Economists Warn: Trump’s ‘Job Destruction Order’ Already Impacting U.S. Economy

Economists are forecasting a sharp economic downturn in the U.S. due to President Trump’s recently implemented tariffs. Carl Weinberg of High Frequency Economics predicts the economy will contract by 4.5% in Q2 2023, with further contraction expected in the second half of the year. He describes the tariffs as “the largest one-day tax hike in history” that will lead to price increases, reduced spending, and job losses. Other economists like Michael Feroli of J.P. Morgan predict a recession starting in June, while Goldman Sachs has raised its 12-month recession probability to 45% from 35%.

Gold Has Pullback as Trump Tariff Fears Mount

Gold prices fell for the third consecutive day, dropping as much as 2.2% amid market reactions to President Trump’s tariff policies. The decline represents gold’s largest three-day drop since August 2020. Despite Trump administration officials attempting to reassure investors, the precious metal continued its retreat from recent record highs as traders sold gold along with other assets over fears of a global trade war and recession. Despite this decline, gold remains 14% higher for the year.

Deutsche Bank Forecasts $3,700 Average by 2026

Deutsche Bank has significantly raised its gold price forecasts for the coming years, now projecting average prices of $3,139 per ounce in 2025 and $3,700 in 2026 – substantial increases from its previous forecasts of $2,725 and $2,900 respectively. The bank remains bullish on gold despite recent price corrections, setting a year-end 2025 target of $3,350 per ounce. Several factors are driving this optimistic outlook: President Trump’s continued commitment to tariff plans, growing recession risks prompting potential Federal Reserve rate cuts as early as May, and sustained demand from central banks, whose gold purchases have grown from 10% to 24% […]

China Doubles Down on Gold Strategy Amid Trump Trade Tensions

The People’s Bank of China added 0.09 million troy ounces of gold to its reserves in March, marking its fifth straight month of purchases. This follows a six-month pause after an earlier 18-month buying spree. China’s actions reflect a wider movement among central banks worldwide to diversify their reserves with gold amid growing global trade tensions and geopolitical instability. Gold prices reached an all-time high exceeding $3,100 per ounce last month, concluding Q1 with a 19% increase. Despite recent price declines triggered by market-wide selloffs in response to President Trump’s aggressive tariff policies, analysts expect continued support for gold prices […]

Barron’s: Why Advisors Must Embrace Alternatives Now

According to a recent article from Barron’s, the investment management industry is experiencing a fundamental convergence that’s erasing traditional boundaries between conventional and alternative assets, public and private securities, and institutional/wealth management solutions. This shift rests on four pillars: – the rise of multistrategy asset management – the end of traditional strategic asset allocation – the blending of public/private markets – and the growing importance of wealth management. Alternative investments now represent approximately $25 trillion in assets under management, yet the wealth management channel accounts for only 16% of that total. Client allocations to alternatives currently range from 1% to […]

Tariff Tensions Raise Recession Fears to 60%, JPMorgan CEO Cautions

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon warns against isolationist trade policies in his annual shareholder letter. Without directly naming Trump, Dimon cautions that tariffs could isolate America and weaken its global position, emphasizing that “America First is fine, as long as it doesn’t end up being America alone.” Dimon emphasizes maintaining strong international partnerships to address global challenges, particularly regarding technological competition with China. Dimon also notes economic vulnerabilities, pointing out that despite recent market selloffs, equity and debt prices remain historically high. JPMorgan has increased its recession probability forecast to 60% following Trump’s latest tariffs and China’s retaliatory measures, leaving Dimon […]

Gold Hoarding Pays Off: Russia Offsets Frozen Assets with Precious Metals

Russia’s strategic gold investments are paying off during sanctions. Since early 2022, their gold reserves have surged 72% in value to $229 billion, offsetting about a third of the $322 billion in foreign assets frozen by Western nations after the Ukraine invasion. This gold strategy began after Russia’s 2014 Crimea annexation, when they accumulated 40 million ounces while prices were low. Today, Russia ranks among the top five central bank gold holders globally. While their gold and yuan holdings remain accessible, unlike their frozen dollar and euro assets, gold is typically less liquid than traditional reserves. However, current high global […]

London Gold Market Stabilizes After Months of London-to-New York Exodus

According to the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA), gold held in London vaults rose slightly to 8,488 metric tons at the end of March, a 0.1% increase from February. This increase comes as the flow of gold from London to New York has slowed following the US decision to exclude gold from broader import tariffs. Between December and March, market players had significantly increased gold deliveries to the US to cover Comex positions due to concerns about potential tariffs, which President Trump had threatened to impose on imports from Canada and Mexico. This led to record-high Comex gold stocks, with […]

Crisis Investing: Can Bitcoin Compete with Gold as a safe haven?

The financial world is in turmoil. As stocks plummet and uncertainty reigns, one question becomes more urgent than ever: where should you place your wealth to protect it from the storm? In Alan’s latest must-watch video, he sits down with professional money manager Laurent Lequeu (The Macro Butler) for a revealing discussion on the two leading “safe haven” assets competing for a place in your portfolio.  What you’ll discover: 

Wall Street Crisis Deepens: S&P 500 Nears Bear Market Territory

US stock markets are crashing for the third day in a row after President Trump placed surprisingly high tariffs (import taxes) on goods from major trading partners. On Monday morning before markets opened, S&P 500 futures were down 2.8%, nearing bear market territory (a 20% drop from recent highs). Dow futures fell 1,000 points, and the Nasdaq continues dropping as investors sell off tech stocks. The collapse started last week with the Dow suffering two consecutive days of 1,500+ point losses, including Friday’s massive 2,231-point drop. The S&P 500 had its worst day since the early pandemic in March 2020. […]