Alistair Berg | Digitalvision | Getty Images There have been some lofty claims made about cryptocurrency in the past, including that it will replace government-issued money, prove as groundbreaking as the smart phone and democratize the financial system. But most investors point to a fairly ordinary reason for holding the digital assets: to diversify their…
Precious metals have rallied in recent days after a sustained period of selling pressure, but analysts say gold and silver prices could face a difficult path back to all-time highs achieved earlier this year. Spot silver traded at $59.47 an ounce in early trading on Wednesday (6:33 a.m. ET), up by around 6.3% from $55.9/oz…
John Paulson, the hedge fund manager who made billions betting against the U.S. housing market before turning bullish on gold, said he believes the precious metal is only in the early stages of a long-term rally. “I do think we’re in the beginnings or the early stages of a long-term bull market for gold,” Paulson…
Middle East oil producers plan to build new pipelines to reduce their dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran disrupts the Gulf states’ seaborne crude exports with near daily attacks on tankers. But new pipelines will not end the threat to the region’s energy exports, analysts said. This infrastructure is just as vulnerable to…
A Japanese 10,000-yen banknote arranged in Kyoto, Japan, on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Japanese government bond yields have been hitting multi-decade highs, with benchmark 10-year reaching levels not seen since 1996 last week. While Japanese bonds have been selling off amid policy normalization by the Bank of Japan and…
Gold prices fell further on Wednesday, after the precious metal closed its worst quarter in 13 years in three months to the end of June. Gold futures began the second half of 2026 on the backfoot, sliding 1.24% in early trade to $3,989.00. Spot prices were also lower, falling 0.82% at $3,974.51. Having spiked at…
Jeremy Grantham renewed his long-running criticism of bitcoin, predicting it will gradually fade into irrelevance over decades. The co-founder of investment firm GMO and a longtime market commentator known for his calls on asset bubbles, said bitcoin is a “useless, speculative” asset without intrinsic value, speaking on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” Friday. He also said bitcoin…
U.S. President Donald Trump arrives with incoming Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh for Warsh’s swearing-in ceremony at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 22, 2026. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters With inflation topping 4%, the Trump administration is easing off its long-standing calls for the Federal Reserve to immediately cut interest rates. That is…
One-ounce gold bars at the Valcambi SA precious metals refinery in Balerna, Switzerland, on Friday, Sept. 9, 2025. Valcambi SA, Switzerland’s largest refiner, processes up to 2,000 tons of precious metals a year at its site in Balerna on the border with Italy. Photographer: Francesca Volpi/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images…
More and more central banks are storing gold bullion at home rather than overseas, as they expect to buy more of the safe-haven asset amid heightened geopolitical tensions. These are among the findings of the World Gold Council’s annual Central Bank Gold Reserves survey. It found that monetary authorities still see gold as a key…
