GOLD CLOSED DOWN $18.15 TO $2852.15
SILVER CLOSED DOWN $0.17 TO $32.28
GOLD ACCESS CLOSED 2855.25
Silver ACCESS CLOSED: $32.21
Bitcoin morning price:$98300 UP 834 DOLLARS.
Bitcoin: afternoon price: $97,466 down 1360 DOLLARS
Platinum price closing UP $2.40 TO $988.95
Palladium price; down $18.30 TO $980.60
END
*CANADIAN GOLD: $4086.17 DOWN 20.80 CDN dollars per oz( * NEW ALL TIME HIGH 4099.00 CDN DOLLARS PER OZ//FEB 5 2025)
*BRITISH GOLD: 2296.21 UP 1.98 Pounds per oz// *(NEW ALL TIME HIGH//CLOSING///2,296.21 BRITISH POUNDS/OZ) FEB 6/2025
*EURO GOLD: 2,749,38 DOWN 0.30Euros per oz //* (ALL TIME CLOSING HIGH: 2,749.73 EUROS PER OZ/FEB 5 //2025)
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EXCHANGE
EXCHANGE: COMEX
CONTRACT: FEBRUARY 2025 COMEX 100 GOLD FUTURES
SETTLEMENT: 2,871.600000000 USD
INTENT DATE: 02/05/2025 DELIVERY DATE: 02/07/2025
FIRM ORG FIRM NAME ISSUED STOPPED
072 C GOLDMAN 136
092 C DEUTSCHE BANK 10
099 H DB AG 212
104 C MIZUHO 3
118 C MACQUARIE FUT 742 52
118 H MACQUARIE FUT 75
132 C SG AMERICAS 12
167 C MAREX 120
190 H BMO CAPITAL 213
323 C HSBC 433
323 H HSBC 112
332 H STANDARD CHARTE 150
363 C WELLS FARGO SEC 23
363 H WELLS FARGO SEC 90
435 H SCOTIA CAPITAL 191
555 C BNP PARIBAS SEC 338
624 C BOFA SECURITIES 21
624 H BOFA SECURITIES 66
657 C MORGAN STANLEY 244
657 H MORGAN STANLEY 333
661 C JP MORGAN 829
686 C STONEX FINANCIA 97 19
690 C ABN AMRO 4
700 C UBS 333
709 C BARCLAYS 187
709 H BARCLAYS 80
726 C PLUS500US FINAN 1
730 C PTG DIVISION SG 5
732 C RBC CAP MARKETS 241
737 C ADVANTAGE 2 7
880 C CITIGROUP 44
905 C ADM 25 2
TOTAL: 2,726 2,726
JPMorgan stopped (received) 829/2726 contracts
GOLD: NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR FEBRUARY/2024. CONTRACT: 2726 NOTICES FOR 272,600 OZ 8.479 TONNES
total notices so far: 50,465 contracts for 5,046,500 Oz (156.967 tonnes)
FOR FEB.
SILVER NOTICES: 344 NOTICE(S) FILED FOR 1,720,000 OZ/
total number of notices filed so far this month : 2747 for 13.735 million oz
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GLD/
BOTH GLD AND SLV ARE FRAUDULENT VEHICLES//THEY ARE NOW RAIDING GLD AND SLV FOR PHYSICAL
THE CROOKS ARE STEALING GOLD AND SILVER FROM THE GLD/SLV AND REPLACING THE PHYSICAL WITH PAPER DOLLARS.
WITH GOLD DOWN $18.15 INVESTORS SWITCHING TO SPROTT PHYSICAL (PHYS) INSTEAD OF THE FRAUDULENT GLD:
HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 1.14 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD./
INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
SLV/ THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WITH NO SILVER AROUND AND SILVER DOWN $0.17 AT THE SLV: HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A HUGE WITHDRAWAL OF 12.383 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV///
INVESTORS ARE SWITCHING SLV TO SPROTT’S PSLV.
CLOSING INVENTORY: 430.390 MILLION OZ
Let us have a look at the data for today
SILVER//OUTLINE
SILVER COMEX OI FELL BY A HUGE SIZED 1461 CONTRACTS TO 169,265, AND STALLING ON ITS MARCH TO THE RECORD HIGH OI OF 244,710, SET FEB 25/2020, AND THIS HUGE SIZED LOSS IN COMEX OI WAS ACCOMPLISHED DESPITE OUR HUGE GAIN OF $0,45 IN SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX WITH RESPECT TO WEDNESDAY’S TRADING. WE HAD A SMALL GAIN OF 124 TOTAL CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES WITH OUR GAIN IN PRICE//WEDNESDAY’S TRADING.. WE HAD HUGE LIQUIDATION OF T.A.S. CONTRACTS ON WEDNESDAY COMEX TRADING AS THEY DESPERATELY TRIED TO CONTAIN SILVER’S PRICE RISE FOR THE PAST 4 WEEKS (WHERE RAIDS ARE CALLED UPON AGAIN AND AGAIN TRYING TO STOP THE RISE IN SILVER’S PRICE AND TO QUELL ADDITIONAL DERIVATIVE LOSSES TO OUR BANKERS’ MASSIVE TOTALS). THEY FAILED MISERABLY ON WEDNESDAY WITH SILVER’S HUGE RISE. WE HAD HUGE T.A.S. LIQUIDATION WEDNESDAY COUPLED WITH ANOTHER NEW HUGE T.A.S. ISSUANCE OF 885 CONTRACTS ISSUED BY THE CME AND THAT SIGNALS RED THAT THE CROOKS ARE DESPERATE TO STOP SILVER BREAKING OVER THE 34.00 DOLLAR MARK. WE HAVE A HUGE CONTANGO IN SILVER SPOT VS FRONT FEB OF AROUND 55 CENTS AND A LEASE RATE OF 6%. WE HAD A HUMONGOUS 1585 CONTRACT EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE ACCOMPANIED BY OUR HUGE 885 CONTRACT T.A.S ISSUANCE WHICH WILL BE USED IN FUTURE TRADING AS THEY PLAY AN INTEGRAL PART IN OUR COMEX TRADING TRYING TO CONTAIN ANY SILVER PRICE RISE. IN ESSENCE WE GAINED A FAIR SIZED 225 CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES DESPITE OUR HUGE GAIN IN PRICE. WE HAD HUGE TAS LIQUIDATION THROUGHOUT WEDNESDAY’S COMEX SESSION
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CROOKS NEED A HIGHER SILVER/GOLD T.A.S. TO CARRY ON THEIR CROOKED MANIPULATION ON A DAILY BASIS BUT DEMAND IS JUST TOO HIGH FOR THEM. THE HIGHER ISSUANCE OF T.A.S. IS NOW USED TO TEMPER OUR SILVER/GOLD PRICE RISE OR INITIATE A RAID AS WHAT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES LAST MONTH AND AGAIN WITH THIS WEEK’S TRADING ON SILVER.
CRAIG HEMKE HAS POINTED OUT THAT THE CROOKS USE THE MID MONTH FOR MANIPULATION AS THEY SELL THEIR BUY SIDE OF THE CALENDAR SPREAD FIRST AND THEN KEEP THE SELL SIDE TO LIQUIDATE AT A LATER DATE. THUS WE HAVE TWO VEHICLES THE CROOKS USE FOR MANIPULATION AND BOTH ARE SPREADERS: 1) AT MONTH’S END/SPREADERS COMEX AND 2/ TAS SPREADERS, MID MONTH. TOTAL TAS ISSUED ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY MORNING: A HUGE 885 CONTRACTS. DESPITE MANY COMPLAINTS THAT THE CROOKS HAVE VIOLATED POSITION LIMITS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE TAS ISSUED HAVE A VALUE OF ZERO (AS TO POSITION LIMITS FOR OUR CROOKED BANKERS). THE PROBLEM OF COURSE IS THAT THE CROOKS DO NOT LIQUIDATE THE TAS TOGETHER BUT SELL THE BUY SIDE FIRST AND THEN LIQUIDATE THE SELL SIDE TWO MONTHS HENCE. IT IS OBVIOUS MANIPULATION TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE BUT IT NATURALLY FELL ON DEAF EARS WITH OUR REGULATORS (OCC) WHEN THEY RECEIVED OUR COMPLAINTS. IT NOW SEEMS THAT THE OCC HAS ORDERED THE BANKS TO REDUCE ITS NEW LEVEL OF 1 TRILLION DOLLARS IN GOLD/SILVER DERIVATIVES
WE HAVE IN THE PAST YEAR SET ANOTHER RECORD LOW AT 114,102 CONTRACTS ///JULY 3.2023// OUR BANKERS WITH THE HELP OF SPECULATORS AND HIGH FREQUENCY TRADERS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING THE PRICE OF SILVER DOWN (IT ROSE BY $0.45 AND WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING OFF ANY NET SILVER LONGS FROM THEIR PERCH AS WE HAD A MEGA HUMONGOUS GAIN IN OUR TWO EXCHANGES OF 5793 CONTRACTS
WE HAD A HUMONGOUS 1585 CONTRACT ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS) iiii) AN INITIAL SILVER STANDING FOR COMEX SILVER MEASURING AT 10.105 MILLION OZ (FIRST DAY NOTICE) FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S 40 CONTRACT E,F,P TRANSFER TO LONDON FOR 40,000 OZ
// STANDING FOR SILVER//FEB REDUCES TO 15.555 MILLION OZ
WE HAD:
/ HUGE SIZED COMEX OI LOSS +// A HUMONGOUS SIZED EFP ISSUANCE/ VI) HUGE SIZED NUMBER OF T.A.S. CONTRACT ISSUANCE 885 CONTRACTS)/
I AM NOW RECORDING THE DIFFERENTIAL IN OI FROM PRELIMINARY TO FINAL: removed 101 CONTRACTS.
HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS FEB. ACCUMULATION FOR EFP’S SILVER/JPMORGAN’S HOUSE OF BRIBES/STARTING FROM FIRST DAY/MONTH OF FEB
TOTAL CONTRACTS for 4 DAYS, total 4251 contracts: OR 21.255 MILLION OZ (1062 CONTRACTS PER DAY)
TOTAL EFP’S FOR THE MONTH SO FAR: 21.255 MILLION OZ
LAST 24 MONTHS TOTAL EFP CONTRACTS ISSUED IN MILLIONS OF OZ:
MAY 137.83 MILLION
JUNE 149.91 MILLION OZ
JULY 129.445 MILLION OZ
AUGUST: MILLION OZ 140.120
SEPT. 28.230 MILLION OZ//
OCT: 94.595 MILLION OZ
NOV: 131.925 MILLION OZ
DEC: 100.615 MILLION OZ
YEAR 2022:
JAN 2022-DEC 2022
JAN 2022// 90.460 MILLION OZ
FEB 2022: 72.39 MILLION OZ//
MARCH 2022: 207.140 MILLION OZ//A NEW RECORD FOR EFP ISSUANCE
APRIL: 114.52 MILLION OZ FINAL//LOW ISSUANCE
MAY: 105.635 MILLION OZ//
JUNE: 94.470 MILLION OZ
JULY : 87.110 MILLION OZ
AUGUST: 65.025 MILLION OZ
SEPT. 74.025 MILLION OZ///FINAL
OCT. 29.017 MILLION OZ FINAL
NOV: 134.290 MILLION OZ//FINAL
DEC, 61.395 MILLION OZ FINAL
TOTALS YR 2022: 1135.767 MILLION OZ (1.1356 BILLION OZ)
JAN 2023/// 53.070 MILLION OZ //FINAL
FEB: 2023: 100.105 MILLION OZ/FINAL//MUCH STRONGER ISSUANCE VS THE LATTER TWO MONTHS.
MARCH 2023: 112.58 MILLION OZ//FINAL//STRONG ISSUANCE
APRIL 111.035 MILLION OZ(SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN THAN LAST MONTH)
MAY 66.120 MILLION OZ/INITIAL (MUCH SMALLER THIS MONTH)
JUNE: 110.395 MILLION OZ//MUCH LARGER THAN LAST MONTH
JULY 85.745 MILLION OZ (SMALLER THAN LAST MONTH)
AUGUST: 171.43 MILLION OZ (THIS MONTH IS GOING TO BE HUGE //2ND HIGHEST ON RECORD
SEPT: 72.705 MILLION OZ (SMALLER THIS MONTH)
OCT: 97.455 MILLION OZ
NOV. 50.050 MILLION OZ
DEC. 66.140 MILLION OZ//
TOTAL 2023: 1,104.10 MILLION OZ/
JAN ’24 : 78.655 MILLION OZ//
FEB /2024 : 66.135 MILLION OZ./FINAL
MARCH: 143.750 MILLION OZ// 4TH HIGHEST ON RECORD.
APRIL: 161.770 MILLION OZ (THIS MONTH WILL BE A WHOPPER OF ISSUANCE OF EFPS//3RD HIGHEST EVER RECORDED FOR A MONTH)
MAY: 135.995 MILLION OZ //WILL BE A STRONG MONTH FOR EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE
JUNE 110.575 MILLION OZ ( WILL BE ANOTHER STRONG MONTH ISSUANCE)
JULY: 108.870 MILLION OZ (WILL BE A STRONG ISSUANCE MONTH/ A TOUCH OVER 100 MILLION OZ/)
AUGUST; 99.740 MILLION OZ//THIS MONTH WILL BE STRONG FOR ISSUANCE BUT LESS THAN JULY.
SEPT: 112.415 MILLION OZ//WILL BE A HUGE MONTH FOR EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE
OCT; 97.485 MILLION OZ (WILL BE SMALLER ISSUANCE THIS MONTH )
NOV. 115.970 MILLION OZ ( HUGE THIS MONTH)
DEC: 132.54 MILLION OZ (THIS MONTH WILL BE A HUMDINGER FOR ISSUANCE BUT ISSUANCE SLOWED DRAMATICALLY THESE PAST FIVE DAYS/// WILL NOT EXCEED MARCH 2022 RECORD OF 209 MILLION OZ
YEAR 2024 TOTAL: 1363.84 MILLION OR 1.363 BILLION OZ
JANUARY 2025: 67.230 MILLION OZ///(THIS MONTH’S ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL WILL BE SMALL)
FEB. 21.255 MILLION OZ//EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE
RESULT: WE HAD A HUGE SIZED DECREASE IN COMEX OI SILVER COMEX CONTRACTS OF 1461 CONTRACTS DESPITE OUR HUGE GAIN IN PRICE OF SILVER PRICING AT THE COMEX/WEDNESDAY.,. THE CME NOTIFIED US THAT WE HAD A HUGE EFP ISSUANCE CONTRACTS: 1585 ISSUED FOR MARCH AND 0 CONTRACTS ISSUED FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS) WHICH EXITED OUT OF THE SILVER COMEX TO LONDON AS FORWARDS. WE HAVE A GOOD INITIAL SILVER OZ STANDING FOR DEC OF 10.105 MILLION OZ ON FIRST DAY NOTICE,FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S SMALL EFP TRANSFER OF 40,000 OZ TO LONDON//NEW STANDING REDUCES TO 15.555 MILLION OZ
//NEW TOTAL STANDING FOR FEB INITIAL AT 10.105 MILLION OZ FOLLOWED BY TODAY;S SMALL 40,000 OZ E.FP TRANSFER//NEW TOTAL 15.555 MILLION OZ.
WE HAVE 1). A SMALL SIZED GAIN OF 124 OI CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES WITH OUR GAIN IN PRICE// 2.THE TOTAL OF TAS INITIATED CONTRACTS TODAY: A HUGE 885, CONTRACTS TRYING DESPERATELY TO CONTAIN SILVER’S PRICE RISE,//LITTLE FRONT END OF THE TAS CONTRACTS WERE LIQUIDATED DURING THE WEDNESDAY COMEX SESSION. HOWEVER THEY STILL NEED THESE ISSUANCES FOR REPLENISHMENT FOR FUTURE TRADING //3. ZERO NET LONG SPECULATORS WERE BURNED ON WEDNESDAY WITH THE GAIN IN PRICE. ALSO 4. SOME OF OUR LONGS EXERCISED THEIR CONTRACTS AND TENDERED FOR PHYSICAL SILVER MUCH TO THE ANGER OF OUR BANKERS. SILVER IS NOT BASEL III COMPLIANT SO THE BANKERS CAN TAKE THEIR TIME WITH THE DELIVERY OF SILVER.
THE NEW TAS ISSUANCE WEDNESDAY NIGHT (885) WILL BE PUT INTO “THE BANK” TO BE COLLUSIVELY USED AT A LATER DATE
WE HAD 344 NOTICE(S) FILED TODAY FOR 1.720 million OZ
THE SILVER COMEX IS NOW BEING ATTACKED FOR METAL BY LONDONERS ET AL.
GOLD//OUTLINE
IN GOLD, THE COMEX OPEN INTEREST FELL BY A FAIR SIZED 1653 OI CONTRACTS TO 540,351 AND CLOSER TO THE RECORD (SET JAN 24/2020) AT 799,105 AND PREVIOUS TO THAT: (SET JAN 6/2020) AT 797,110. (ALL TIME LOW OF 390,000 CONTRACTS.)
