Barry Stuppler

In more ways than one, 2016 was a roller coaster year. One need only look at gold’s performance to confirm this. After rallying more than 30 percent in the first half, the precious metal stalled in the days before the U.S. election, then retreated on a weekly basis, under pressure from a strengthening dollar and tightening monetary policy . . . .

Swiss bank UBS looks for gold to average $1,350 an ounce in 2017, characterizing the metal as down but not out after significant price declines over the last few weeks . . . .

Since the election of Donald Trump, the U.S. Dollar and interest rates have soared. During this same timeframe, financial, pharmaceutical and energy stocks have led the way in the world’s equity markets’ climb higher  . . . .

Debt issued behaves like printed money until that debt is payed back.  That’s the dirty little secret that bona fide economists don’t discuss, at least in public . . . .

Tax raised three times in 2013 to curb higher imports. . . . 
Demand seen shrinking in 2016 to the least in 7 years. . . .