathy for Americans themselves, whilst remaining guarded about their leaders.

However, generally speaking, the world at large observes US national behavior and sees the US as a whole as a potential (if not current) threat. Americans who might nod their heads at this statement are likely to think in terms of the Middle Eastern and Asian countries and they would be correct. However, it goes further than this.

As the "world’s policeman," the US government frequently decides to punish nations that fail to kowtow to it by applying economic sanctions. The US then advises its allies that they will be expected to do the same. It is at this point that those who had thought themselves allies of the US say, "Hang on, it may not cost you anything to apply these sanctions, but it costs us a great deal."

As Thomas Jefferson said, "History hath shewn that, even under the best forms, those entrusted with power have, in time and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny." For example, when the US applied sanctions to Russia, then required those sanctions to be supported by countries in the EU, and some in Europe said, "But we get most of our gas from Russia. If we support US sanctions, they may understandably cut off our gas. Unless the US can replace that gas, our people will freeze this winter." Further, the US government is becoming increasingly pointed in its threats of warfare to those perceived adversaries that they’ve not yet invaded – a development that’s increased the nail-biting by both the governments and peoples of US allies.

So, What Are We To Make Of All This?

Well, such developments are nothing new historically. Throughout the ages, whenever an empire has become like the pawn in the photo above and has come to see itself like a king, arrogance and presumption have tended to have become the rule. As tensions build, old allies attempt to hold their positions, but, when the volcano eventually does blow, they tend to head for the hills. It’s for this reason that, if and when an empire makes the fatal mistake of seeing itself as omnipotent, it learns (the hard way) that, first, it’s not as strong as it presumes and, second, that its allies were not prepared to be sacrificed for the sake of the self-proclaimed king.

It’s for this reason that "Countries fall from grace with amazing speed." This can also be said for empires, and the US presently displays all the behavior of an empire that’s teetering on the brink of its own fall from grace. Economically, politically, and socially, the United States seems to be headed down a path that’s not only inconsistent with the founding principles of the country but accelerating quickly toward boundless decay.

In the years ahead, there will likely be much less stability of any kind.

New Opportunities Are Emerging For Citizens of The World.

Be sure to check it out today – Markethive.com

Tim Moseley

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World Bank outlook for 3 years

May 9, 2022 Thomas Prendergast Leave a comment

World Bank outlook for 3 years

From Wiki:

The World Bank (WB) is an association of two specialized United Nations (UN) organizations that provide financial and technical assistance to developing countries to reduce poverty and improve living conditions around the world.

Already more than two years ago WB warned that the number of people in poverty could increase by as much as 11 million.
It was supposed the financial shock caused by the pandemic will also have serious effects on poverty, which is defined as an income of less than $ 5.5 per day. The World Bank initially expected the region to lift almost 35 million people out of poverty this year, including more than 25 million in China.
Five years ago in 2017 there was much more optimism, the overall economical growth was supposed 2,9%. In june 2020 the optimism was away: " World Bank announced: World economy down 5.2% this year due to coronavirus"

In April 2022 the World Bank, based in Washington, has lowered its global growth forecast for 2022 from 4.1% to 3.2%. He points to several problems that have a negative impact on the global economic situation. In addition to the aforementioned inflation and war in Ukraine, the World Bank also sees problems in the progressive isolation of the Chinese market from global trade and the creation of the "Eastern Economic Pact" between China and Russia.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), part of the World Bank, has cut the UK's economic growth outlook from 4.7% to 3.7%. The global growth forecast was also reduced from 6.1% to 3.6%. The IMF sees the main problem as an inefficient approach to raising interest rates, which on the one hand may slow inflation, but on the other hand will slow down economic growth even more.

NEW WARNINGS
The war in Ukraine will cause high food and energy prices, which will last three years, the World Bank warned on Tuesday last week. Her statement raises fears that the situation will return during the oil crisis in the mid-1970s, when economic growth was weak and inflation was high at the same time.
According to the World Bank's dark outlook, persistently high commodity prices lasting until the end of 2024 could lead to so-called stagflation, a dangerous combination of high inflation coupled with meager economic growth.