THE DIFFERENTIAL FROM PRELIMINARY OI TO FINAL OI IN GOLD TODAY: REMOVED A STRONG SIZED 624 CONTRACTS//
WE HAD A FAIR SIZED DECREASE IN COMEX OI (1029 CONTRACTS) OCCURRED DESPITE OUR HUGE GAIN OF $27.10 IN PRICE WEDNESDAY. THE FRBNY SUPPLIED THE NECESSARY SHORT PAPER.. WE ALSO HAD A HUMONGOUS INITIAL STANDING IN GOLD TONNAGE FOR FEB AT 184.40 TONNES FOLLOWED BY A HUGE 536 CONTRACT E.F.P. TRANSFER//53600 OZ (1.667 TONNES)
/NEW STANDING REDUCES TO 187.785 TONNES + 0.3114 TONNES EXCHANGE FOR RISK/PRIOR + TODAY;S 1.555 TONNES = 189.651 TONNES.
/ ALL OF THIS HAPPENED WITH OUR HUGE $27.10 GAIN IN PRICE WITH RESPECT TO WEDNESDAY’S COMEX ///. WE HAD A SMALL SIZED GAIN OF 922 OI CONTRACTS (2.867 PAPER TONNES) ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES, WITH MANY LONGS, REMAINING AT THE END OF THE DAY, TENDERING FOR PHYSICAL GOLD VIA THE EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ROUTE, MUCH TO THE ANGER AND HORROR EXHIBITED BY OUR MAJOR BANKER, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK. THE HORROR INTENSIFIED ONCE LONDON STARTED TO TRADE LAST WEEK, AND THROUGHOUT THE WEEK WITH MAJOR TENDERING FOR PHYSICAL VIA THE EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ROUTE! THE RESULT: A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF GOLD STANDING FOR DELIVERY FOR THE FRONT FEBRUARY CONTRACT MONTH. CENTRAL BANKERS ARE NOW WAITING PATIENTLY FOR THEIR DELIVERY OF GOLD VIA SLOW MOVING SHIPS.
E.F.P. ISSUANCE
THE CME RELEASED THE DATA FOR EFP ISSUANCE AND IT TOTALED A STRONG SIZED 2575 CONTRACTS:
The NEW COMEX OI FOR THE GOLD COMPLEX RESTS AT 540,975
IN ESSENCE WE HAVE A SMALL SIZED INCREASE IN TOTAL CONTRACTS ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 922 CONTRACTS WITH 1653 CONTRACTS DECREASED AT THE COMEX// AND A STRONG SIZED 2575 EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL OI CONTRACT ISSUANCE WHICH NAVIGATED OVER TO LONDON. THUS TOTAL OI GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES OF 922 CONTRACTS.. WE HAD THE FOLLOWING TAS CONTRACTS INITIATED (ISSUED): A STRONG SIZED AND CRIMINAL 889 CONTRACTS ISSUED.
CALCULATIONS ON GAIN/LOSS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES
WE HAD A STRONG SIZED ISSUANCE IN EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS (2575 CONTRACTS) ACCOMPANYING THE FAIR SIZED DECREASE IN COMEX OI OF 1653 CONTRACTS/TOTAL GAIN FOR OUR THE TWO EXCHANGES: 922 CONTRACTS..WE HAVE 1) NOW RETURNED TO OUR FORMER FORMAT OF BANKERS GOING LONG AND SPECULATORS GOING SHORT ,2.) STRONG INITIAL STANDING AT THE GOLD COMEX FOR FEB 184.40 TONNES FOLLOWED BY TODAY’S QUEUE 536 CONTRACT E.F.P. TRANSFER TO LONDON FOR 53,600 OZ (1.667 TONNES). AND THEN WE ADD OUR TWO EXCHANGE FOR RISK TOTALS OF 1.866 TONNES//NEW TOTAL OF GOLD STANDING AT THE COMEX REDUCES TO 189.651 TONNES
.
NEW STANDING FOR FEB REDUCES TO:
187.785 TONNES NORMAL DELIVERY (INCLUDING TODAY’S 1.091 TONNES QUEUE TUMP + .3114 TONNES OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK/PRIOR + 1.55 TONNES EX FOR RISK TOTAL = 189.651 TONNES
//NEW STANDING FEB: 189.651 TONNES WHICH IS THE HIGHEST EVER GOLD STANDING FOR A FEBRUARY DELIVERY MONTH. AND FOR ANY COMEX MONTH.
/ 3) HUGE T.A.S. LIQUIDATION TRYING TO LOWER GOLD’S PRICE WEDNESDAY WITH ZERO SUCCESS IN REMOVING ANY NET SPECULATOR LONGS, AS WITH OUR1) $27.10 PRICE GAIN , WE HAD 2) ZERO NET LONG SPECS BEING CLIPPED AS WE HAD A GAIN OF 922 CONTRACTS ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES ) ALSO, 3)STICKY GOLD’S LONGS WERE REWARDED WEDNESDAY EVENING AS THEY EXERCISED EFP’S FROM LONDON TO TAKE DELIVERY OF BADLY NEEDED PHYSICAL AND THUS OUR RECORD NUMBER OF GOLD TONNES STANDING FOR FEBRUARY.
4) SMALL SIZED COMEX OPEN INTEREST INCREASE 5) HUGE ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL PAPER///STRONG T.A.S. ISSUANCE: 889 T.A.S.CONTRACTS//
HISTORICAL ACCUMULATION OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS IN 2023-2024 INCLUDING TODAY
FEB
ACCUMULATION OF EFP’S GOLD AT J.P. MORGAN’S HOUSE OF BRIBES: (EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL) FOR THE MONTH OF FEB :
TOTAL EFP CONTRACTS ISSUED: 14,663 CONTRACTS OF 1,466,300 OZ OR 45.60 TONNES IN 4 TRADING DAY(S) AND THUS AVERAGING: 3665 EFP CONTRACTS PER TRADING DAY
TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA AS TO THE SIZE OF THESE EFP TRANSFERS : THIS MONTH IN 4 TRADING DAY(S) IN TONNES 45.60 TONNES
TOTAL ANNUAL GOLD PRODUCTION, 2023, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD EX CHINA EX RUSSIA: 3555 TONNES
THUS EFP TRANSFERS REPRESENTS 45.60 DIVIDED BY 3550 x 100% TONNES = 1.28% OF GLOBAL ANNUAL PRODUCTION
ACCUMULATION OF GOLD EFP’S YEAR 2021 TO 2023
JANUARY/2021: 265.26 TONNES (RAPIDLY INCREASING AGAIN)
FEB : 171.24 TONNES ( DEFINITELY SLOWING DOWN AGAIN)..
MARCH:. 276.50 TONNES (STRONG AGAIN/
APRIL: 189..44 TONNES ( DRAMATICALLY SLOWING DOWN AGAIN//GOLD IN BACKWARDATION)
MAY: 250.15 TONNES (NOW DRAMATICALLY INCREASING AGAIN)
JUNE: 247.54 TONNES (FINAL)
JULY: 188.73 TONNES FINAL
AUGUST: 217.89 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE.
SEPT 142.12 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE ( LOW ISSUANCE)_
OCT: 141.13 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE (LOW ISSUANCE)
NOV: 312.46 TONNES FINAL ISSUANCE//NEW RECORD!! (INCREASING DRAMATICALLY)//SIGN OF REAL STRESS//SURPASSING THE MARCH 2021 RECORD OF 276.50 TONNES OF EFP
DEC. 175.62 TONNES//FINAL ISSUANCE//
TOTALS: 2,578.08 TONNES/2021
JAN:2022 247.25 TONNES //FINAL
FEB: 196.04 TONNES//FINAL
MARCH/2022: 409.30 TONNES //FINAL( THIS IS NOW A RECORD EFP ISSUANCE FOR MARCH AND FOR ANY MONTH.
APRIL: 169.55 TONNES (FINAL VERY LOW ISSUANCE MONTH)
MAY: 247.44 TONNES FINAL//
JUNE: 238.13 TONNES FINAL
JULY: 378.43 TONNES FINAL/SECOND HIGHEST ON RECORD
AUGUST: 180.81 TONNES FINAL
SEPT. 193.16 TONNES FINAL
OCT: 177.57 TONNES FINAL ( MUCH SMALLER THAN LAST MONTH)
NOV. 223.98 TONNES//FINAL ( MUCH LARGER THAN PREVIOUS MONTHS//comex running out of physical)
DEC: 185.59 tonnes // FINAL
TOTAL: 2,847,25 TONNES/2022
JAN 2023: 228.49 TONNES FINAL//HUGE AMOUNT OF EFP’S ISSUED THIS MONTH!!
FEB: 151.61 TONNES/FINAL
MARCH: 280.09 TONNES/INITIAL (ANOTHER STRONG MONTH FOR EFP ISSUANCE)
APRIL: 197.42 TONNES
MAY: 236.67 TONNES (A VERY STRONG ISSUANCE FOR THIS MONTH)
JUNE: 172.667 TONNES (WEAKER ISSUANCE THIS MONTH)
JULY: 151.69 TONNES (WEAKER THAN LAST MONTH)
AUGUST: 195.28 TONNES (A STRONGER MONTH)//FINAL
SEPT: 254.709 TONNES (WILL BE LARGER THAN LAST MONTH AND A STRONG MONTH)
OCT. 248.09 TONNES. LIKE SILVER, THIS MONTH IS GOING TO BE A STRONG E.F.P. ISSUANCE.
NOV. 239.16 TONNES//WILL BE STRONG THIS MONTH,
DEC. 213.704 TONNES. A STRONG MONTH//
TOTAL FOR YEAR 2023: 2,569.57 TONNES VS 2578 TONNES LAST YEAR
JAN ’24: 291.76 TONNES (WILL BE MUCH GREATER THAN LAST MONTH.//3RD HIGHEST EVER RECORDED EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL)
FEB’24: 201.947 TONNES
MARCH 2024: 352.21 TONNES//2ND HIGHEST EVER RECORDED EFP ISSUANCE.
APRIL: 267.05TONNES (WILL BE AN EXTREMELY STRONG MONTH BUT LESS THAN MARCH 2024)
MAY; 316.606 TONNES (WILL BE ANOTHER STRONG MONTH// 3RD HIGHEST RECORDED EFP ISSUANCE )// NOTICE THE HUGE INCREASES IN EX FOR PHYSICAL THESE PAST FEW MONTHS. THESE CONTRACTS ARE CIRCLED BACK FROM LONDON WHEREBY METAL IS REMOVED FROM THE COMEX.
JUNE 175.11 tonnes HEADING FOR A WEAKER MONTH AND MUCH LESS THAN THE THREE PREVIOUS MONTHS
JULY: 351. 65 TONNES (3RD HIGHEST EVER RECORDED EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL AND THE HIGHEST EVER RECORDED POST BASEL III)
AUGUST: 274.79 TONNES//THIS MONTH WILL NO DOUBT BE A STRONG ISSUANCE OF EFP’S BUT MUCH LESS THAN LAST MONTH.
SEPT: 335 .104 TONNES//IF THIS CONTINUES WE WILL HAVE A HUMDINGER OF AN EFP ISSUANCE. WE WILL PROBABLY END JUST SHORT OF THE 3RD HIGHEST ISSUANCE EVER RECORDED.
OCT. 277.71 TONNES (THIS WILL BE A GOOD ISSUANCE THIS MONTH)
NOV: 393.875 TONNES ( A HUGE MONTH////NOW SURPASSED THE PREVIOUS 3RD AND 2ND HIGHEST EVER RECORDED EX FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE TO BECOME THE 2ND HIGHEST EVER RECORDED
DEC 360.03 TONNES THIRD HIGHEST EVER RECORDED FOR EFP ISSUANCE
TOTAL 2024 YEAR. 3,597.846 TONNES
JAN. 2025: 257.919 TONNES (ISSUANCE WILL BE PRETTY GOOD THIS MONTH BUT MUCH LOWER THAN LAST MONTH)
FEB: 45.60 TONNES//EX FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE
SPREADING OPERATIONS
(/NOW SWITCHING TO GOLD) FOR NEWCOMERS, HERE ARE THE DETAILS
SPREADING LIQUIDATION HAS NOW COMMENCED AS WE HEAD TOWARDS THE NEW ACTIVE FRONT MONTH OF FEB. WE ARE NOW INTO THE SPREADING OPERATION OF GOLD
HERE IS A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF HOW THE CROOKS FLEECE UNSUSPECTING LONGS IN THE SPREADING ENDEAVOUR ;MODUS OPERANDI OF THE CORRUPT BANKERS AS TO HOW THEY HANDLE THEIR SPREAD OPEN INTERESTS:HERE IS HOW THE CROOKS USED SPREADING AS WE ARE NOW INTO THE NON ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF NOV HEADING TOWARDS THE ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF FEB., FOR GOLD: AND MARCH FOR SILVER
YOU WILL ALSO NOTICE THAT THE COMEX OPEN INTEREST STARTS TO RISE BUT SO IS THE OPEN INTEREST OF SPREADERS. THE OPEN INTEREST IN WILL CONTINUE TO RISE UNTIL ONE WEEK BEFORE FIRST DAY NOTICE OF AN UPCOMING ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH (OCT), AND THAT IS WHEN THE CROOKS SELL THEIR SPREAD POSITIONS BUT NOT AT THE SAME TIME OF THE DAY. THEY WILL USE THE SELL SIDE OF THE EQUATION TO CREATE THE CASCADE (ALONG WITH THEIR COLLUSIVE FRIENDS) AND THEN COVER ON THE BUY SIDE OF THE SPREAD SITUATION AT THE END OF THE DAY. THEY DO THIS TO AVOID POSITION LIMIT DETECTION. THE LIQUIDATION OF THE SPREADING FORMATION CONTINUES FOR EXACTLY ONE WEEK AND ENDS ON FIRST DAY NOTICE.”
WHAT IS ALARMING TO ME, ACCORDING TO OUR LONDON EXPERT ANDREW MAGUIRE IS THAT THESE EFP’S ARE BEING TRANSFERRED TO WHAT ARE CALLED SERIAL FORWARD CONTRACT OBLIGATIONS AND THESE CONTRACTS ARE LESS THAN 14 DAYS. ANYTHING GREATER THAN 14 DAYS, THESE MUST BE RECORDED AND SENT TO THE COMPTROLLER, GREAT BRITAIN TO MONITOR RISK TO THE BANKING SYSTEM. IF THIS IS INDEED TRUE, THEN THIS IS A MASSIVE CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD AS WE NOW WITNESS A MONSTROUS TOTAL EFP’S ISSUANCE AS IT HEADS INTO THE STRATOSPHERE.
The crooks also use the spread in the TAS account (trade at settlement). They buy the spot TAS (e.g. June) and sell the future TAS two months out (e.g. August). Then they unload the front month (i.e. unload the buy side first so the price of gold/silver falls. This occurs in the middle of the front delivery month cycle. They unload the sell side of the equation, two months down the road. The crooks violate position limits as the OCC refuse to hear our complaints.
