Inflation/Deflation

Longer term, I think gold goes to $5,000 over a number of years. If they continue to print money at the current rate, I think it could be multiples of that. I see a slow steady rise punctuated with some sharp upward moves.

Everyone and their mom is expecting long-term interest rates to rise now that the Fed is tapering its bond buying programs. I have a couple of problems with this line of thinking because, although it seems like reducing demand for a security (i.e. tapering QE) would result in a drop in price, when you really think about how quantitative easing works this makes no sense and, secondly, the market is telling us this makes no sense. Let me explain.

History clearly shows there is a direct link between inflation and gold demand. When inflation jumps, or even when inflation expectations rise, investors turn to gold in greater numbers. When gold demand rises, so does its price and you can guess what happens to gold stocks. Below is a look at the extent of consumer purchases after inflation (and in some cases hyperinflation) took off in a number of countries.

News out of Venezuela continues to be quite grim, pointing to further economic deterioration... Here is the the latest:

TIPS (Treasury Inflation Protected Securities) are telling us that inflation is expected to be low for as far as the eye can see, and the economy is expected to be weak for some time to come. This article provides an understanding of what TIPS are, how they work and what they are currently saying.

Don't believe these big lies - the following charts illustrate just what IS reality. Take a look and then get prepared for when the ---- hits the fan!

In the coming years, Europe appears set to lurch from the frying pan of depression to the fire of high inflation. When it does, the lessons of the Great Inflation [outlined in this article] will suddenly be all too pertinent.

There is very little evidence of high inflation at present, despite what the hyperinflationists say, and a little bit of common sense totally debunks the idea that there is.

With stocks at record highs and the U.S. economy improving, the European debt crisis seems like a distant memory....[While] Europe is no longer the market’s focal point, however, that doesn’t mean the euro zone’s financial problems have gone away.

What does it look like when a 30 year bull market ends abruptly? What happens when bond yields start doing things that they haven't done in 50 years? If your answer to those questions involves the word "slaughter", you are probably on the right track. Right now, bonds are being absolutely slaughtered, and this is only just the beginning. So why should the average American care about this?