This year, the bank expects energy prices to rise by 50 percent, with the price of North Sea Brent crude being around $ 100 a barrel, the highest since 2013. Compared to 2021, it has risen by 40 percent. In 2023, Brent oil prices are expected to fall to $ 92 a barrel, but that is still more than the five-year average of $ 60.

According to the World Bank, the price of gas will double this year compared to 2021, and the price of coal will be 80 percent higher.

The price of wheat will rise by more than 40 percent this year, which will have a severe impact on developing countries that are dependent on grain exports from Ukraine and Russia.
The World Bank's economic outlook for commodities shows that energy prices have risen the most in the last two years since the oil crisis erupted in 1973. Fertilizer prices have risen the most since 2008. Although the bank says energy and other commodity prices will fall from current highs, they are expected to remain above the current average. They will be above average until the end of 2024, including the previous two years, ie a total of five years.

The question remains to what extent these predictions are reliable. Many experts are more pessimistic and the development of some prices in the first months of this year is alarming.

We can only hope that there will be no significant deterioration and that we will recover from this situation strengthened.

Thanks for reading

Margaret

Tim Moseley

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The Worst Decision Investors Could Make Right Now

May 9, 2022 Thomas Prendergast Leave a comment

The Worst Decision Investors Could Make Right Now

by Jason Bodner, editor, Outlier Investor

The Worst Decision Investors Could Make Right Now

Right Now, Investors Are Scared

Inflation is going through the roof, and the Fed just approved a 50 basis-point rate hike at this week’s meeting. Stocks have taken a beating. Russia and Ukraine are still at war. And some people are even beginning to mutter the word recession.

As a result, some readers may be thinking about selling stocks, cashing out, and stuffing money under the mattress. And I get it. I really do. We live in uncertain times, and the media endlessly pushing panic on us doesn’t help.

But don’t go shoving your money into holes in the backyard or even just sticking it in the bank just yet. Because that’s the worst mistake investors can make right now. Let me explain why…

The Worst Mistake

My name is Jason Bodner. I’m the editor of Outlier Investor. I spent over 14 years on Wall Street and another four years in “The City” – London’s Wall Street. And since that time, I’ve started two hedge funds and created a proprietary stock-picking system to track the markets.

That’s given me an inside view of the way the financial system works… and shown me how to identify opportunities most people can’t see. And now I like to use my experience to help everyday investors. That’s the purpose behind today’s topic… because I can see the trap waiting for investors right now.

Despite the temptation to “play it safe” amid the current uncertainty, the worst mistake that you could make right now is to leave your money sitting as all, or even mostly, cash. As of writing, the best “high-yield” savings rate I can find is 0.75%. More often, they’re still sitting at 0.5%. Yet if we have $100,000 invested at even a 0.75% rate… over the course of a decade, we’ll only earn a paltry $7,758 on our cash. (Of course, stuffing your money under the mattress won’t make you a penny in that time frame.)

The truth is, if your money isn’t invested, then it’s guaranteed not to grow – especially with inflation hitting 8.5% as of the last Consumer Price Index (CPI) report. Inflation is the ultimate killer. Without investing, inflation will erode your cash and its buying power.

Consider This…

If inflation stays where it was just last month, then in five years, our buying power would decrease by over 40%. A nearly $10 gallon of gas could become the new normal. Now, I’m not saying that’s going to happen. But with the current trend, inflation is here for the foreseeable future. The Fed can’t raise interest rates to fight inflation too much or too quickly without shooting itself in the foot. The national debt levels are simply too extreme for it to do so. As a result, we need to acknowledge inflation as a deadly threat to our money. So if cash isn’t a good option… what should we be doing with our money right now?