First, here is an outline of what will be discussed tonight:
1.TODAY WE HAD THE OPEN INTEREST AT THE COMEX IN SILVER FELL BY A HUGE SIZED 1461 CONTRACTS OI TO 169,265 AND CLOSER TO THE COMEX HIGH RECORD //244,710( SET FEB 25/2020). THE LAST RECORDS WERE SET IN AUG.2018 AT 244,196 WITH A SILVER PRICE OF $14.78/(AUGUST 22/2018)..THE PREVIOUS RECORD TO THAT WAS SET ON APRIL 9/2018 AT 243,411 OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS WITH THE SILVER PRICE AT THAT DAY: $16.53). AND PREVIOUS TO THAT, THE RECORD WAS ESTABLISHED AT: 234,787 CONTRACTS, SET ON APRIL 21.2017 OVER 7 YEARS AGO. HOWEVER WE HAVE NOW SET A NEW RECORD LOW OF 114,102 CONTRACTS JULY 3.2023
EFP ISSUANCE 1585 CONTRACTS
OUR CUSTOMARY MIGRATION OF COMEX LONGS CONTINUE TO MORPH INTO LONDON FORWARDS AS OUR BANKERS USED THEIR EMERGENCY PROCEDURE TO ISSUE:
MAR 1585 and ALL OTHER MONTHS: ZERO. TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE: 1585 CONTRACTS. EFP’S GIVE OUR COMEX LONGS A FIAT BONUS PLUS A DELIVERABLE PRODUCT OVER IN LONDON. IF WE TAKE THE COMEX OI LOSS OF 1461 CONTRACTS AND ADD TO THE 1585 E.FP. ISSUED
WE OBTAIN A SMALL SIZED GAIN OF OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES OF 124 CONTRACTS
THUS IN OUNCES, THE GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES TOTALS 0.625 MILLION OZ OCCURRED DESPITE OUR $0.45 GAIN IN PRICE
OUTLINE FOR TODAY’S COMMENTARY
1a/COMEX GOLD AND SILVER REPORT
(report Harvey)
b, ) Gold/silver trading overnight Europe,//GOLD COMMENTARIES
(Peter Schiff)
c) Commentaries from: Egon von Greyerz///Matthew Piepenburg via GoldSwitzerland.com, Pam and Russ Martens
ii a) Chris Powell of GATA provides to us very important physical commentaries
b. Other gold/silver commentaries
c. Commodity commentaries//
d)/CRYPTOCURRENCIES/BITCOIN ETC
2.ASIAN AFFAIRS THURSDAY MORNING WEDNESDAY NIGHT
SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 46.17 PTS OR 1.27%
//Hang Seng CLOSED UP 294.53 PTS OR 1.43 %
// Nikkei CLOSED UP 235.05 OR 0.61%//Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED UP 1.23%
//Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) CLOSED DOWN TO 7.2888 CHINESE YUAN OFFSHORE CLOSED DOWN TO 7.2926// Oil DOWN TO 71.46 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT DOWN AT 74.97 Stocks in Europe OPENED MOSTLY ALL GREEN
ONSHORE USA/ YUAN TRADING ABOVE LEVEL OF OFFSHORE YUAN/ONSHORE YUAN TRADING
WEAKER AGAINST US DOLLAR/OFFSHORE YUAN WEAKER
END
ASIA TRADING THURSDAY MORNING/WEDNESDAY NIGHT
A)NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA
outline
b) REPORT ON JAPAN/
OUTLINE
3 CHINA
OUTLINE
4/EUROPEAN AFFAIRS
OUTLINE
5. RUSSIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS
OUTLINE
6.Global Issues//COVID ISSUES/VACCINE ISSUES
OUTLINE
7. OIL ISSUES
OUTLINE
8 EMERGING MARKET ISSUES
9. USA
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1. COMEX DATA//AMOUNTS STANDING//VOLUME OF TRADING/INVENTORY MOVEMENTS
GOLD
LET US BEGIN:
THE TOTAL COMEX GOLD OPEN INTEREST FELL BY A FAIR SIZED 1653 CONTRACTS TO 540,351 DESPITE ANOTHER HUGE GAIN IN PRICE OF $27.10 WITH RESPECT TO WEDNESDAY’S TRADING. WE LOST ZERO NET LONGS WITH OUR PRICE GAIN FOR GOLD AS WE HAD ALSO, AS YOU WILL SEE BELOW, A HUGE NUMBER OF EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUED (2575) . THE CME ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY NIGHT, THANKFULLY NO EXCHANGE FOR RISK CONTRACTS FOR NIL OZ. OR 0 TONNES OF GOLD. LAST MONTH OF JANUARY WE HAVE BEEN ISSUED THE HIGHEST NUMBER EVER RECORDED EXCHANGE FOR RISK ISSUANCE AT 6 FOR 43.208 TONNES AND SO FAR IN FEBRUARY: TWO. THE RECIPIENT OF THESE EXCHANGE FOR RISK CONTRACTS IS THE BANK OF ENGLAND WHO DESPERATELY WANT THEIR LEASED GOLD BACK. THUS WE HAVE TWO SEPARATE ENTITIES (CENTRAL BANKS) DEMANDING THEIR GOLD BACK:
- THE BANK OF ENGLAND
- THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK
THE COUNTER PARTY TO THE BANK OF ENGLAND’S EXCHANGE FOR RISK ARE BULLION BANKS THAT CANNNOT VERIFY THAT THEIR GOLD IS UNENCUMBERED AND THUS THE BUYER ASSUMES THE RISK OF THAT DELIVERY.
THUS IN TOTAL WE HAD A SMALL SIZED GAIN ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES OF 922 CONTRACTS WITH OUR GAIN IN PRICE. OUR FRIENDLY PHYSICAL LONDON BOYS HAD ANOTHER FIELD DAY AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS THEY WERE READY FOR THE FRBNY.S CONTINUED ORCHESTRATED RAID AS THEY TRIED TO ABSORB EVERYTHING IN SIGHT FROM THE DAILY ATTACKS WITH THE CONTINUAL LIQUIDATION OF T.A.S. CONTRACTS. LONDONERS EXERCISED THEIR BOUGHT CONTRACTS FOR PHYSICAL GOLD VIA THE EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ROUTE AND THANKED THE FRBNY FOR THE THOUGHTFULNESS. LONDON ANNOUNCED LAST THURSDAY NIGHT THAT THEY WERE OUT OF GOLD. WRONGLY IT WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THEIR SHIPPING PHYSICAL GOLD TO COMEX FOR STORAGE DUE TO TRUMP’S INITIATION OF TARIFFS. THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT THIS GOLD LEFT LONDON TO CENTRAL BANKS, AND COMEX BANKS HAVE BEEN PAPERING THEIR LOSSES (DERIVATIVE) WITH KILOBAR ENTRIES. DELIVERY OF GOLD CONTRACTS ARE NOW TAKING WEEKS. NO DEFAULT HAS BEEN INITIATED AS DEALERS ARE AFRAID OF LOSS OF THEIR JOBS. SO THIS FRAUD CONTINUES. THE LEASE RATES IN LONDON HAVE NOW CLIMBED TO 10% AS GOLD IN LONDON IS NOW EXTREMELY SCARCE. WE CAN NOW SAFELY SAY THAT THERE IS A RUN ON A BANK AND THAT BANK IS THE BANK OF ENGLAND!!!
THE LIQUIDATION OF T.A.S. CONTRACTS THROUGHOUT THIS MONTH CONTINUES TO DISTORT OPEN INTEREST NUMBERS GREATLY AND IT SURELY WAS ON DISPLAY THIS ENTIRE WEEK INCLUDING WITH OUR STRONG T.A.S. ISSUANCES AND STRONG T.A.S. LIQUIDATION. LAST NIGHT THEY ISSUED A STRONG 889 CONTRACT ANNOUNCEMENT (WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY MORNING).
THE FED IS THE OTHER MAJOR SHORT OF AROUND 79+ TONNES OF GOLD OWING TO THE B.I.S. THE FED NEEDS TO COVER AS THEY ARE VERY WORRIED ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO GOLD PRICES ONCE THE BRICS BEGIN THEIR INITIATIVE AND ABANDON THE US DOLLAR. THIS WAS SCHEDULED TO HAPPEN LATE OCT 2024/(AS OUTLINED IN OUR GOLD PHYSICAL COMMENTARIES//VIEW ANDREW MAGUIRE LATEST LIVE FROM VAULT PODCAST FRIDAY’S 197 , 199, 2001, 202, 203 , 204 ,205 206, 207 AND 208 AS HE TACKLES THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC). THE FOUR OR FIVE BANKS ARE ALSO WORRIED ABOUT THEIR HUGE PRECIOUS METAL DERIVATIVE EXPOSURE (NORTH OF ONE TRILLION DOLLARS) AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE MAJOR REASON FOR GOLD/SILVER’S RISE THESE PAST TWO MONTHS. THEY ARE TOTALLY TRAPPED., AND THEIR FAILURE TO STOP CENTRAL BANK PURCHASES OF PHYSICAL GOLD IS THE MAJOR ISSUE OF THE DAY!IT SURE LOOKS LIKE THE BIS HAS GIVEN THE FED ITS MARCHING ORDERS TO COVER ITS PHYSICAL GOLD SHORT AS TRUMP CAME INTO OFFICE MONDAY NOON JAN 20. TRUMP WILL PROBABLY BE FURIOUS WITH THE FED IF IT FINDS OUT THAT THEY (FRBNY) HAS BEEN MANIPULATING THE GOLD MARKET FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.
OUR PHYSICAL LONDONERS BOUGHT NEW MASSIVE QUANTITIES OF LONGS AT ANY PRICE AND THIS GOLD BOUGHT WILL BE TENDERED FOR PHYSICAL ON A T + ???? BASIS. BECAUSE GOLD IS BASEL III COMPLIANT, GOLD IS SUPPOSED BE DELIVERED IN A VERY TIMELY ONE DAY. CENTRAL BANKS AROUND THE WORLD, BEING REPRESENTED BY OUR LONDONERS, ARE THE REAL PURCHASERS OF THIS GOLD.
THE PROBLEM FOR THOSE PROVIDING THE SHORT PAPER IS THE SHOCK TO THEM ON RECEIVING NOTICE THAT THE LONGS WANT THE PHYSICAL GOLD AS THEY TENDER FOR THAT SHINY YELLOW METAL. THE HIGH LIQUIDATION OF OUR TWO SPREADERS: 1) THE MONTH END SPREADERS AND 2. T.A.S DURING LAST WEEK IS SURELY DISTORTING COMEX OPEN INTEREST BUT THAT DOES NOT STOP LONDON’S ACCUMULATION OF PHYSICAL! YOU CAN ALSO VISUALIZE THAT PERFECTLY WITH THE HUGE AMOUNTS OF QUEUE JUMPING ORCHESTRATED BY CENTRAL BANKERS BOLTING AHEAD OF ORDINARY LONGS AS THEIR NEED FOR PHYSICAL IS GREAT AS THEY SCOUR THE PLANET LOOKING FOR GOLD.
EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL ISSUANCE
WE ARE NOW DEEP INTO THE ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF FEBRUARY… THE CME REPORTS THAT THE BANKERS ISSUED A STRONG SIZED TRANSFER THROUGH THE EFP ROUTE AS THESE LONGS RECEIVED A DELIVERABLE LONDON FORWARD TOGETHER WITH A FIAT BONUS.,
THAT IS A STRONG SIZED 2575 EFP CONTRACTS WERE ISSUED: : /FEB 2575 & ZERO FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS:
TOTAL EFP ISSUANCE: 2575 CONTRACTS. THESE EFP;S CIRCLE AROUND LONDON ON A 13 DAY BASIS AND ARE NOW USED BY GLOBAL CENTRAL BANKS TO EXERCISE FOR PHYSICAL GOLD WITH THE OBLIGATION TO DELIVER BEING FORCED ONTO COMEX BANKS. THE GOLD GENERALLY DELIVERED COMES FROM LONDON BUT THEY ARE OUT!! THUS COMEX BECOMES THE MAJOR SOURCE FOR OUR CENTRAL BANKERS.
ON A NET BASIS IN OPEN INTEREST WE GAINED THE FOLLOWING TODAY ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES: A SMALL SIZED TOTAL OF 922 CONTRACTS IN THAT 2575 CONTRACT LONGS WERE TRANSFERRED AS EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS TO LONDON AND WE HAD A FAIR SIZED LOSS OF 1653 COMEX CONTRACTS..AND THIS FAIR SIZED GAIN ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES HAPPENED DESPITE OUR HUGE GAIN IN PRICE OF $27.10 WEDNESDAY// COMEX. THE EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICALS WILL BE USED BY CENTRAL BANKS, TO EXERCISE FOR PHYSICAL GOLD AT THE COMEX AS MENTIONED ABOVE. THE LOW GAIN IN TOTAL OI ON OUR TWO EXCHANGES WAS DUE TO LIQUIDATION OF T.A.S. SPREADERS!
T.A.S. ISSUANCE
AS PER OUR NEWBIE TRADE AT SETTLEMENT (TAS) MANIPULATION OPERATION (WHICH CRAIG HEMKE HAS POINTED OUT HAPPENS USUALLY DURING MID MONTH IN THE DELIVERY CYCLE), BUT NOW ON A DAILY BASIS, THE CME REPORTS THAT THE TOTAL T.A.S. ISSUANCE FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT/THURSDAY MORNING WAS A STRONG SIZED SIZED 889 CONTRACTS, AS AGAIN, ALL OF THE TRADING AND SUPPLY OF CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN ORCHESTRATED BY GOVERNMENT (FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF NEW YORK). AS PER THEIR MEGA 5 DAY ISSUANCE OF T.A.S OVER A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE FED WAS EXPERIMENTING WITH EINSTEIN’S DEFINITION OF INSANITY….TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN HOPING FOR A DIFFERENT RESULT. HIS DEFINITION STILL STANDS.. THE CROOKS ACCOMPLISHED LITTLE AS FEW LEFT OUR GOLD METAL ARENA. A HUGE RAID WAS ORDERED BY THE FED WITH END OF THE MONTH TRADING ( MONDAY TRADING// JAN 27) AS THE GOLD PRICE GOT HAMMERED A BIT WITH COMEX OPTIONS EXPIRY. AS YOU SAW WITH TUESDAY’S TRADING// JAN 28 IT HAS NO EFFECT ON GOLD AS IT SHOT UP AGAIN IN PRICE AND IT CONTINUED TO RISE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. LONDON’S ANNOUNCEMENT LAST THURSDAY THAT THEY WERE OUT OF PHYSICAL GOLD SURELY HELPED TO PROPEL GOLD’S METEORIC RISE IN PRICE THESE PAST SEVERAL DAYS PROPELLING IT THROUGH THE 2800 DOLLAR BARRIER TO THE LEVEL IT IS NOW TRADING READY TO CLOSE IN ON THE 2900 DOLLAR LEVEL.
MECHANICS OF T.A.S CONTRACTS/DECEMBER 2024
THROUGHOUT THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, THE BANKERS CONTINUE TO SELL OFF THE LONG SIDE OF THE SPREAD (T.A.S.) WHICH OF COURSE CONTINUES TO MANIPULATE THE PRICE OF GOLD SOUTHBOUND. (THEY KEEP THE SHORT SIDE OF THE CALENDAR/T.A.S. SPREAD WHICH WILL BE LIQUIDATED IN DAYS HENCE//. IT SEEMS THAT OUR CROOKS ORCHESTRATED, ON DEC. 27, THEIR HUGE RAID TO LOWER THE PRICE OF GOLD TO MAKE THEIR COMEX BETS WHOLE ON OPTIONS EXPIRY WEEK AND THUS THE NEED FOR CONTINUAL STRONG T.A.S. ISSUANCE AND THEN LIQUIDATION. THIS WAS COUPLED WITH THE LIQUIDATION OF CALENDAR//MONTH END SPREADERS . THE USE OF OUR TWO SPREADER MECHANISMS WERE OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE TO OUR CROOKS IN LATE DECEMBER’S OPTIONS EXPIRY TRADING AND AGAIN WITH JANUARY OPTION EXPIRY MONTH. HALF WAY THROUGH THE JANUARY COMEX MONTH, THE CROOKS ISSUED FIVE CONSECUTIVE 30,000+ CONTRACT ISSUANCE. ALL OF THESE T.A.S. ISSUANCES WERE USED IN AN ATTEMPT TO THWART GOLD TRADING ESPECIALLY BEFORE TRUMP’S INAUGURATION AS THE FED MUST REDUCE ITS MASSIVE PHYSICAL GOLD SHORT OF 79 TONNES. THEY FAILED MISERABLY AS GOLD SKYROCKETED IN PRICE THIS WEEK AND NOW TO ALL TIME RECORD HIGHS IN USA DOLLAR TERMS AND OTHER CURRENCIES.
STANDING FOR GOLD FOR THE PAST 4 PLUS YEARS:
// WE HAD A STRONG AMOUNT OF GOLD TONNAGE STANDING: FEB (189.651 TONNES) WHICH IS HUGE FOR OUR ACTIVE FEB DELIVERY MONTH AND THE HIGHEST STANDING FOR GOLD EVER RECORDED FOR ANY MONTH.
YEAR 2025:
JAN 2025: 113.30 TONNES
FEB: 2025: 188.7744 TONNES
HERE ARE THE AMOUNTS THAT STOOD FOR DELIVERY IN THE PRECEDING 50 MONTHS OF 2021-2024:
DEC 2021: 112.217 TONNES
NOV. 8.074 TONNES
OCT. 57.707 TONNES
SEPT: 11.9160 TONNES
AUGUST: 80.489 TONNES
JULY 7.2814 TONNES
JUNE: 72.289 TONNES
MAY 5.77 TONNES
APRIL 95.331 TONNES
MARCH 30.205 TONNES
FEB ’21. 113.424 TONNES
JAN ’21: 6.500 TONNES.
TOTAL YEAR 2021 (JAN- DEC): 601.213 TONNES
YEAR 2022:
JANUARY 2022 17.79 TONNES
FEB 2022: 59.023 TONNES
MARCH: 36.678 TONNES
APRIL: 85.340 TONNES FINAL.
