The Last Stand Against Inflation: Why Costco’s Hot Dog Still Costs $1.50 After 40 Years

Silver rallied sharply toward 14-year highs after Fed Chair Powell’s dovish Jackson Hole speech triggered a dollar collapse and sent rate cut expectations soaring. Markets now price a 91% chance of a September rate cut, up from 72%, while the Dollar Index plunged 0.90% to 97.73, breaking below key moving averages. Treasury yields tumbled across the board, boosting non-yielding assets like silver. The metal has established critical support at $37.40-$37.50 and faces its next major test at the multi-year peak of $39.53. With Fed policy expectations tilted toward easing and the dollar under sustained pressure, silver maintains strong bullish momentum

A stark economic warning from Moody’s Analytics reveals that two-thirds of U.S. states are either in recession, at high risk, or treading water – representing about 66% of America’s GDP. Chief economist Mark Zandi identifies 22 states already in trouble, including major economies like Massachusetts and Washington, while only 16 states continue expanding. The recession probability stands at 49% for the next year, with the economy most vulnerable in late 2025. Red flags are mounting: over half of U.S. industries are cutting jobs, and recent employment revisions show June’s job growth was actually just 14,000, not the initially reported 147,000.

“This Federal Reserve article examines the rare international cases where countries have used valuation gains from gold and foreign exchange reserves to generate funds. Over the past 30 years, only five countries have done this: Germany, Italy, Lebanon, Curacao and Saint Martin, and South Africa. The article reveals two main uses: central banks have used these proceeds to offset operating losses (Italy, Curacao and Saint Martin), while governments have used them to retire existing debt during fiscal challenges (South Africa, Lebanon, Germany). The potential for the U.S. is significant – revaluing America’s 261.5 million troy ounces of gold from the

Silver and platinum are dramatically outperforming gold in 2025, with CME futures data showing June gains of 9.5% and 28.2% respectively, compared to gold’s modest 1.1%. Year-to-date, silver is up 27% and platinum 30%, driven by booming industrial demand and supply deficits. Silver benefits from surging electronics, solar panel, and data center demand, while platinum gains from stricter auto emissions standards and Chinese jewelry buyers switching from expensive gold. Both metals trade at significant discounts to gold, with the gold-to-silver ratio hitting an 11-year high, signaling potential upside for investors seeking portfolio diversification beyond traditional gold holdings.