What Should We Be Doing?

Here are a few tips for folks looking to protect and grow their money in the current environment. (Keep in mind – This is money that’s not being used for daily needs or saved up for a new car or vacation. This is the money intended for retirement or other long-term plans.)

First, if you’re working for a company that offers it, max out your 401k – especially if you have an employer contribution match. That’s when employers will match the money you deposit into your account up to a certain percentage. For example, if you contribute 6% to your 401k, your employer might match up to 3%. In that case, it’s basically free money, and you can start pulling from this account at the age of 59½.

Another great way to plan for the future is by putting money in a Roth IRA. These are the “pre-taxed” accounts that you may have heard about before. You pay taxes on the front end when you put your money into the account. But when you pull your money out in retirement – after it’s grown multitudes from your investments – you can do so tax-free. In 2022, the annual Roth IRA contribution limit is either $6,000 if you are under 50 or $7,000 if you are 50 or older.

Over the last 100 years, stocks have gone up 10% per year on average. In some years, the market goes up less. In others, it’s more. But it all averages out to 10% growth per year. If we invest just $5,000 per year from the time we’re 25 until age 65, then we could amass over $2.4 million – and not have to pay taxes on a single cent of our gain if it was held in a Roth.

That’s the power of reinvesting and compounding that growth over time. And like 401ks, investors can also start pulling from their Roth account without penalty at the age of 59½. So if you’re not yet using these two investment vehicles, I recommend getting started now.

The power of investing is an incredible thing… and you’re guaranteed to lose out to inflation if you’re not taking advantage of it. And whether it’s in a 401k or a Roth IRA, investing in dividend stocks of businesses poised to benefit from inflation will trump anything else over the long run.

New Opportunities Are Emerging For Citizens of The World.

Be sure to check it out today – Markethive.com

Tim Moseley

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Here’s why gold is ‘the most confusing’ commodity right now

May 9, 2022 Thomas Prendergast Leave a comment

Here's why gold is 'the most confusing' commodity right now

The latest comments from the Federal Reserve triggered a massive selloff across all risk assets. But why is gold still below the $1,900 level? Here's a look at Kitco's top three stories of the week:

3. Gold and bitcoin jump as Fed's Powell takes 75bps hike off the table in June

2. Bitcoin price plummets, gold gives up gains and stocks plunge in post-Fed trading

1. Gold is 'the most confusing' of all commodities right now, here's why

By Anna Golubova

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

Tim Moseley

New MASSIVE Crypto Gains

By Jeff Brown, Editor, The Bleeding Edge

This Is Blockchain’s Next Megatrend

The GameFi Revolution Is Here

These Projects Are Bringing GameFi to the Masses

New Opportunities Are Emerging For Citizens of The World.

Gold price on 'cusp' of $2k rally, here's how not to miss it – Bloomberg Intelligence

Janet Yellen: It's Better To Be Dead Than Poor

by Dana Loesch, publisher, Chapter & Verse

The Harsh Sexism of Zero Expectations Within The Pro-Choice Movement

According To Yellen, It’s Better To Be Dead Than Poor

“Well, It’s A Woman’s Right”

The Choice Is Before Conception

New Opportunities Are Emerging For Citizens of The World.

Investors wait for tomorrow’s CPI inflation report for April

Cash is the king as financial market melt-down continues taking gold lower

National Self-Perception

by Jeff Thomas, International Man Communique

"This above all: to thine own self be true."

And So Began The Next Era

How Does The World Outside The US See The US?

So, What Are We To Make Of All This?

New Opportunities Are Emerging For Citizens of The World.

The Worst Decision Investors Could Make Right Now

by Jason Bodner, editor, Outlier Investor

Right Now, Investors Are Scared

The Worst Mistake

Consider This…

What Should We Be Doing?

New Opportunities Are Emerging For Citizens of The World.

Here's why gold is 'the most confusing' commodity right now

The Artist that came out of the Winter