MAY: 20.11 TONNES FINAL
JUNE: 74.933 TONNES FINAL
JULY 29.987 TONNES FINAL
AUGUST:104.979 TONNES//FINAL
SEPT. 38.1158 TONNES
OCT: 77.390 TONNES/ FINAL
NOV 27.110 TONNES/FINAL
Dec. 64.000 tonnes
(TOTAL YEAR 656.076 TONNES)
2023:
JAN/2023: 20.559 tonnes
FEB 2023: 47.744 tonnes
MAR: 19.0637 TONNES
APRIL: 75.676 tonnes
MAY: 19.094 TONNES + 1.244 tonnes of exchange for risk = 20.338
JUNE: 64.354 TONNES
JULY: 10.2861 TONNES
AUGUST: 38.855 TONNES(INCLUDING .6842 EXCHANGE FOR RISK)
SEPT: 15.281 TONNES FINAL
OCT. 35.869 TONNES + 1.665 EXCHANGE FOR RISK =37.0355 tonnes
NOV: 18.7122 TONNES + 16.2505 EX. FOR RISK = 34.9627 TONNES
DEC. 47.073 + 4.634 TONNES OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK = 51.707 TONNES
TOTAL 2023 YEAR : 436.546 TONNES
2024
JAN ’24. 22.706 TONNES
FEB. ’24: 66.276 TONNES (INCLUDES 1.723 TONNES EX. FOR RISK)
MARCH: 18.8398 TONNES + 1.1695 EX FOR RISK = 20.093 TONNES
APRIL: 2024: 53.673TONNES FINAL
MAY/ 2024 8.5536 TONNES + 3.3716 TONNES EX FOR RISK/= 11.9325
JUNE; 95.578 TONNES. + 1.045 TONNES EXCHANGE FOR RISK =96.623 THIS IS THE HIGHEST RECORDED GOLD STANDING SINCE AUGUST 2022
JULY: 11.692 TONNES
AUGUST 69.602 TONNES//FINAL STANDING
SEPT. 13.164 TONNES.
OCT 39.474 TONNES + + 20.917 TONNES EXCHANGE FOR RISK =60.391 TONNES
NOV . 11.265 TONNES +4.665 TONNES EXCHANGE FOR RISK/TUESDAY + 3.11 TONNES OF EX. FOR RISK/PRIOR = 19.0425 TONNES
DEC: 80.4230 TONNES PLUS DEC MONTH EXCHANGE FOR RISK TOTAL 14.6836 TONNES EQUALS 95.1066 TONNES
total year 2024: 540.30 tonnes
2025
January 2025: 70.102 TONNES + 43.208 EXCHANGE FOR RISK= 113.310 TONNES
FEBRUARY: 187.785 TONNES OF GOLD + .3114 TONNES OF EX. FOR RISK /PRIOR + 1.55 TONNES EX FOR RISK TODAY =//NEW TOTAL STANDING 189.651 TONNES
COMEX GOLD TRADING/FEB CONTRACT MONTH
THE SPECS/HFT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOWERING GOLD’S PRICE( IT ROSE BY $27.10)//AND WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN KNOCKING OFF ANY APPRECIABLE NET SPECULATOR LONGS AS WE DID HAVE A FAIR SIZED GAIN IN OUR TWO EXCHANGES. BUT AS EXPLAINED ABOVE WE HAD CONSIDERABLE T.A.S. SPREADER LIQUIDATION WEDNESDAY AS THEY WERE TRYING TO QUELL GOLD’S RISE AND STOP HUGE COMEX/OTC DERIVATIVE LOSSES FROM ALSO RISING. THE BANKERS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN SLOWING THEIR DERIVATIVE LOSSES IN PRECIOUS METAL BETS WITH OPTIONS EXPIRY LAST MONDAY NIGHT AT THE COMEX. OUR T.A.S. SPREADER LIQUIDATIONS THIS WEEK IS DISTORTING OPEN INTEREST AS I EXPLAINED ABOVE BUT IS HAVING NO EFFECT ON GOLD’S METEORIC RISE IN PRICE. LAST FRIDAY WAS OPTIONS EXPIRY FOR LONDON’S OTIC/LBMA OPTIONS AS OUR BANKER CROOK’S DESPERATELY TRIED TO CONTAIN GOLD’S PRICE FROM ATTAINING THE 2800 DOLLAR LEVEL AND THEY FAILED AND THE PRICE OF GOLD SKYROCKETED SINCE. THEIR DERIVATIVE LOSSES CONTINUE TO MOUNT EACH AND EVERY DAY!@!
THE CROOKS HOWEVER COULD NOT STOP CENTRAL BANK LONGS, SEIZING THE MOMENT, THEY EXERCISED AGAIN FOR PHYSICAL IN A BIG WAY TENDERING FOR PHYSICAL WEDNESDAY EVENING THURSDAY MORNING AND THUS OUR RECORD NUMBER OF GOLD CONTRACTS STANDING FOR DELIVERY AT THE COMEX. CENTRAL BANKERS WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE GOLD TO ARRIVE BY BOAT. IT IS NOW TAKING MONTHS TO DELIVER AND THUS THE REASON FOR THE HUGE LEASE RATE AT 10%
EXCHANGE FOR RISK EXPLANATION/DECEMBER AND JANUARYTRADING
DECEMBER MONTH EXCHANGE FOR RISK!
54 DAYS AGO, FRIDAY NIGHT (EARLY SATURDAY MORNING NOV 30) THE CME ANNOUNCED ANOTHER OF THOSE CRAZY DELIVERIES: THE ISSUANCE OF 250 EXCHANGE FOR RISK CONTRACTS WHICH TOTAL 25000 OZ (.7776 TONNES. HERE THE BUYER ASSUMES THE RISK THAT HE WILL BE DELIVERED UPON IN PHYSICAL METAL. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INSANE AND A HUGE VIOLATION OF THE TRUE DISCOVERY PRICE MECHANISM WHICH IS THE COMEX MANTRA!. AND THEN GUESS WHAT? THE CME ANNOUNCED ANOTHER EXCHANGE FOR RISK, LATE TUESDAY EVENING/ EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING, (DEC 5) OF 617 CONTRACTS FOR 61,700 OZ OR GOLD (1.919 TONNES). THEN MUCH TO MY ANGER, THE CME ANNOUNCED A THIRD ISSUANCE FRIDAY NIGHT DEC 7 FOR A MONSTROUS 2254 EXCHANGE FOR RISK CONTRACTS OR 225,400 OZ OR 7.0108 TONNES. NOT TO BE UNDONE, THE CROOKS CONTINUED WITH THEIR NONSENSE WITH ANOTHER 50 CONTRACT EXCHANGE FOR RISK THE MORNING OF DEC 12 FOR 5000 OZ OR .1555 TONNES. AND THIS BRINGS US TO THIS EARLY FRIDAY MORNING (DEC 13) WHERE I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE FOR THE FIFTH TIME THIS MONTH AN ENTRY FOR 250 CONTRACTS OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK FOR 25000 OZ OR .7776 TONNES.THUS ALL FIVE OF THESE ISSUANCES WILL BE ADDED TO THE TOTAL GOLD BEING “DELIVERED UPON”. THIS BRINGS US TO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING DEC 21 WHERE TO MY SHOCK AGAIN WE HAD OUR 6TH ISSUANCE OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK TOTALLING 1300 CONTRACTS FOR AN ASTOUNDING 4.043 TONNES. THIS BRINGS THE TOTAL ISSUANCE FOR THE MONTH OF DEC TO 6 FOR 14.6836 TONNES A NEW RECORD. THE COMEX IS TOTALLY SHATTERED TO PIECES.
EXCHANGE FOR RISK // JANUARY MONTH!!
LO AND BEHOLD, THE CROOKS ISSUED THEIR FIRST ISSUANCE A MONSTER 1700 CONTRACTS FOR EXCHANGE FOR RISK TOTALLING 170,000 OZ OR 5.28775 TONNES ON MONDAY JAN 6/2025. THEN TO MY HORROR, THEY ISSUED THEIR SECOND EXCHANGE FOR RISK ON JAN 8, TOTALLING 150 CONTRACTS FOR 15000 OZ OR .4665 TONNES. THIS TONNAGE WILL BE ADDED TO THE FIRST ISSUANCE. THUS TOTAL EXCHANGE FOR RISK ISSUANCE FOR OUR TWO EARLY JANUARY EX FOR RISK: 5.7533 TONNES. THEN MERCILESSLY THEY CONSUMMATED FOR THE THIRD TIME THIS MONTH 85 EXCHANGE FOR RISK LAST THURSDAY NIGHT (JAN 17) FOR 8500 OZ OR .2649 TONNES OF GOLD. THEN TO MY HORROR THEY ISSUED THEIR 4TH EXCHANGE FOR RISK THIS MONTH (JAN 22) FOR A MONSTER 5000 CONTRACTS OR 5,000,000 OZ.(15.562 TONNES).NOT TO BE UNDONE, THE CROOKS ISSUED THEIR FIFTH EXCHANGE FOR RISK LAST NIGHT FOR 500 CONTRACTS REPRESENTING 50,,000 OZ OR 1.555 TONNES OF GOLD. REMEMBER THAT THE BUYER ASSUMES THE RISK THAT HE WILL BE DELIVERED UPON WHICH IS TOTALLY ASININE!! THUS FOR THE 5 EXCHANGE FOR RISK ISSUED THIS MONTH TOTALS 23.134 TONNES OF GOLD. THIS BRINGS US TO , JAN 25 WHERE THE CME ANNOUNCED ITS SIXTH MAJOR EXCHANGE FOR RISK ISSUANCE OF 6454 CONTRACTS FOR 645,400 OZ OR 20.074 TONNES OF GOLD. THIS IS THE HIGHEST EVER RECORDED ISSUANCE IN NUMBER OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK, AT 6, AND FOR NEW TOTALS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY: 43.208 TONNES!!! AND A NEW RECORD FOR ISSUANCE.
EXCHANGE FOR RISK CONTRACTS/MONTH FOR FEBRUARY:
THE CME ANNOUNCED TO THE WORLD THAT ON FEB 4 THEY ISSUED 100 CONTRACTS OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK TO THE BANK OF ENGLAND.THEN LAST NIGHT THEY ISSUED THEIR SECOND CONSECUTIVE EXCHANGE FOR RISK OF 500 CONTRACTS FOR 50,000 OZ (1.555 TONNES OF GOLD. THE BANK OF ENGLAND WANTS THEIR GOLD BACK. THIS NEW EX FOR RISK REPRESENTS 50,000 OZ OR 1.55 TONNES OF GOLD WHICH WILL BE ADDED TO YESTERDAY’S .3114 TONNES//NEW TOTAL EXCHANGE FOR RISK = 1.8664 TONNES. THIS TOTAL WILL NOW BE ADDED TO OUR REGULAR DELIVERIES.
FINAL STANDING GOLD/COMEX FOR JANUARY
FINAL STANDING FOR JAN: 70.102TONNES + 43.206 TONNES EX FOR RISK = 113.310 TONNES (WHICH IS HUGE FOR OUR VERY NON ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH) A NORMAL AMOUNT STANDING FOR A JANUARY IN EARLIER TIMES HAS BEEN GENERALLY AROUND 1/4 TONNE OF GOLD. HOWEVER THESE PAST 4 YEARS QUEUE JUMPING HAS BEEN VERY PRONOUNCED AND THUS STANDING INCREASES DRAMATICALLY.
TOTAL INITIAL DELIVERIES FEB GOLD TRADING
WE HAVE GAINED A GOOD TOTAL OF 4.808 PAPER TONNES FROM OUR TWO EXCHANGES, ACCOMPANYING OUR INITIAL GOLD TONNAGE STANDING FOR FEB (184.40TONNES) ON FIRST DAY NOTICE FOLLOWED BY A MASSIVE SIZED 536 CONTRACT E.F.P TRANSFER FOR 53,600 OZ. NEW STANDING REDUCES TO 187.785 TONNES OF GOLD. TO WHICH WE ADD OUR 1.8664TONNES OF EXCHANGE FOR RISK//NEW TOTALS STANDING 187.785 TONNES
ALL OF THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH OUR HUGE GAIN IN PRICE TO THE TUNE OF $27.10
WE HAD 672 CONTRACTS REMOVED FROM THE COMEX TRADES TO OPEN INTEREST (CROOKS)//PRELIMINARY TO FINAL. AND THIS IS TOTALLY INSANE AS WELL
NET GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES 922 CONTRACTS OR 92200 OZ (2.867 TONNES)
confirmed volume WEDNESDAY 187,332 contracts: extremely poor ///no gold?
//speculators have left the gold arena
END
// THE FEB 2025 GOLD CONTRACT
FEB 6
INITIAL
| Gold | Ounces |
| Withdrawals from Dealers Inventory in oz | nil |
| Withdrawals from Customer Inventory in oz | i) International Delaware 1253.89 oz (39 kilobars) . |
| Deposit to the Dealer Inventory in oz | 2 ENTRIES a) into Dealer Brinks 50,155.560 oz (1560 kilobars) b) Into dealer Loomis: 115,664.198 oz total weight: 165,819.758 oz or 5.157 tonnes |
| Deposits to the Customer Inventory, in oz | i)Into customer ASAHI 3200.877 oz ii) Into customer Brinks 282,485.740 oz (8792 kilobars) iii) Into Loomis customer 64.302 oz (2 kilobars) total customer weight: 314,556.919 oz 9.78 tonnes total dealer and customer weight in tonnes; 14.937 tonnes |
| No of oz served (contracts) today | 2726 notice(s) 272,600 OZ 8.479 TONNES |
| No of oz to be served (notices) | 9908 contracts 990,800 OZ 30.818 TONNES |
| Total monthly oz gold served (contracts) so far this month | 50,465 notices 5,046,500 oz 156.967 TONNES |
| Total accumulative withdrawals of gold from the Dealers inventory this month | NIL oz |
| Total accumulative withdrawal of gold from the Customer inventory this month | x |
dealer deposits: 2
2 ENTRIES
a) into Dealer Brinks 50,155.560 oz (1560 kilobars)
b) Into dealer Loomis: 115,664.198 oz
total weight: 165,819.758 oz or 5.157 tonnes
we have 3 customer deposits
i)Into customer ASAHI 3200.877 oz
ii) Into customer Brinks 282,485.740 oz (8792 kilobars)
iii) Into Loomis customer 64.302 oz (2 kilobars)
total customer weight: 314,556.919 oz
9.78 tonnes
total dealer and customer weight in tonnes;
14.937 tonnes
withdrawals: 1
i) International Delaware
1,253.89 oz
(39 kilobars)
adjustments:3/
i) out of Brinks 163,907.029 oz customer to dealer acct
ii) out of Manfra: 41,764.149 oz customer to dealer
iii) JPMorgan 7716.240 oz (dealer to customer
total net customer to dealer 127,954.948 oz 4.29 tonnes
thus basically what comes into eligible is transferred to dealer accounts and then out.
Inventory Pledged gold: 2.174 million oz or 6.42% of total inventory.
Inventory Enhanced gold: 5.755 million oz or 16.99% of total inventory
total gold inventory 33.86 million oz/
CALCULATIONS FOR THE AMOUNT OF GOLD STANDING FOR FEB.
For the front month of FEB: we have an oi of 12,634 contracts having LOST 3303 contracts. We had 2767 contracts delivered upon Wednesday so we lost a massive 536 contracts as these guys could no longer wait for gold at the comex as they were exchange for physical transferred to London and hope for the best over there. Gold is out of stock on both exchanges.
MARCH HAD A GAIN OF 1209 CONTRACTS UP TO 13,231
APRIL HAD A LOSS OF 852 CONTRACTS DOWN TO 406,860 CONTRACTS
We had 2726 contracts filed for today representing 272,600 oz
This is a huge major assault on the comex for gold and this time it is physical that will be requested.
Today, 0 notice(s) were issued from J.P.Morgan dealer and 0 notices issued from their client or customer account. The total of all issuance by all participants equate to 2726 contract(s) of which 0 notices were stopped (received) by j.P. Morgan dealer and 829 notice(s) was (were) stopped (received) by J.P.Morgan//customer account
To calculate the INITIAL total number of gold ounces standing for FEB /2025. contract month, we take the total number of notices filed so far for the month (50,465x 100 oz ) to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of FEB.(12,634 CONTRACTS) minus the number of notices served upon today (2747 x 100 oz per contract) equals 6,037,300 OZ OR 187.785 TONNES to which we must add our yesterday’s 500 contract exchange for risk for 1.55 tonnes and then add our initial .3114 tonnes ex for risk//new standing; 187.785 tonnes + 1.866 tonnes ex for risk = 191.346 tonnes
thus the INITIAL standings for gold for the FEB contract month: No of notices filed so far (50,465 x 100 oz +we add the difference for front month of FEB ( 12,634 OI} minus the number of notices served upon today (2747 x 100 oz) which equals 6,091,800 oz (189.480 TONNES + .3114 tonnes ex for risk/prior + 1.55 tonnes ex for risk today = 189.651 tonnes
TOTAL COMEX GOLD STANDING FOR FEB.: 189.651 TONNES WHICH IS HUGE FOR THIS ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH IN THE CALENDAR AND THIS IS THE HIGHEST EVER RECORDED FOR ANY FEBRUARY AND THE HIGHEST FOR ANY MONTH FOR THAT MATTER IN COMEX HISTORY!!
