The downside risks to owning gold are much greater than the upside risks. Without the onslaught of newly rich Asian buyers its price is coming back down to more closely track those of other commodity prices and, while I worry that central banks may inadvertently spark a round of higher inflation in the years to come, if I had to reconcile those two views, I would say that today's elevated real price of gold has effectively priced in a lot of higher inflation in the future. This article presents 6 charts which clearly illustrate just what is currently going on.

The continuing upward trend in the gold/silver ratio (continuing weakness in silver relative to gold) is not in conflict with the view that gold commenced a cyclical bull market last December and is working its way through a lengthy basing process. Here are the details:

No stock market crash (a decline greater than 15%) has occurred over the past 30 years without the presence of a Hindenburg Omen except on one occasion (the mini-crash of July/August 2011). As such, without an official confirmed Hindenburg Omen, we are pretty safe from experiencing a major stock market correction. On the other hand, if we have an official Hindenburg Omen, then a critical set of market conditions necessary for a stock market crash exists. As of September 19th, 2014, we have such a condition in the market...

To make sense of stocks, bonds and currencies, you need to discern some of the madness (convincingly irrational behavior by policy makers) that’s unfolding in front of our eyes. We assume no responsibility if you turn mad yourself in reading this analysis. Here it is.

We are at an interesting and perhaps critical juncture with respect to the direction of the gold price as it approaches a key support level. There are many mixed signals out there and the market seems to be vacillating, frustrating both bulls and the bears. Let us look at both cases in order to try to understand what the gold market may have in store for us during the coming weeks and months.

A true solution to both fiat currencies and the shock of their demise exists right now, if only the leaders of the world’s nations were able to recognize it. Believe it or not, it's the Mexican Libertad. Let me explain its design and usage and how it could easily become the foundation of a new non-fiat international currency.

Silver currently looks inexpensive compared to crude oil, the S&P 500 and the size and rate of increase of the national debt suggesting silver is ready to rally.

Silver output continues to rise, mainly through recent primary silver mine openings, although by only a small annual percentage which suggests that demand may increase at a more rapid rate keeping silver in supply deficit.

The central bankers of the world have painted themselves into corner. Growing mountain of debt makes it harder for economies to grow at higher interest rates, hence forcing central banks into a downward spiral of record low rates and monetary stimulus that simply encourages more borrowing and worsening the underlying problem - what the BIS calls "a debt trap"

Ever since the world suffered a near collapse of its economic and financial system in 2008, investors throughout the world have purchased physical gold in increasing volume. Everywhere, that is, except if you lived in the United States where the opposite was the case. Here's why.