Resistance

Now Available for You to Buy: America’s Most Expensive Home, $190 Million

"The Greenwich, CT house has 12 bedrooms and comes with 50 acre of grounds. The house is currently owned by timber industrialist John Rudey, reports the UK's MailOnline. The estate once belonged to Harriet Lauder Greenway, whose father went into business with steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. The three story property was built in 1896 and still has speaking tubes from pre-electricity days and sleeping porches used to cool off before the invention of air conditioning as well as an elaborate solarium. There is 15,000 feet of living space." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNow Available for You to Buy: America’s Most Expensive Home, $190 Million

Thriving UK Housing Market Creates 77,894 More ‘Millionaires’ Last Year

"More than 300,000 British homes are worth over £1 million pounds ($1.5 million), up 32 percent on last year, according to a property 'rich list' out on Friday. Furthermore, the number of streets where the average property value is over £1 million jumped to 8,230. Unsurprisingly to those familiar with England's expensive capital, London was home to all 20 of the country's most expensive streets. Despite the U.K.'s anemic economy, property prices have continued to rise, fueled by easy monetary policy, housing shortages, and government schemes to make home-buying more affordable." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThriving UK Housing Market Creates 77,894 More ‘Millionaires’ Last Year

Jim Rogers: 50% Correction in Markets not Uncommon

"Jim Rogers sat down with Kitco News during FreedomFest to talk about gold, the fed and the current state of the markets. Rogers explains his book 'Street Smarts' and shares his experiences living in Singapore. Watch now to hear what he has to say about the US economy and the recent corrections in gold prices." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJim Rogers: 50% Correction in Markets not Uncommon

U.S. banks eye metal storage exit

"JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs are seeking to sell their metal warehousing units just three years after their controversial entry to the industry. The two US banks got in to the niche warehousing business in 2010 at a time when a build-up in stocks following the financial crisis had triggered a boom for storage companies. But their ownership of warehouses struck a nerve when metal users began complaining that warehousing companies were profiting from bottlenecks in the system that have distorted prices. The Federal Reserve is also weighing whether banks should even be allowed to own physical commodities infrastructure, such as warehouses." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. banks eye metal storage exit

Swiss thousand-franc note is a hidden treasure

"Swiss banknote circulation is the second highest in the world behind Japan and more than double that in the United States or the euro zone. Swiss National Bank spokeswoman Silvia Oppliger explains this by the fact that holdings and use of cash remain popular, and that many people still withdraw cash in order to pay their bills at the post office counter. 'People consider using banknotes to be very practical. Also, the wish for privacy has always been high in Switzerland,' Oppliger said. 'Using cash for payments is one manifestation of this.' Switzerland so far has no plans to investigate the use of its CHF1,000 note, let alone discuss its abolishment." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSwiss thousand-franc note is a hidden treasure

India to settle oil trade dues with Iran in rupees

"India will settle all oil trade including USD 1.53 billion in dues with Iran entirely in rupees after the US-engineered illegal sanctions against Tehran blocked all other payment routes. In June, India along with China, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Taiwan won a 180-day waiver from the US sanctions against Iran's energy sector. Indian Ambassador to Iran D. P. Srivastava said on Wednesday that New Delhi is determined to continue cooperation with Tehran despite the illegal US-engineered sanctions against the Islamic Republic." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIndia to settle oil trade dues with Iran in rupees

Gold Deliveries From Shanghai Bourse Jump on Physical Demand

"Physical gold delivered to buyers by China’s largest bullion bourse in the first half of this year almost matched the entire amount taken from its vaults in 2012, and was more than double the country’s annual production. The surge in deliveries underscores buying interest in China, which may pass India as the largest bullion consumer as early as this year after the government in New Delhi raised import taxes while regulators in Beijing made investing in the metal easier. Miners, smelters and refineries are required to sell gold via the Shanghai bourse, the only state-sanctioned marketplace for spot bullion in China." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGold Deliveries From Shanghai Bourse Jump on Physical Demand

Gold Diverging From Fine Wine as Bullion Investors Lose Faith

"The Liv-ex Fine Wine 100 Index (LIVX100) tripled in the past 10 years and gold advanced fourfold. The wine gauge rose 5.9 percent this year as bullion slid 17 percent. The Wine Investment Fund, which manages about $50 million of assets, expects the Liv-ex gauge to rise by about another 7.6 percent by the end of December. Demand for gold, wine and other alternative assets gained in the past several years as equities retreated and bond yields tumbled to record lows as central banks printed money on an unprecedented scale. Gold held through exchange-traded products exceeded all but two of the world’s central-bank reserves." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGold Diverging From Fine Wine as Bullion Investors Lose Faith

Illegal gold mining costs Uganda millions in lost revenue

"As a result of Uganda's central bank deregulating gold sales, local production has increased. The precious metal accounts for 30% of Uganda's export revenue. Illegal mining is having such an impact that experts say it must be stopped in order to shore up revenue collection. A government official said the issue is so alarming that the country exported none of its own gold in April, while Kenya exported 40 kilograms of smuggled Ugandan gold. Some citizens have said police are not responding to calls for them to act on illegal activities. Other reports indicate government officials are profiting from illegal operations through illicit tax collection." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIllegal gold mining costs Uganda millions in lost revenue

India finance minister to countrymen: Contain ‘uncontrolled passion’ for gold

"Finance Minister P Chidambaram today asked countrymen to contain their 'uncontrolled passion' for gold and instead save in financial instruments. 'Have faith in our financial sector. Unfortunately, we have difficulty shedding our old habits and put our money in gold,' he said while speaking at an event to mark the platinum anniversary celebrations of state-run Dena Bank. 'The uncontrolled passion for gold must be contained,' Chidambaram said. People should rather switch to financial products to funnel their savings, the Minister said and added the soon to be launched inflation indexed bonds is a very lucrative option." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIndia finance minister to countrymen: Contain ‘uncontrolled passion’ for gold