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
COMEX GOLD INVENTORIES/CLASSIFICATION
NEW PLEDGED GOLD:
241,794.285 oz NOW PLEDGED /HSBC 5.94 TONNES
204,937.290 OZ PLEDGED MANFRA 3.08 TONNES
83,657.582 PLEDGED JPMorgan no 1 1.690 tonnes
265,999.054, oz JPM No 2
1,152,376.639 oz pledged Brinks/
Manfra: 33,758.550 oz
Delaware: 193.721 oz
International Delaware:: 11,188.542 oz
total pledged gold: 2,174,272.702 oz 67.62 tonnes
TOTAL OF ALL GOLD ELIGIBLE AND REGISTERED GOLD: 33,860.626.573 oz
TOTAL REGISTERED GOLD 16,279,573.170 or 506.363 tonnes
TOTAL OF ALL ELIGIBLE GOLD: 17,581,053.403 OZ
REGISTERED GOLD THAT CAN BE SERVED UPON: 14,105,299 oz (REG GOLD- PLEDGED GOLD)= 438.73 tonnes //
JPMorgan enhanced inventory is now down to 676,159 oz or 32.77% of entire enhanced inventory
total enhanced inventory; down to 2.063 million oz
END
SILVER/COMEX
FEB 6
INITIAL
// THE FEB 2025 SILVER CONTRACT//INITIAL
SILVER/COMEX
FEB 5
INITIAL
// THE FEB 2025 SILVER CONTRACT//INITIAL
| Silver | Ounces |
| Withdrawals from Dealers Inventory | NIL oz |
| Withdrawals from Customer Inventory | out of Brinks: 1190,998.635 oz |
| Deposits to the Dealer Inventory | nil |
| Deposits to the Customer Inventory | 4 entries 1) Into ASAHI 506,291.600 oz 2) Brinks 732,683.979 oz iii) Into CNT 28,894.04 iv) Into JPMorgan: 1319,006.300 oz total weight 2.586 million oz |
| No of oz served today (contracts) | 344 CONTRACT(S) (1,720,000 OZ) |
| No of oz to be served (notices) | 364 contracts (1.820 MILLION oz) |
| Total monthly oz silver served (contracts) | 2747 Contracts (13.735 million oz) |
| Total accumulative withdrawal of silver from the Dealers inventory this month | NIL oz |
| Total accumulative withdrawal of silver from the Customer inventory this month |
i) 0-dealer deposit/
nil
total dealer deposits; nil
i) We had 0 dealer withdrawal
total dealer withdrawals: 0 oz
deposits:
4 entries
1) Into ASAHI 506,291.600 oz
2) Brinks 732,683.979 oz
iii) Into CNT 28,894.04
iv) Into JPMorgan: 1319,006.300 oz
total weight 2.586 million oz
withdrawals 1
i) Out of Brinks 1190,998.635 oz
ADJUSTMENTs 1
a) out of Brinks 1,930,862.98 oz
JPMorgan has a total silver weight: 147.323million oz/360.757million or 40.83%
TOTAL REGISTERED SILVER: 89.483 MILLION OZ//.TOTAL REG + ELIGIBLE. 359.361 million oz
CALCULATIONS FOR THE NEW STANDING FOR SILVER FOR FEBRUARY
silver open interest data:
FRONT MONTH OF FEB /2024 OI: 708 OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS FOR A LOSS OF 236 CONTRACTS.
WE HAD 228 NOTICES FILED ON WEDNESDAY SO WE LOST A SMALL 8 CONTRACTS OR WE EXPERIENCED A 40,000 OZ EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL TRANSFER TO LONDON WHERE THEY WILL WAIT 6 TO 8 MONTHS FOR DELIVERY. WHAT A MESS!
MARCH SAW A LOSS OF 2592 CONTRACTS DOWN TO 118,776. THE FRONT ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH OF MARCH ALSO IS NOT DECLINING MUCH AND WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE A HUMDINGER OF A DELIVERY MONTH FOR MARCH.
APRIL SAW ANOTHER GAIN OF 53 CONTRACTS TO STAND AT 203
MAY SAW A GAIN OF 1258 CONTRACTS UP TO 32,455 CONTRACTS
TOTAL NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED FOR TODAY: 344 for 1.720 MILLION oz
CONFIRMED volume; ON WEDNESDAY 77,712 good//
To calculate the number of silver ounces that will stand for delivery in FEB. we take the total number of notices filed for the month so far at 2747x 5,000 oz = 13.735 MILLION oz
to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of FEB (708) and the number of notices served upon today (344)x (5000 oz)
Thus the standings for silver for the FEB 2025 contract month: 2747 Notices served so far) x 5000 oz + OI for the front month of FEB(708)minus number of notices served upon today (344)x 5000 oz equals silver standing for the FEB contract month equating to 15,555 MILLION OZ.
New total standing: 15.555 million oz which is huge for a non active delivery month of February
There are 81,988 million oz of registered silver.
The record level of silver open interest is 234,787 contracts set on April 21./2017 with the price on that day at $18.42. The previous record was 224,540 contracts with the price at that time of $20.44.
Now that we have surpassed $28.40 the next big line in the sand for silver is $34.76. After that the moon
END
BOTH GLD AND SLV ARE MASSIVE FRAUDS!
GLD AND SLV INVENTORY LEVELS/
FEB 6 WITH GOLD DOWN $18.15 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A DEPOSIT OF 1.14 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
FEB 5 WITH GOLD UP $27.10 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.72 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 863.05 TONNES
FEB 4 WITH GOLD UP $25.00 ON THE DAY; SMALL CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A DEPOSIT OF 0.58 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.77 TONNES
JAN 31 WITH GOLD UP $4.80 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.15 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
JAN 30 WITH GOLD UP $40.95 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE DEPOSIT OF 4.30 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 865.34 TONNES
JAN 29 WITH GOLD DOWN $6.25 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE DEPOSIT OF 4.02 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 861.04 TONNES
JAN 28 WITH GOLD UP $23.05 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 3.16 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD //
JAN 27 WITH GOLD DOWN $36.05 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 5.17 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///
JAN 24 WITH GOLD UP $16.00 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 5.17 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
JAN 23 WITH GOLD DOWN $1.00 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.30 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 869.36 TONNES
JAN 22 WITH GOLD UP $15.15 ON THE DAY; MEGA HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 7.46 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 871.66 TONNES
JAN 20 WITH GOLD UP $35.30 ON THE DAY; MEGA HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A MASSIVE DEPOSIT OF 10.34 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 879.12 TONNES
/JAN 17 WITH GOLD DOWN $9.50 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 3.74 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 868.78 TONNES
JAN 16 WITH GOLD UP $24.10 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
JAN 15 WITH GOLD UP $24.35 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD::A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.01 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
JAN 14 WITH GOLD UP $9.40 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD::A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.29 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 874.53 TONNES
JAN 13 WITH GOLD DOWN $27.75 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD::A DEPOSIT OF 5.74 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 876.82 TONNES
JAN 10 WITH GOLD UP $17.80 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD::A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.44 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 871.08 TONNES
JAN 9 WITH GOLD UP $13.85 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD::A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.44 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 871.08 TONNES
JAN 8 WITH GOLD UP $5.35 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD::A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.44 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 871.08 TONNES
JAN 7 WITH GOLD DOWN $14.50 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
JAN 6 WITH GOLD DOWN $4.90 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
JAN 3 WITH GOLD DOWN $14.00 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
JAN 2 WITH GOLD UP $29.40 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
DEC 31 WITH GOLD UP $20.60 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:: ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
DEC 30 WITH GOLD DOWN $11.95 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 0.28 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD : ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.52 TONNES
DEC 27 WITH GOLD DOWN $17.10 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.15 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD : ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 872.80 TONNES
DEC 26 WITH GOLD UP $17.55 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: : ///INVENTORY RESTS AT 873.95 TONNES
DEC 24 WITH GOLD UP $6.10 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 3.45 TONNES OF GOLD OUT OF THE GLD. / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 873.95 TONNES
DEC 23 WITH GOLD DOWN $13,75 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A DEPOSIT OF 16.66 TONNES OF GOLD VAPOUR GOLD INTO THE GLD. / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 877.40 TONNES
DEC 20 WITH GOLD UP $29,75 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF 3.16 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 860.74 TONNES
DEC 19 WITH GOLD DOWN $45.00 ON THE DAY; SMALL CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD:A WITHDRAWAL OF .29 TONNES OF GOLD FROM THE GLD. / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 863.90 TONNES
DEC 18 WITH GOLD DOWN $8.40 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
DEC 17 WITH GOLD DOWN $6.85 ON THE DAY; SMALL CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 0.23 TONNES INTO THE GLD / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 864.19 TONNES
DEC 16 WITH GOLD DOWN $2.80 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.70 TONNES INTO THE GLD / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 863.90 TONNES
DEC 13 WITH GOLD DOWN $24.55 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.78 TONNES INTO THE GLD / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 868.60 TONNES
DEC 12 WITH GOLD DOWN $34.00 ON THE DAY; HUGE CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: A DEPOSIT OF 2.59 TONNES INTO THE GLD / // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 873.38 TONNES
DEC 11 WITH GOLD UP $29.75 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD: // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 870.79 TONNES
DEC 9 WITH GOLD UP $31.10 ON THE DAY; NO CHANGES IN GOLD AT THE GLD. // : .///INVENTORY RESTS AT 871.94 TONNES
GLD INVENTORY: 864.19 TONNES, TONIGHTS TOTAL
SILVER
FEB 6 WITH SILVER DOWN $0.17 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 12.383 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 430.39 MILLION OZ
FEB 5 WITH SILVER UP $0.45 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 3.285 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 442.773 MILLION OZ
FEB 4 WITH SILVER UP $0.81 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.550 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 446.331 MILLION OZ
FEB 4 WITH SILVER UP $0.81 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.550 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 446.331 MILLION OZ
FEB 3 WITH SILVER UP ONE CENT //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.550 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 446.331 MILLION OZ
JAN 31 WITH SILVER DOWN $0.19 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.369 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 448.881 MILLION OZ
jAN 30 WITH SILVER UP $0.76 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.003 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 451.249 MILLION OZ
jAN 29 WITH SILVER UP $0.34 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.639 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 453.252 MILLION OZ
jAN 28 WITH SILVER UP $0.34 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.821 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. /
jAN 27 WITH SILVER DOWN $.61 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.64 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 457.395 MILLION OZ
JAN 24 WITH SILVER DOWN $.21 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.64 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 457.395 MILLION OZ
JAN 23 WITH SILVER DOWN $.41 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 4.738 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 459.035 MILLION OZ
JAN 22 WITH SILVER UP $.08 //SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A DEPOSIT OF 0.721 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 464.043 MILLION OZ
JAN 20 WITH SILVER DOWN $.09 //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.568 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.315 MILLION OZ
JAN 17 WITH SILVER DOWN $.49 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV : A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.568 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV./. //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.315 MILLION OZ
JAN 16 WITH SILVER UP $0.23 //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 464.863 MILLION OZ
JAN 15 WITH SILVER UP $0.79 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 4.745 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 464.863 MILLION OZ
JAN 14 WITH SILVER UP $0.15 //SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 0.228 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 460.218 MILLION OZ
JAN 13 WITH SILVER DOWN $0.69 //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 0.637 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 459.990 MILLION OZ
JAN 10 WITH SILVER UP $0.19 CENTS //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.484 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 459,353 MILLION OZ
JAN 9 WITH SILVER UP $0.08 CENTS //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.484 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 459,353 MILLION OZ
JAN 8 WITH SILVER DOWN $0.01 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.484 MILLION OZ OUT OF THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.837 MILLION OZ
JAN 7 WITH SILVER UP 48 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 1.709 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.837 MILLION OZ
JAN 6 WITH SILVER UP 38 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 1.709 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.837 MILLION OZ
JAN 3 WITH SILVER UP 17 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 1.709 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.837 MILLION OZ
JAN 2 WITH SILVER UP 45 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: A DEPOSIT OF 1.616 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 462.128 MILLION OZ
DEC 31 WITH SILVER DOWN 14 CENTS //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 460.512 MILLION OZ
DEC 30 WITH SILVER DOWN 39 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: // A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.13 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV//INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 460.512 MILLION OZ
DEC 27 WITH SILVER DOWN 24 CENTS //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV: // //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 461.651 MILLION OZ
DEC 24 WITH SILVER UP 2 CENTS //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.747 MILLION OZ
DEC 23 WITH SILVER UP 19 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/////A DEPOSIT OF 6.15 MILLION OZ INTO THE SLV //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.747 MILLION OZ
DEC 20 WITH SILVER UP 43 CENTS //SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/////A DEPOSIT OF 183,000 OZ INTO THE SLV //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 457.597 MILLION OZ
DEC 19 WITH SILVER DOWN 25 CENTS //NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV///// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 457.414 MILLION OZ
DEC 18 WITH SILVER DOWN 19 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A WITHDRAWAL OF 1.094 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 457.414 MILLION OZ
DEC 17 WITH SILVER DOWN 12 CENTS //SMALL CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A DEPOSIT OF 0.456 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 458.052 MILLION OZ
DEC 16 WITH SILVER DOWN 0 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A WITHDRAWAL OF 4.84 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 458.052 MILLION OZ
DEC 13 WITH SILVER DOWN 46 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A WITHDRAWAL OF .536 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 462.892 MILLION OZ
DEC 12 WITH SILVER DOWN 94 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 5.787 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 463.428 MILLION OZ
DEC 11 WITH SILVER UP 10 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 2.597 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 469.215 MILLION OZ
DEC 10 WITH SILVER DOWN 8 CENTS //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.868 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 471.812 MILLION OZ
DEC 9 WITH SILVER UP $0.91 //HUGE CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV A MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF 1.367 MILLION OZ FROM THE SLV/// //INVENTORY AT SLV RESTS AT 473.680 MILLION OZ
CLOSING INVENTORY 430.39 MILLION OZ//
PHYSICAL GOLD/SILVER COMMENTARIES
1/ PETER SCHIFF/SCHIFF GOLD/MIKE MAHARRY
END
2/ Commentaries from: Egon von Greyerz///Matthew Piepenburg via GoldSwitzerland.com, Pam and Russ Martens
ALASDAIR MACLEOD….
Gold bullion and gold credit
The current Comex crisis is the ultimate conflict between possession of bullion and unallocated bullion promises. That credit is now being called in, which is why bullion is demanded.
| Alasdair MacleodFeb 6∙Paid |
Over fifty years ago, the US Treasury moved to replace gold as the common international monetary reference with the dollar. Since then, the dollar has reigned supreme. It is taking only a matter of weeks to bring the post-Bretton Woods era to a crashing end. The implications go far beyond a little local difficulty for Comex’s gold contract.
Credit and bullion
In an earlier posting, I posited that the crisis in paper gold centres on “deliveries” of over 2,200 tonnes of gold over the last four years to market participants who stood for delivery. Putting together fragmentary evidence, it becomes clear that the conflicting interests of credit and bullion markets have come to a head. Since President Trump was elected on 5 November, the pace of these supposed deliveries has increased, particularly since the New Year. Up to 4 February, 204.8 tonnes have stood for delivery, an annualised pace of over 2,000 tonnes.
This increased pace appears to be causing huge problems for the Comex futures contract, which has risen to significant premiums over spot — a sign that the futures market is desperately short of physical gold. This is not a simple problem of not enough prudential cover for outstanding contracts, which are worth about 1,700 tonnes because the quantity of bullion being shipped into Comex warehouses is more than enough for that purpose. The chart below, from MacroMicro illustrates this history and the current position, of 1,034 tonnes which is 60% of the gold contract’s total value.
Comex warehouses aren’t short. Furthermore, it is suspected that JPMorgan and HSBC have been shipping gold bullion into their private New York vaults as well. Yet still, the panic for physical bullion continues, reflecting the crisis in 2020 triggered by covid lockdowns.
Reportedly, the premiums on the Comex contract have led to a global arbitrage which has cleaned out the London vaults of their liquidity, led to a run on the Bank of England’s vault in Threadneedle Street, and according to Reuters even led to Indian gold held in tax exempt bonded warehouses being tapped. It is a phenomenon which is draining the world of all its gold bullion liquidity. And still more is demanded.
The problem appears to be that gold which has been stood for delivery has routinely not been delivered. Instead, these participants have been given assurances in the form of certificates issued by bullion banks as evidence of their ownership. But a certificate is no more than an obligation to deliver. In other words, it is the equivalent of an unallocated gold account at a bullion bank as opposed to gold held custodially under bailment.
Standing for delivery does not extend to actual possession.
In normal circumstances, it might suit someone who has stood for delivery to accept a promise from a major too-big-to-fail bullion bank that the gold is safe, and that there is no need to take delivery nor to pay storage fees. But if that trust is eroded, either by systemic or political risk, then real delivery is likely to be demanded. And it is here that the ratio of stands for delivery to Comex warehouse stocks becomes important. Since January 2021 to today, that is 2,319 tonnes demanded which is covered by only 1,034 tonnes.
