The price of gold, on a quarterly basis, is 86% correlated - yes, 86%! - to total government debt going back to 1975... and a shocking 98% over the past 15 years! [As such,] it would seem like a no-brainer investment thesis to buy gold... as a proxy for the not-otherwise-investable thesis that US total government debt will increase in the future. [But there is more - and it is disappointment for gold bugs - read on!]

Bubbles tend to follow the 80/20 ratio indicated in the Pareto Principle where approximately 80% of the price move occurs in the LAST 20% of the time. That being the case it would appear that gold and silver could conceivably top out around $9,000 per troy ounce and $250/ozt respectively .This is not a prediction of future prices of gold and silver; it is an indication of what could happen in a speculative bubble environment based on the history of previous bubbles. Words: 1280; Charts: 1

I expect the eventual endgame to this whole Keynesian monetary experiment that has been going on ever since World War II [will] finally terminate in a global currency crisis. [That being said,] I'm starting to wonder if we aren't seeing the first domino - the Japanese yen - start to topple...[It has] cut through not only the 2012 yearly cycle low, but also the 2011 yearly cycle low and never even blinked [and should it continue its steep decline] and break through the 2010 yearly cycle low [of 105.66] I think we have a serious currency crisis on our hands. Needless to say, if the world sees a major currency collapse... it's going to spark a panic for protection - to gold and silver. Wouldn't it be fitting that at a time when they are completely loathed by the market they are about to become most cherished? [This article analyzes the situation supported by 3 charts to make for a very interesting read.] Words: 620; Charts: 3

The Fed’s plan B: Bail out the banks, transfer the banks bad bets onto its own balance sheet, hammer the greenback, slash wages (via inflation), boost exports, and pump as much money as possible into the unproductive, overbuilt black hole we call the U.S. housing market. [Let me explain why that is obviously the case.] Words: 1298

There is a nasty game taking place which relies entirely on scaring you out of your wits. Yes, out of your mind, so you sell something of great value for peanuts to the exact party playing with your head via price. When you must look at the action, remember there is a buyer for every seller. That buyer is not scared out of his/her wits if you sell to stop the pain you are in. This period is, in my opinion, the last and largest attack you will see perpetrated on us before gold closes over $3500. This period of pain will not be measured in months, but counted in history as days. Stand firm and stay the course! Words: 787

It seems clear that there are a number of investors who have gained confidence in the global economy and are seeking to capture the growth opportunities taking place around the world. With the European crisis comfortably in the rear view mirror and global central banks taking the position that they will continue their easing policies, investors have taken their foot off the brake and have begun to accelerate....We see more sunshine and less stormy weather ahead [and explain why that is the case in this article]. Words: 695; Charts: 3

Across Europe and the United States, millions go without work. Those who do work face a lifetime of crippling taxation to pay for the entitlements of their countrymen and the debts of their governments. Canada by contrast is strong. To stay that way, we must never repeat the mistakes of Europe and the United States and we must instead focus on what Canada has already done right. Words: 1320

The current move up over the past 4 years is being driven by the Fed's loose monetary policies (just as other global markets have been driven by their Central Banks). Most bulls believe the loose polices will stimulate enough consumer demand to lead to a significant U.S. economic recovery. We, however, continue to believe the debt - laden consumer, along with the still other unresolved debt burdens, will be a major drag on the U.S. economy, (we are convinced that the market will turn down and make a triple top at levels below the peaks made in 2000 and 2007 while we resume the secular bear market that started in 2000) and that will have negative affects on the global economy.

Politicians foolishly believe they can bend the laws of nature. They are fools for trying. Sadly, the pain and suffering that will be incurred will be borne by the millions of citizens dependent on markets and the economy. The economy cannot recover without a complete cleansing of the excesses that have built up over the last half century plus. [This article spells out why that is the case.] Words: 710

Our ever-popular Periodic Table of Commodity Returns has been updated through 2012. It shows a decade of results across 14 different commodities, providing strikingly rich information in a very insightful format.