precious metal trends

It’s the time of year when foolish analysts and commentators try and predict various outcomes for the year ahead.  This foolish commentator is no exception and is about to put his price predictions for where the gold, silver, platinum and palladium prices will be at this time next year on record . . . .

Although not liquid, these investments can be enjoyable and maybe profitable . . . .

There are hopes that platinum could once again be used to make autocatalytic converters for petrol-powered engines, creating fresh demand for the metal amid a deepening supply deficit . . . .

Another government shutdown could be coming down the pike if Congress doesn’t give in to President Trump’s demands for border wall funding. But no matter how the situation plays out, it could be a unique win-win situation for precious metal owners . . . .

The Bigger the Base, the Greater the Upside Case. This saying among technical analysts/chartists helps define where we are today in gold and silver – and where we’ll soon be headed . . . .

Sprott Inc., the precious metals-focused money manager, sees gold rising by the end of 2017 as weaker-than-expected economic growth drives stock prices lower . . . .

We are measured and surveyed around the clock, particularly regarding the facts of our economic lives — always of interest to companies trying to find a better way to sell us things. Yet there is at least one significant-seeming economic question with no reliable answer: How many Americans own gold? . . . .

Unlike regular investors, billionaire money managers like Ray Dalio and Stan Druckenmiller are professional investors. They have entire institutional teams at their disposal, dive deep into the nuances and complexities of the market, and spend every waking moment of their lives thinking about how to get more from their investments . . . .

Last week, the Silver Institute and the research team from GFMS at Thomson Reuters said that silver mine production declined in 2016 for the first time since 2002 . . . .

Standard Chartered looks for the palladium market to be in a supply deficit this year while platinum is nearly balanced; still, analysts said any move in palladium prices to the same level as platinum – should one occur – likely would be only temporary . . . .