This was never a problem until covid lockdowns, when a similar crisis to that of today developed. As can be seen in the chart above, it led to a spike in warehouse stocks to 1,217 tonnes in February 2021. Since then, Comex stocks migrated to London and thence to Asia. At the same time, stand-for-deliveries were increasing as the table below illustrates:
Admittedly, we cannot know what has actually been delivered out of Comex vaults to those who have insisted on possession. We know from Kevin Bambrough’s posting on X (referred to in my earlier article posted 4 February) how difficult it is to take physical delivery out of Comex vaults with multiple hurdles placed in the way of doing so. And we don’t know how much of the gold might have been sold back into the markets. But the bulk of gold stood for delivery almost certainly still exists in the form of bullion bank promises to deliver.
It is easy to imagine how the election of President Trump with all the uncertainty that brings will have panicked those owning mere promises to seek physical possession. The only solution appears to be for gold to rise sufficiently to unlock enough bullion to meet this demand. But this leads to the additional problem of systemic risk from bullion banks not being able to deliver triggering a wider flight out of credit into gold, instead of out of gold into credit which would be profit taking.
Silver
From MacroMicro’s chart, we can see that there are 11,154 tonnes of silver in Comex warehouses. The stand-for-deliveries from 2021 to date have been 25,712.4 tonnes, similar to the gross value of Comex silver contracts. With silver having been in supply deficit for many years, the consequences for the silver price could be even more explosive. Undoubtedly, by withdrawing 665 tonnes from Comex warehouses between 16 February 2021 and 24 October 2024, much of the global shortfall was covered. That supply has been reversed into demand, a factor which appears to yet be reflected in the silver price.
It’s not just gold…
There is a danger that with gold being central to the entire monetary system (it’s not dollars — that’s macroeconomic errors based on US Treasury propaganda), systemic problems in gold futures and forwards could undermine the entire derivatives complex. It is an integral part of the entire credit bubble, the order of which’s implosion will be revealed in time.
3. CHRIS POWELL AND GATA DISPATCHES
Royal Marines wouldn’t need a month or two to empty Bank of England’s gold vault
Submitted by admin on Wed, 2025-02-05 20:21 Section: Daily Dispatches
8:25p ET Wednesday, February 5, 2024
Dear Friend of GATA and Gold:
Bloomberg News seemed surprised today as it reported that “gold in the Bank of England vault is trading at a discount to the wider market, as fears over potential Trump tariffs spark a scramble for bullion that’s resulting in weeks-long queues to withdraw metal”:
But it’s hardly surprising that, amid the turmoil in the gold market, the bank’s promise to deliver metal in a month or two is worth less than actual metal to be delivered today or tomorrow, especially since the bank’s excuse for failing to deliver promptly is pretty lame — that there are so many demands to buy or lease gold from the bank and from the governments and bullion banks that store gold there that the bank needs four to eight weeks to get the metal out of the vault and process the orders.
If a raging fire broke out at banker hangout Brasserie Blanc and was working its way down Threadneedle Street, showering embers on the grand old Royal Exchange building across from the bank, the Royal Marines would empty the bank’s gold vault in about 35 minutes. They might haul all the metal around the corner to the Bank of China in Basildon House, ask to borrow the lobby for a few hours, and set the remaining pallets on the sidewalks outside with a heavy guard of armored fighting vehicles. (The British armed forces still have at least five of those left outside military museums.)
Indeed, at first the tellers at the Bank of China might think the visit was just another delivery for transport to Shanghai.
If the Bank of England can’t oblige gold sale or lease requests in less than a month or two, it almost certainly means that even if gold remains in the bank’s vault, its owners are not willing to sell or lease it, having realized that the 50-year fractional-reserve gold banking system engineered by the United States and the United Kingdom is coming to an end, now that many central banks have stopped cooperating with it and have switched from leasing and price-suppression mode to repatriation and revaluation mode.
But Bloomberg News, the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and all the other mainstream financial news organizations will be the last to report it.
CHRIS POWELL, Secretary/Treasurer
Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee Inc.
CPowell@GATA.org
end
4. ANDREW MAGUIRE A MUST MUST VIEW…YOUTUBE/KINESIS LIVE FROM THE VAULT 208
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5 B GLOBAL COMMODITY ISSUES/FOOD IN GENERAL//FREIGHT/COMMODITIES: COMMODITY//
end
6 CRYPTOCURRENCY NEWS
END
ASIA TRADING THURSDAY MORNING WEDNESDAY NIGHT
SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 46.17 PTS OR 1.27%
//Hang Seng CLOSED UP 294.53 PTS OR 1.43 %
// Nikkei CLOSED UP 235.05 OR 0.61%//Australia’s all ordinaries CLOSED UP 1.23%
//Chinese yuan (ONSHORE) CLOSED DOWN TO 7.2888 CHINESE YUAN OFFSHORE CLOSED DOWN TO 7.2926// Oil DOWN TO 71.46 dollars per barrel for WTI and BRENT DOWN AT 74.97 Stocks in Europe OPENED MOSTLY ALL GREEN
ONSHORE USA/ YUAN TRADING ABOVE LEVEL OF OFFSHORE YUAN/ONSHORE YUAN TRADING
WEAKER AGAINST US DOLLAR/OFFSHORE YUAN WEAKER
END
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1.YOUR EARLY CURRENCY VALUES/GOLD AND SILVER PRICING/ASIAN AND EUROPEAN BOURSE MOVEMENTS/AND INTEREST RATE SETTINGS /THURSDAY MORNING.7:30 AM
ONSHORE YUAN: CLOSED DOWN AT 7.2888
OFFSHORE YUAN: DOWN TO 7.2926
SHANGHAI CLOSED CLOSED UP 46.17 PTS OR 1.27%
HANG SENG CLOSED CLOSED UP 294.53 PTS OR 1.43%
2. Nikkei closed UP 235.05 OR 0.61%
3. Europe stocks SO FAR: ALL GREEN
USA dollar INDEX UP TO 107.86 EURO FALLS TO 1.0359 DOWN 39 BASIS PT HEADING TO PARITY WITH USA
3b Japan 10 YR bond yield: RISES TO. +1.285 Japan buying 100% of bond issuance)/Japanese YEN vs USA cross now at 152.39…… JAPANESE YEN NOW FALLING AS WE HAVE NOW REACHED THE RE EMERGING OF THE YEN CARRY TRADE AGAIN AFTER DISASTROUS POLICY ISSUED BY UEDA
3c Nikkei now ABOVE 17,000
3d USA/Yen rate now well ABOVE the important 120 barrier this morning
3e Gold DOWN /JAPANESE Yen UP// CHINESE ONSHORE YUAN: DOWN OFFSHORE: DOWN
3f Japan is to buy INFINITE TRILLION YEN worth of BONDS. Japan’s GDP equals 5 trillion USA
Japan to buy 100% of all new Japanese debt and NOW they will have OVER 50% of all Japanese debt.
3g Oil DOWN for WTI and DOWN FOR UP this morning
3h European bond buying continues to push yields lower on all fronts in the EMU. German 10yr bund YIELD UP TO +2.3765 Italian 10 Yr bond yield UP to 3.454//SPAIN 10 YR BOND YIELD UP TO 3.034
3i Greek 10 year bond yield UP TO 3.219
3j Gold at $2850.00 /Silver at: 32.00 1 am est) SILVER NEXT RESISTANCE LEVEL AT $50.00//AFTER 28.40
3k USA vs Russian rouble;// Russian rouble UP 1 AND 9/100 roubles/dollar; ROUBLE AT 96.89
3m oil into the 74 dollar handle for WTI and 71 handle for Brent/
3n Higher foreign deposits moving out of China// huge risk of outflows and a currency depreciation. This can spell financial disaster for the rest of the world/
JAPAN ON JAN 29.2016 CONTINUES NIRP. THIS MORNING RAISES AMOUNT OF BONDS THAT THEY WILL PURCHASE UP TO .5% ON THE 10 YR BOND///YEN TRADES TO 152.39 10 YEAR YIELD AFTER FIRST BREAKING .54% LAST YEAR NOW EXCEEDS THAT LEVEL TO 1.285% STILL ON CENTRAL BANK (JAPAN) INTERVENTION//YEN CARRY TRADE IS NOW UNWINDING.
30 SNB (Swiss National Bank) still intervening again in the markets driving down the FRANC. It is not working: USA/SF this 0.9018 as the Swiss Franc is still rising against most currencies. Euro vs SF: 0.9385 well above the floor set by the Swiss Finance Minister. Thomas Jordan, chief of the Swiss National Bank continues to purchase euros trying to lower value of the Swiss Franc.
USA 10 YR BOND YIELD: 4.493 UP 1 BASIS PTS…
USA 30 YR BOND YIELD: 4.658. UP 2 BASIS PTS/
USA 2 YR BOND YIELD: 4.214 UP 2 BASIS PTS
USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 35.89…
10 YR UK BOND YIELD: 4.4850 UP 5 PTS
10 YR CANADA BOND YIELD: 3.008 UP 6 BASIS PTS
5 YR CANADA BOND YIELD: 2.673 UP 4 PTS.
2a New York OPENING REPORT
Futures Fluctuate Amid Disappointing Earnings As Dollar, Yields Rise
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 08:29 AM
US equity futures are slightly higher despite heavyweights such as including Ford and Qualcomm slumping in premarket trading after disappointing earnings while tech underperformed on mixed Mag7/Semis pre-mkt price action. As of 8:15am, S&P 500 futures were little changed after erasing an early gain fueled by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s comment that the Trump administration is focusing on bringing down the Treasury 10-year yield. Contracts on the Nasdaq 100 were unchanged. Bond yields and the USD finally reverse recent losses and rise this morning while commodities are stronger across all of Ags, Energy, and Metals ex-Precious. Scott Bessent said that the Administration is focused on lowering the 10Y yield rather than the Fed Funds rates; the best way to decrease yields is through a lower budget deficit. In other news, HON is splitting into 3 companies. Today’s macro focus is on Jobless data and the BOE decision. The Fed speaker slate includes Waller (2:30pm) and Logan (5:10pm), and we get earnings from Amazon after the close.
In premarket trading, Qualcomm, the world’s biggest seller of smartphone processors, fell more than 5% on investor concern that demand for the devices will cool. Ford also tumbled more than 6% after warning that US tariffs would weigh on US carmakers’ profits. Skyworks Solutions, a chip supplier to Apple Inc., plunged more than 20% after saying competition in the industry is intensifying. Apple shares also retreated. Meanwhile, Honeywell International Inc. slid more than 5% after saying it will split into separate publicly traded companies following pressure from an activist investor. here are all the notable premarket movers:
- Apple (AAPL) edges 0.5% lower after disappointing updates and smartphone commentary from two of its key suppliers, including Qualcomm and Skyworks.
- Arm Holdings (ARM) slips 3% after the chip-design company provided a tepid outlook, underlining concerns about the pace of spending on AI.
- Bausch + Lomb Corp. (BHC) declines 4% after the eye-health company said it won’t go private at this time.
- Bristol Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) slips 3% after releasing sales and profit forecasts for 2025 below Wall Street’s expectations — a sign the company’s return to growth may take longer than anticipated.
- Chinese stocks listed in the US are broadly higher as analysts say Beijing’s retaliatation to Donald Trump’s tariffs is relatively measured and appears to be aimed at increasing its bargaining power at trade talks. Alibaba (BABA) +1.5%, Nio (NIO) +1%, PDD (PDD) +1%
- Coherent (COHR) rises 13% after the semiconductor device company reported results and guidance ahead of expectations.
- FormFactor (FORM) a provider of test and measurement equipment designed for chipmakers, drops 25% after providing a 1Q profit forecast that’s well short of estimates.
- Impinj (PI) sinks 21% after forecasting first quarter revenue that trailed the average analyst estimate.
- Molina (MOH) falls 5% after the managed-care company reported quarterly adjusted earnings per share that fell below Wall Street expectations.
- Peloton Interactive Inc. (PTON) rises 13% after reporting that cost cuts have bolstered profit more than anticipated, even as its revenue continues to shrink.
- Qualcomm (QCOM) falls 4% amid investor concerns that demand for new smartphones will cool in 2025. Analysts, however, note that the results for the first quarter were positive.
- Salesforce (CRM) slips 1% after the software company announced management changes. It created a new role naming its lead board director, Robin Washington, as president and chief operating and financial officer (COFO), effective March 21.
- Skyworks Solutions (SWKS) plunges 30% after the semiconductor device company reported its first-quarter results and outlook.
- Symbotic (SYM) slides 17% after the factory automation technology company gave guidance that missed the average analyst estimate.
- Tapestry Inc. (TPR) rises 14% after the company raised its guidance again for the year on stronger-than-expected sales at its biggest brand Coach.
- Tesla (TSLA) is set to extend losses, falling 1.6%, after sales plummeted 59% last month in Germany, adding to indications that Elon Musk’s political activities are hurting the carmaker’s business in major EV markets.
- TTM Tech (TTMI) rises 17% after first-quarter forecasts for adjusted EPS and revenue topped the average analyst estimates at the midpoints.
- Under Armour (UAA) climbs 9% after the company raised its annual profit guidance, signaling that its turnaround strategy is working.
- Yum! Brands (YUM) rises about 2% as sales surpassed expectations, powered by growth at Taco Bell as the fast-food chain continues to sidestep a slowdown that has plagued many competitors.
In an interview on Fox Business, Bessent said that when it comes to the Federal Reserve, “I will only talk about what they’ve done, not what I think they should do from now on.” He repeated his view that expanding energy supply will help lower inflation. But some investors said 10-year yields are unlikely to go much lower while sticky prices and a resilient economy damp expectations of further Fed policy easing.
The 10-year Treasury yield ticked about two basis points higher on Thursday, though it’s still close to a one-month low. “It is difficult to see the 10-year yield come down a lot unless the economy slows significantly,“ said David Zahn, a senior vice president at Franklin Templeton Investment Management. “If that happens, which isn’t what they want, then I can see 10-year yields going lower.”
While there was some news relief out of the White House, which did not make any major announcements overnight, more earnings are expected today, with Amazon.com Inc. due to release results after the close. US data on jobless claims will also on traders’ radar today, with the payrolls report due tomorrow.
Europe’s Stoxx 600 benchmark rose 0.8% to an intraday record after another batch of solid corporate updates from the region. Health care and banks are among the best performing sectors after strong results from AstraZeneca and Societe Generale. A. P. Moller-Maersk A/S surged almost 9% after announcing a $2 billion buyback. Miners are leading gains as iron ore prices climb over 2%. UK stocks outperformed and the pound fell after the Bank of England cut interest rates, as expected, and traders added to bets on further easing. In economic news, German factory orders surged in December, adding to evidence that the outlook for the beleaguered sector may be improving. Here are the most notable European movers:
- European miners rise after positive earnings from companies including Anglo American, Boliden and ArcelorMittal. Prices for iron ore and base metals also climbed on expectations of a Chinese demand recovery following Lunar New Year holidays
- Societe Generale shares jumped as much as 10% after the French lender reported what analysts say are good results that help confirm the recovery in French retail banking
- AstraZeneca shares rose as much as 5.6%, the most since April, after the drugmaker reported better-than-expected core EPS and revenue for the fourth quarter, and provided guidance for 2025
- Siemens Healthineers shares jumped as much as 7.7%, to the highest since March 2022, after the German medical technology company reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue for the first quarter
- ArcelorMittal shares rose as much 6.7%, to the highest intraday since April, after the world’s biggest steelmaker outside China reported Ebitda for the fourth quarter that beat the average analyst estimate
- Maersk shares gained as much as 11%, the most since March 2020, after the Danish shipping giant’s fourth-quarter results beat estimates. The announcement of a buyback program worth as much as $2 billion is positive, Barclays said
- Orsted shares gained as much as 7.9%, the most since October, after the Danish offshore wind giant cut its investment plans by 25%
- ING Groep NV declined as much as 4.2% after the lender missed 4Q profit estimates on higher costs, while net interest income declined 5% from a year earlier as lower policy rates weighed
- Soitec shares slumped as much as 32%, to the lowest since March 2020, after the wafer maker reduced its outlook for fiscal 2025 and said growth for fiscal 2026 will be “quite limited”
- IMI shares dropped as much as 2.7% after the engineering company said it is currently responding to a cyber security incident involving unauthorized access to the company’s systems
- Kering shares fell as much as 3.8% after the luxury-goods maker said it’s ending its collaboration with Sabato de Sarno, the creative director of its Gucci label
Earlier in the session, Asian equities rose, on track for a third day of gains, boosted by technology shares as a sense of calm returned after gyrations earlier in the week on global trade tensions. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index advanced as much as 0.4% Thursday to the highest since December 17. Tech firms TSMC and Samsung Electronics were among the top contributors after their customer Nvidia jumped 5% on positive news for its new Blackwell chip. BYD also led the region higher after Cailianshe reported the Chinese carmaker will hold an event Monday to introduce its smart-driving strategy. Chinese equities rebounded from Wednesday’s losses on tariff concerns. Tech shares tied to AI and robotics climbed amid continued optimism on industry developments, even as e-commerce stocks remained weak on concerns over regulations for shipments to the US.
In FX, the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index rises 0.3% and the Japanese yen is flat having pared an earlier advance seen after BOJ board member Naoki Tamura flagged the need for two or more interest rate hikes by early next year.
