What Backs the US Dollar Today? 

The dollar hasn’t been backed by gold since 1971. Here’s what actually backs it now — law, taxing power, and global demand — and the frozen Treasury price that still proves it.

Gold Buys Less Oil Than a Year Ago. It’s Still Twice the Norm.

How many barrels of oil can one ounce of gold buy? Compare today’s count with a year ago and with the long-run median, weigh the strongest case against the reading, and see why one number can serve an owner better than a dashboard.

Social Security’s 3.6% Raise Arrives Late by Design

A cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) resets income once a year from prices already paid. This piece sets the 3.6% raise against September’s CPI-W reading, compares gold’s twelve-month and five-year results with consumer prices, and reads a Federal Reserve staff note on long-held gold.

How 3.7% Inflation Impacts Wealth Preservation 

U.S. inflation reached 3.7% in September 2026, but gasoline prices climbed 34.2%. Why the official rate may not match your household’s experience—and what it means for protecting purchasing power.

Squeezed at the Pump, Steady in the Vault 

Consumer confidence is sliding toward a fresh low as oil stays elevated. The same morning, gold and silver both climbed. Here’s the mechanism tying the two together.

Americans Spent More in July. They Got Nothing Extra for It.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis put July consumer spending up $36.3 billion, and up $1.3 billion once prices are stripped out. Core inflation held at 3.3%, a sixty-fifth straight month above target. Here is why gold slipped anyway.

What Is Sound Money? Why the Dollar Lost 87% of Its Value Since 1971

Sound money is money whose supply cannot be expanded by decree, so it holds its purchasing power over time. The principle shaped the 19th-century gold standard. Since that constraint ended in 1971, the dollar has lost roughly 87% of its purchasing power.

Your Bank Balance Is Lying to You. The Number Is Real. The Wealth Isn’t.

Your bank balance shows a number. That number is not your wealth — it’s a measuring stick. And measuring sticks can shrink. Megan King Diaz explains why, and what actually holds its value.

What Does an Inverted Yield Curve Mean for Gold Prices — and How Do You Use It?

The bond market’s most reliable recession warning has a direct connection to gold prices. Here is the mechanism — and what it means for your portfolio.

Zero Tankers Crossed Hormuz on Sunday. Oil Hit $89. Gold Barely Moved.

The 60-day US-Iran MOU expired this weekend with no replacement deal. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz collapsed to zero. Oil climbed. Gold held. Here is why the non-reaction is actually the most important signal in this story.