In rates, treasuries are slightly cheaper on the day into early US session, having pared small declines amid UK bond rally. Gilts outperform after Bank of England cut rates by 25bp to 4.5% in a 7-2 vote, with dissenters favoring a half-point cut. US session includes weekly jobless claims data at 8:30am New York time. US yields are as much as 2bp higher across maturities, with curve spreads mostly holding Wednesday’s dramatic flattening move; 10-year around 4.44% is ~2bp cheaper on the day, trailing bunds and gilts in the sector by 1bp and 4bp. Gilts shook off early weakness to outperform their US and German peers, most notably at the short-end of the curve ahead of the Bank of England decision. UK two-year yields fall ~3 bps to 4.12%. The pound is also the weakest of the G-10 currencies, falling 0.7% against the greenback having extended the lows after UK construction PMI came in notably below estimates. US and German borrowing costs are slightly higher on the day.
In commodities, WTI rises 1% to $71.70 a barrel. Spot gold falls $6 to around $2,860/oz. Bitcoin climbs 2% to near $99,000.
Looking to the day ahead now, one of the main highlights was the Bank of England’s policy decision where the central bank cut rates by 25bps as expected and left space for more rate cuts, sending the pound tumbling. Central bank speakers will include BoE Governor Bailey, BoC Governor Macklem, the ECB’s Nagel and Escriva, and the Fed’s Waller and Logan. Otherwise, data releases include the weekly initial jobless claims from the US, Euro Area retail sales for December and German factory orders for December. Finally, earnings releases include Amazon.
Market Snapshot
- S&P 500 futures up 0.2% to 6,101.50
- MXAP up 0.2% to 184.67
- MXAPJ up 0.5% to 579.21
- Nikkei up 0.6% to 39,066.53
- Topix up 0.2% to 2,752.20
- Hang Seng Index up 1.4% to 20,891.62
- Shanghai Composite up 1.3% to 3,270.66
- Sensex down 0.3% to 78,050.59
- Australia S&P/ASX 200 up 1.2% to 8,520.71
- Kospi up 1.1% to 2,536.75
- STOXX Europe 600 up 0.8% to 542.63
- German 10Y yield little changed at 2.39%
- Euro down 0.4% to $1.0363
- Brent Futures up 0.6% to $75.04/bbl
- Gold spot down 0.3% to $2,857.93
- US Dollar Index up 0.38% to 107.99
Top Overnight News
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business that the Trump administration wants to make the 2017 tax cut permanent, and added that Trump wants lower interest rates and is focused on the 10-year treasury yield. Furthermore, he said Trump is not calling for the Fed to lower interest rates and interest rates will take care of themselves if they get energy costs down and deregulate economy. He gave no indication he was in favor of direct intervention. BBG
- US government vessels will now be able to transit the Panama Canal without charge fees, according to the State Department, which added it’ll save “millions of dollars a year.” BBG
- The Trump administration’s offer to buy out federal employees is said to have attracted over 40,000 sign-ups, about 2% of the workforce. It expects more applications by the end of the day deadline. BBG
- US lawmakers are reportedly pushing to ban Chinese AI start-up’s DeepSeek app from US government devices over security concerns, according to WSJ sources.
- US President Trump’s USTR nominee Greer says US needs an active and pragmatic trade policy to foster growth; resilient supply chains are critical; US needs robust manufacturing base.
- Honeywell International is preparing to split into three independent companies, marking the end of an era for one of America’s last big industrial conglomerates. Honeywell announced Thursday plans to separate its aerospace division from its automation business and move ahead with plans to spin off its advanced-materials arm. WSJ
- Fed’s Jefferson (voter) said they need to look at the totality of the net effect of the Trump administration’s influence on policy goals and he is happy to keep policy at the current level of restrictiveness until there is a better sense of the totality of impacts. Jefferson also stated that even with a 100bps decline, the Fed’s rate is still restrictive, which allows the Fed to be patient and wait to see the net effect of policy changes.
- Fed released 2025 stress test scenarios which include heightened stress in commercial and residential real estate, as well as corporate debt markets.
- Treasury Secretary Bessent said the Trump administration wants to make the 2017 tax cut permanent, while he added that Trump wants lower interest rates and is focused on the 10-year treasury yield. Furthermore, he said Trump is not calling for the Fed to lower interest rates and interest rates will take care of themselves if they get energy costs down and deregulate economy.
- Naoki Tamura of the BOJs policy board on Thursday called for potentially faster interest-rate increases, sending the yen to its strongest level against the dollar in eight weeks. He stated said that the central bank should raise rates to 1% or higher in the fiscal half starting in October and that that level is likely consistent with a neutral rate setting that is neither restrictive nor stimulating for the economy. WSJ
- Japan has “completely” ended deflation and it’s natural for the central bank to proceed with rate hikes to normalize policy, according to former BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda. BBG
- The UK’s SONIA rose for five sessions through Tuesday — the first consecutive gains since April — reflecting the BOE’s ongoing efforts to drain excess liquidity from the financial system.
- The BOE cut rates by 25 bps to 4.5% today as expected. The big surprise was that two members of the Monetary Policy Committee voted for 50 basis point cut. BOE’s Bailey confirmed taking ‘gradual and careful’ approach to cuts. BBG
- Manufacturing orders in Germany rose in December on the back of aerospace orders, although any tentative signs of a recovery for the struggling industrial sector face the imminent threat of tariffs from the U.S. German factory orders for Dec come in strong at +6.9% M/M (vs. the Street +2%). WSJ
Earnings
- Arm Holdings (ARM) -3.5%: Beat, Q4 guidance aligned with forecasts defying anticipation of a stronger guide.
- Ford (F) -4.7%: Q4 beat, 2025 guide cautious.
- Qualcomm (QCOM) -5.1%: Q1 beat, attention on slowing smartphone demand.
- ArcelorMittal (MT NA) +5.7%: Q3 soft Y/Y, expects higher demand in FY25 Y/Y.
- AstraZeneca (AZN LN) +5.3%: Q4 Beat.
- Hannover Re (HNR1 GY) -1.2%: FY mixed, confirms guidance.
- ING (INGA NA) -2.5%: Q4 mixed, NII beat.
- Maersk (MAERSKB DC) +8.5%: Q4 & FY24 beat.
- Pernod Ricard (RI FP) +2.6%: H1 miss, cuts FY guidance given China and US challenges.
- Siemens Healthineers (SHL GY) +5.9%: Q1 beat, affirms guidance.
- SocGen (GLE FP) +9.4%: Q4 beat, EUR 872mln buyback.
- Volvo Car (VOLCARB SS) -8.7%: Q4 Revenue beat, expects a continued weak market in 2025.
- Linde PLC (LIN) Q4 2024 (USD): adj. EPS 3.97 (exp. 3.93), Revenue 8.3bln (exp. 8.4bln)
A more detailed look at global markets courtesy of Newsquawk
APAC stocks followed suit to the gains on Wall St where sentiment was underpinned amid a softer yield environment and the lack of trade war escalation. ASX 200 outperformed with the index led higher by strength in financials, consumer discretionary and gold-related stocks. Nikkei 225 advanced at the open and reclaimed the 39,000 level but then briefly pared the majority of the gains owing to yen strength and comments from hawkish BoJ board member Tamura. Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp conformed to the constructive mood in the region amid a lack of major escalation on the trade front with the US Postal Services flip-flopping on suspending parcels from Hong Kong and China, while China initiated a WTO dispute complaint regarding US tariffs although this was as previously announced. SK Innovation (096770 KS) – Expects about KRW 6tln in capex this year, adds a delay in EV market demand growth recovery is expected in the short term due to the Trump administration and automakers recalibrating their electrification business.
Top Asian news
- BoJ Board Member Tamura said they need to raise rates in a gradual and timely manner and that a 0.75% rate would still be negative in real terms, while he added the BoJ must raise rates to levels deemed neutral on a nominal basis which is at least around 1% and must raise rates to at least around 1% in the latter half of fiscal 2025.
- Tamura said he personally does not think BoJ’s past massive monetary easing had a positive effect as a whole given its strong side effects and they must scrutinise whether prolonged monetary easing could cause problems such as excessive yen falls and housing price spikes.
- Furthermore, he said the BoJ shouldn’t persist in achieving 2% inflation as long as Japan is experiencing moderate price rises, as well as commented that he has no preset idea about the pace of interest rate hikes and the pace of interest rate hikes may not necessarily be once every half year.
European bourses (Stoxx 600 +0.7%) began the session modestly firmer across the board, and continued to climb higher as the morning progressed. European sectors hold a strong positive bias, with only a couple of industries in the red with losses minimal. Basic Resources is the clear outperformer in Europe today; Anglo American (+4%) after its Q4 Production Update. Healthcare is lifted by post-earning strength in AstraZeneca (+4.9%).
Top European News
- UK PM Starmer wants to “axe Rachel Reeves in bombshell reshuffle”, according to Express. “In a shock move, the Prime Minister is considering moving Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to the Treasury to boost the country’s economic fortunes”. “Insiders say an ‘active process is going on’ as Sir Keir considers how and when to execute a reshuffle, which is most likely to happen in the Spring”.
- ECB’s Cipollone says there is still room for adj. rates downward. US tariffs on China could force the dumping of goods in Europe, weighing on growth and inflation. Soft landing remains the main scenario, no recession seen.
- UK Citi/YouGov inflation survey: 12-month ahead 3.5% (prev. 3.7%), 5-10 years ahead 3.7% (prev. 3.9%)
FX
- DXY is firmer vs. all peers after a run of three negative sessions for the DXY, spurred on by greater optimism on the trade front, which brought US yields lower. Today sees the release of weekly claims figures and remarks from Fed’s Waller, Daly and Jefferson. DXY holds around the 108 handle with a session high at 108.05.
- EUR/USD has made its way back onto a 1.03 handle after venturing as high as 1.0442 yesterday. ECB’s Cipollone highlighted that US tariffs on China could force the dumping of goods in Europe, weighing on growth and inflation. 1.0357 is the current session low with not much in the way of support until the 1.03 mark.
- JPY is on the backfoot vs. the USD but to a lesser extent than peers on account of hawkish comments from BoJ hawk Tamura overnight who put forward his view that the Bank needs to raise rates to at least around 1% in the latter half of fiscal 2025. USD/JPY went as low as 151.82 overnight (lowest since 12th Dec) but has since returned to a 152 handle.
- GBP is softer vs. the USD and to a lesser extent the EUR in the run-up to today’s BoE policy announcement. Expectations are for a 25bps rate cut via an 8-1 vote split. Attention will be on any tweaks to forward guidance and how macro projections in the accompanying MPR indicate how loose/tight the MPC views current policy. Cable has made its way back onto a 1.24 handle and back below its 50DMA at 1.2498.
- Antipodeans are both on the backfoot vs. the USD in quiet newsflow as a run of three consecutive sessions of gains comes to a halt.
- PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 7.1691 vs exp. 7.2535 (prev. 7.1693).
- Reuters Poll: Short bets on the KRW, MYR & THB at lowest since October 31st, bearish bets on INR at highest since mid-July 2022.
Fixed Income
- USTs are in the red, weighed on overnight in tandem with JGBs on hawkish commentary from BoJ’s Tamura (hawk) who stated they must raise rates to at least around 1% in the latter half of FY25. More broadly, the benchmark is trimming some of the upside seen on Wednesday with yields picking back up after their pullback. Thus far, USTs down to a 109-16 base vs Wednesday’s 109-29 peak; if the move extends, support factors at 109-02 before the figure and then 108-25+. US Jobless Claims, Challenger Layoffs and a few Fed speakers due.
- Bunds are in the red and spent much of the morning towards the 133.14 session low. Pressure which comes as the complex unwinds some of the pullback in yields that was a feature of yesterday’s session for global benchmarks. Aside from Construction PMIs, docket has been light; currently trading around 133.41 vs peak at 133.53.
- Gilt downside in-fitting with peers, but to a much lesser extent as we count down to the BoE, Newsquawk preview available. A poor set of data and general lifting in the fixed income complex has brought Gilts just into the green. Gilts were pulled off lows by a particularly dire UK Construction PMI for January. A release which saw Gilts jump from 93.55 to 93.70 and thereafter to a 93.84 peak, which then continued to make a session high at 93.93. Thereafter, it was reported that PM Starmer is said to be considering removing Chancellor Reeves and replacing her with current Home Secretary Cooper.
- On Wednesday, PM Bayrou survived (as expected) the two censure motions against him which means the 2025 Budget has now passed the National Assembly. However, there are still numerous hurdles to parts of the budget ahead. The passing was well received with the OAT-Bund 10yr yield spread dipping below 70bps yesterday evening and again this morning. However, OATs thereafter found themselves the modest EGB underperformer with the spread widening back to near 73bps ahead of chunky supply, which was well received and sparked an EGB rally with the spread narrowing back to 70bps.
- Spain sells EUR 6.19bln vs exp. EUR 5.5-6.5bln 2.40% 2028, 3.10% 2031, 4.00% 2054 Bono & EUR 0.57bln EUR 0.25-0.75bln 1.15% 2036 I/L.
- France sells EUR 13bln vs exp. EUR 11-13bln 3.20% 2035, 1.25% 2036, 1.25% 2038, and 3.25% 2055 OAT Auction.
Commodities
- Modest upside in crude benchmark after the sell-off yesterday. Action this morning wasn’t dictated by any fresh macro headlines, although crude experienced a few upticks and broke out of overnight ranges in the first half of the European session as volumes picked up. Brent Apr resides in a USD 74.60-74.98/bbl parameter.
- Soft trade across precious metals amid a more constructive risk tone but also alongside a surging dollar. Spot gold resides in a USD 2,848.97-2,873.34/oz range.
- Mixed trade across base metals despite the firmer Dollar but amid the mostly constructive risk sentiment across the broader market. 3M LME copper resides in a USD 9,267.85-9,356.00/t.
- Qatar sets March marine crude OSP at Oman/Dubai + USD 2.9/bbl; land crude OSP at Oman/Dubai + USD 2.75/bbl
- Citi lifts its 2025 average forecast for Gold to USD 2900/oz (prev. 2800/oz); 0-3month target upgraded to USD 3000/oz, 6-12 target maintained at USD 3000/oz.
- Oil and gas traders likely to seek waivers from China over tariffs that Chinese govt plans to impose on US crude and LNG, according to Reuters sources.
- Japan is reportedly seeking exemptions from steel import tariff being considered by India, according to Reuters sources, citing Chinese overcapacity.
Geopolitics: Middle East
- Israeli occupation forces stormed Balata refugee camp east of Nablus in the West Bank, according to Al Jazeera.
- Israeli PM Netanyahu questioned what was wrong with the idea of allowing Gazans to leave, while he added that the idea should be pursued and done.
Geopolitics: Other
- US Defense Secretary Hegseth held a call with Panama’s President Mulino and they agreed to expand cooperation between the US military and Panama’s security forces. It was separately reported that the State Department announced that US government vessels can now transit the Panama Canal without charge fees although the Panama Canal Authority later said it has not made any changes to charge fees.
US Event Calendar
- 07:30: Jan. Challenger Job Cuts -39.5% YoY, prior 11.4%
- 08:30: Feb. Initial Jobless Claims, est. 213,000, prior 207,000
- 08:30: Jan. Continuing Claims, est. 1.87m, prior 1.86m
- 08:30: 4Q Nonfarm Productivity, est. 1.2%, prior 2.2%
- 08:30: 4Q Unit Labor Costs, est. 3.4%, prior 0.8%
DB’s Jim Reid concludes the overnight wrap
It’s that time of the year…. I took my first hay fever tablet yesterday as the itchy eyes begun. Since I moved out of polluted London 15 years ago and into the country, I’ve gone from having no allergies to having terrible ones every year, always starting some time between mid January and mid February. Let’s hope the drugs work this year.
After a severe allergic reaction on Monday after the tariff news, markets continued to be relatively sedated yesterday as investors continued to price out the chance of aggressive tariffs, whilst the ISM services index showed inflationary pressures were weaker than expected. That meant the US dollar (-0.35%) continued to fall, reaching its lowest level in the last week, and the prospect of lower inflation also helped to bring down Treasury yields, with the 10yr yield (-9.4bps) down to 4.42%. On that around the time of the US close Treasury Secretary Bessent said in an interview with FOX that while President Trump wanted lower rates, they were both focused on the 10yr yield not the Fed policy rate, adding that policies to boost energy supply and reduce the budget deficit would help achieve this. He implied that the “jumbo rate cut”, referring the 50bps cut in September, helped create the bond sell-off. So this was an important interview and all other things being equal will encourage a flattening bias. However as Bill Clinton’s political advisor James Carville famously said back in 1993 when referring to the afterlife “… I want to come back as the bond market. You can intimidate everybody”. So this is new important news that shows the Trump administrations’ attitude to monetary policy and yields. However at the end of the day their fiscal and supply side policies and how they impacts growth, supply and inflation will still be the most important.
In terms of more detail on what drove the moves yesterday, the ISM services print added fuel to the bond rally, as the prices paid component fell back to 60.4, after spiking to 64.4 the previous month. Remember that the release a month ago was one of the main factors in turbocharging the bond selloff, so the fact we saw a pullback came as a relief to investors. Moreover, the headline indicator fell to 52.8 (vs. 54.0 expected), so that also helped to alleviate concerns about demand pressure, and whether the Fed might have to hike rates in the months ahead. Indeed, the Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow tracker took down their Q1 estimate from an annualised 3.9% to 2.9% after the various releases, suggesting the economy was still doing well, but not seeing a noticeable acceleration either.
So that helped investors to dial up their expectations for rate cuts this year, with 47bps now priced by the December meeting, up +2.3bps, and having briefly reached a full 50bps intra-day. A partial reversal later on came in part as Chicago Fed President Goolsbee said that “If we see inflation rising or progress stalling in 2025, the Fed will be in the difficult position of trying to figure out if the inflation is coming from overheating or if it’s coming from tariffs”. Goolsbee had been one of the more sanguine FOMC voices on inflation in the past year so it’s a notable comment for how Fed might be thinking about tariff risks. Later in the evening, we heard from Fed Vice Chair Jefferson that the Fed can remain patient with the economy in a good place. Overall, the view that the Fed would still cut rates in 2025 helped the 2yr yield fall -2.6bps to 4.19%.
Equities also took part in a more positive mood, even as the Magnificent 7 were down -1.47% after Alphabet’s (-7.29%) earnings after the previous day’s close. Note that Amazon are the sixth Mag-7 to report tonight while we wait until February 22nd for Nvidia to complete the set.
Talking of which, it was not all bad news for the tech mega caps, with Nvidia (+5.21%) posting a strong advance after Super Micro Computer announced that its new AI data centres using Nvidia’s new Blackwell chips were ready to ship. But the overall equity gains were broad-based, with the S&P 500 up +0.39% as more than two-thirds of its constituents were higher on the day. Europe also held up well, with the STOXX 600 up +0.47%, whilst Spain’s IBEX 35 (+1.32%) outperformed thanks to a surge from Santander (+8.29%).
While yesterday saw a breather from the tariff headlines, Peter Sidorov on my team published a note looking at the lessons we can draw from the opening salvo of the new trade war over the past week and the potential implications going forward, including a review of who is most exposed to US tariff risks.
Looking forward, one of the main highlights today will be the Bank of England’s policy decision at 12:00 London time. They’re widely expected to cut rates by 25bps, taking the policy rate down to 4.5%, which would be their third rate cut of this cycle. However, recent weeks have seen quite a bit of volatility in UK markets, and this is the first decision since the bond selloff in early January, where the 30yr gilt yield hit its highest since 1998. Indeed, at the height of the pound’s slump, there had been speculation about whether the BoE would cut at all at this meeting. However, since the downside surprise in the latest CPI release, market expectations have converged around another 25bp rate cut. For today, our UK economist is expecting an 8-1 vote in favour of a rate cut, but expects them to retain as much flexibility as possible. See his full preview here for more info.
Ahead of the BoE’s decision, gilts and other European sovereign bonds put in a strong performance yesterday. In fact for gilts, it was the biggest decline in the 10yr yield (-8.5bps) since the CPI release three weeks earlier, taking it down to 4.44%. That was echoed across Europe, where yields on 10yr bunds (-3.2bps), OATs (-2.8bps) and BTPs (-4.4bps) all fell back. That said, the declines were mostly limited to the long-end, with the 2yr German yield actually up +0.5bps, which came as the ECB’s Lane said that getting inflation to settle at target “might take longer than expected”.
This morning in Asia markets are higher across the board with the the Shanghai Composite (+0.86%), KOSPI (+0.78%) and Hang Seng (+0.65%) reversing their previous session losses. Elsewhere, the Nikkei (+0.49%) is also higher. US equity futures are up around a quarter of a percent.
Early morning data showed that Australia’s trade balance rose less than expected in January, shrinking to A$5.09 bn (v/s +$6.5bn) as imports surged, and exports came in sharply below estimates amid weak demand from China.
In FX, the Japanese yen (+0.26%) continues to gain ground for the fourth straight session trading at 152.20 against the dollar, its highest level since December 12 amid growing acceptance that the BOJ would keep raising interest rates. Those moves have come following hawkish comments from BOJ’s board member Tamura Naoki stating that the central bank must raise rates at least to around 1% in the latter half of fiscal 2025.
Looking at yesterday’s other data, we got the ADP’s report of private payrolls from the US, which comes ahead of tomorrow’s jobs report. That was stronger than expected at 183k (vs. 150k expected), but the number was in the tight range it’s stayed in over the last 6 months, suggesting that the labour market was still in decent condition.
To the day ahead now, and one of the main highlights will be the Bank of England’s policy decision. Central bank speakers will include BoE Governor Bailey, BoC Governor Macklem, the ECB’s Nagel and Escriva, and the Fed’s Waller and Logan. Otherwise, data releases include the weekly initial jobless claims from the US, Euro Area retail sales for December and German factory orders for December. Finally, earnings releases include Amazon.
2B) EUROPEAN REPORT
2C ASIAN REPORT
APAC higher as sentiment lifted by softer US yields and no trade war escalation – Newsquawk Europe Market Open
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 01:30 AM
- APAC stocks followed suit to the gains on Wall St where sentiment was underpinned amid a softer yield environment and the lack of trade war escalation.
- US Treasury Secretary Bessent said Trump wants lower 10-year yields; is not calling for the Fed to lower rates.
- European equity futures indicate a positive cash open with Euro Stoxx 50 future up 0.5% after the cash market closed with gains of 0.1% on Wednesday.
- DXY is sub-108, antipodeans lag, EUR/USD has returned to a 1.04 handle, JPY supported by hawkish BoJ comments.
- Looking ahead, highlights include Swedish CPI, EZ Retail Sales, US Jobless Claims, BoE, CNB & Banxico Policy Announcements, BoE DMP, BoE Governor Bailey, Fed’s Waller, Daly, Jefferson & BoC’s Macklem, Supply from Spain & France.
- Earnings from ING, ArcelorMittal, Oersted, Carlsberg, Maersk. Compass, AstraZeneca, Société Generale, Vinci, L’Oréal, Eli Lilly, Roblox, Amazon & Affirm.
SNAPSHOT
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US TRADE
EQUITIES
- US stocks were bid throughout the entirety of the US session amid a lack of trade war escalation with all major indices in the green and outperformance in the Russell 2000. Sectors were predominantly higher with outperformance in Tech as NVDA and chip names were buoyed by the strong Google (GOOG) CapEx guidance but the overall downbeat earnings saw Google (GOOGL) slump which weighed on the Communication sector.
- SPX +0.39% at 6,061, NDX +0.42% at 21,658, DJIA +0.71% at 44,873, RUT +1.14% at 2,316.
- Click here for a detailed summary.
TARIFF/TRADE
- China initiated a WTO dispute complaint regarding US tariffs, while Hong Kong is also considering a WTO complaint related to Trump tariffs, according to SCMP.
NOTABLE HEADLINES
- Fed’s Jefferson (voter) said they need to look at the totality of the net effect of the Trump administration’s influence on policy goals and he is happy to keep policy at the current level of restrictiveness until there is a better sense of the totality of impacts. Jefferson also stated that even with a 100bps decline, the Fed’s rate is still restrictive, which allows the Fed to be patient and wait to see the net effect of policy changes.
- Fed’s Goolsbee (2025 voter) said if inflation rises or progress stalls, the Fed will need to figure out if it’s from overheating or tariffs, while he added that distinguishing the cause of any inflation will be critical for deciding when or even if the Fed should act.
- US Fed released 2025 stress test scenarios which include heightened stress in commercial and residential real estate, as well as corporate debt markets.
- US Treasury Secretary Bessent said the Trump administration wants to make the 2017 tax cut permanent, while he added that Trump wants lower interest rates and is focused on the 10-year treasury yield. Furthermore, he said Trump is not calling for the Fed to lower interest rates and interest rates will take care of themselves if they get energy costs down and deregulate economy.
APAC TRADE
EQUITIES
- APAC stocks followed suit to the gains on Wall St where sentiment was underpinned amid a softer yield environment and the lack of trade war escalation.
- ASX 200 outperformed with the index led higher by strength in financials, consumer discretionary and gold-related stocks.
- Nikkei 225 advanced at the open and reclaimed the 39,000 level but then briefly pared the majority of the gains owing to yen strength and comments from hawkish BoJ board member Tamura.
- Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp conformed to the constructive mood in the region amid a lack of major escalation on the trade front with the US Postal Services flip-flopping on suspending parcels from Hong Kong and China, while China initiated a WTO dispute complaint regarding US tariffs although this was as previously announced.
- US equity futures (ES +0.3%) remained afloat after yesterday’s advances but with the upside capped amid light fresh catalysts.
- European equity futures indicate a positive cash open with Euro Stoxx 50 future up 0.5% after the cash market closed with gains of 0.1% on Wednesday.
FX
- DXY languished beneath the 108.00 level amid softer yields, optimism around trade relations and mixed data releases, while there were several Fed comments including from Jefferson who said they need to look at the totality of the net effect of the Trump administration’s influence on policy goals and he is happy to keep policy at the current level of restrictiveness until there is a better sense of the totality of the impacts.
- EUR/USD partially faded yesterday’s gains with the single currency back beneath the 1.0400 handle in uneventful trade, while recent ECB comments were somewhat mixed as ECB’s Lane suggested a data-dependent and meeting-by-meeting basis and to not pre-commit to any particular rate path, while Centeno hopes to get to a 2% deposit rate sooner rather than later.
- GBP/USD traded little changed and just about gave back the 1.2500 status as participants awaited the BoE rate decision with the central bank widely expected to cut the Bank Rate by 25bps to 4.50%.
- USD/JPY continued to trickle lower and briefly tested the 152.00 level to the downside following comments from hawkish BoJ board member Tamura who stated they must raise rates to at least around 1% in the latter half of fiscal 2025.
- Antipodeans softened after the prior day’s cyclical outperformance and with demand muted amid the holiday in New Zealand.
- PBoC set USD/CNY mid-point at 7.1691 vs exp. 7.2535 (prev. 7.1693).
FIXED INCOME
- 10yr UST futures stalled overnight after yesterday’s bull-flattening with a focus on the QRA, Fed speak and data.
- Bund futures held on to most of their recent spoils with a firm footing above the 133.00 level amid softer global yields.
- 10yr JGB futures traded rangebound as hawkish comments from BoJ’s Tamura counterbalanced the tailwinds from a slightly better-than-previous 30yr JGB auction.
COMMODITIES
- Crude futures were contained following the prior day’s losses owing to soft data and bearish inventories.
- Spot gold traded rangebound after marginally pulling back from its record highs.
- Copper futures surged shortly after the reopening amid the positive risk environment and potential technical buying.
CRYPTO
- Bitcoin rebounded overnight and gradually extended above the USD 97,000 level.
NOTABLE ASIA-PAC HEADLINES
- BoJ Board Member Tamura said they need to raise rates in a gradual and timely manner and that a 0.75% rate would still be negative in real terms, while he added the BoJ must raise rates to levels deemed neutral on a nominal basis which is at least around 1% and must raise rates to at least around 1% in the latter half of fiscal 2025. Tamura said he personally does not think BoJ’s past massive monetary easing had a positive effect as a whole given its strong side effects and they must scrutinise whether prolonged monetary easing could cause problems such as excessive yen falls and housing price spikes. Furthermore, he said the BoJ shouldn’t persist in achieving 2% inflation as long as Japan is experiencing moderate price rises, as well as commented that he has no preset idea about the pace of interest rate hikes and the pace of interest rate hikes may not necessarily be once every half year.
- TikTok owner ByteDance is reportedly slow-rolling negotiations for a sale while waiting for a green light from the Chinese government, according to The Washington Post.
DATA RECAP
- Australian Balance on Goods (AUD)(Dec) 5.1B vs. Exp. 7.0B (Prev. 7.1B)
- Australian Goods/Services Exports (Dec) 1.10% (Prev. 4.80%)
- Australian Goods/Services Imports (Dec) 5.90% (Prev. 1.70%)
GEOPOLITICS
MIDDLE EAST
- Israeli occupation forces stormed Balata refugee camp east of Nablus in the West Bank, according to Al Jazeera.
- Israeli PM Netanyahu questioned what was wrong with the idea of allowing Gazans to leave, while he added that the idea should be pursued and done.
- White House said US President Trump has not committed to putting US troops in Gaza.
OTHER
- US Defense Secretary Hegseth held a call with Panama’s President Mulino and they agreed to expand cooperation between the US military and Panama’s security forces. It was separately reported that the State Department announced that US government vessels can now transit the Panama Canal without charge fees although the Panama Canal Authority later said it has not made any changes to charge fees.
EU/UK
NOTABLE HEADLINES
- French PM Bayrou survived the first no-confidence vote in parliament.
- ECB’s Centeno said any further bank consolidation moves in Portugal should be approached with caution.
- ECB’s Cipollone says there is still room for adj. rates downward. US tariffs on China could force the dumping of goods in Europe, weighing on growth and inflation. Soft landing remains the main scenario, no recession seen.
3B NORTH KOREA/SOUTH KOREA
end
3C JAPAN
end
3D. CHINA/
END
4.EUROPEAN AFFAIRS//UK /SCANDINAVIAN AFFAIRS
ENGLAND
BANK OF ENGLAND
the bank of England is in trouble
Pound Tumbles After Bank of England Cuts Rates While Warning Of Mounting Stagflation; Two Officials Vote For Bigger Cut
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 09:15 AM
While the Fed engages in navel-gazing how much Trump’s tariffs will raise inflation by, and according to Goldman the answer is by a whopping 0.5% to 2.6% (from 2.1% in the absence of tariffs)…
… the rest of the world continues to quietly stimulate its economies by injecting more reflationary liquidity into the system, and this morning the Bank of England was the latest to do so when it not only cut rates for the third consecutive time by 0.25% to a 19-month low of 4.5%, as expected…
… but in a surprise to the market, two of the nine MPC members voted for a bigger, 50bps rate cut, which in turn prompted markets to boost bets on more easing ignoring the BOE’s own phrasing.
There was another twist: in a blow to UK chancellor Rachel Reeves, the BoE slashed its growth forecast saying it now expected the economy to grow by only 0.75% this year, half its November forecast of 1.5% which, would at least justify the rate cut…
… but the BOE also upgraded its inflation forecast, which now peaks at 3.7% because of higher energy prices, and up from the prior projection of 2.8%. In other words, the UK is now in a stagflationary trap, yet in a world where no more pain can be tolerated the central bank’s obvious reaction was to cut rates more.
The bank’s outlook is a bleak backdrop for Reeves, who has presided over a collapse in growth since Labour won the general election last July. The BOE believes the economy contracted 0.1% in the three months to December, the quarter that included Reeves’ tax-raising budget on Oct. 30, and will grow just 0.1% in the first quarter of 2025.
The growth forecast for this year has been halved to 0.75% but picks up to 1.5% in 2026 and 2027, from the prior projection of 1.25% in both years. The bank said its forecast is “not conditional on any change in global tariffs” but that a trade war could depress UK growth by “delaying investment spending and hiring decisions.”
Amid this cacaphony of swirling outlooks, it is no surprise that the MPC signaled a “gradual and careful approach” to future rate cuts, warning of uncertainty due to, what else, Trump tariffs and suggesting in their forecasts that only two more reductions were needed to bring inflation back to the 2% target.
The addition of the word “careful” to the bank’s core guidance for future easing reflected questions about the global economy, according to Bailey. “We live in an uncertain world, and the road ahead will have bumps,” he said.
“Some domestic inflationary pressures remain and may have eased a little more slowly than we expected last year,” Bailey told reporters after the decision. “And that reaffirms the importance of taking a gradual approach to the withdrawal of monetary policy restrictiveness.”
Despite Bailey’s cautious languages, traders focused on the calls from two policymakers for a sharper reduction, adding to bets on future interest-rate cuts. Money markets are now favoring three more 25-basis-point reductions this year.
That hurt the pound, which extended declines versus the dollar dropping as much as 1.2% to $1.2361. It was the worst-performer among major currencies on Thursday. Two-year gilt yields fell as much as seven basis to 4.07%.
In response to the rate cut, Matthew Landon, strategist at JP Morgan Private Bank said that “at the margin, we interpret this is a green light for the market to price a lower terminal rate.” He added that “today’s cut from the Bank of England was broadly expected, though the accompanying statement contained some mixed signals.”
The MPC’s decision to reduce its rate to the lowest level since June 2023 represents a reprieve for the more-than-half-a-million homeowners coming off five-year fixed mortgage deals this year. Reeves called the decision “welcome news,” but expressed disappointment with the broader outlook provided by the bank saying she was “still not satisfied with the growth rate.”
Rob Wood, chief UK economist for Pantheon Macroeconomics, said he placed “more weight” on the bank’s hawkish inflation forecasts, a relatively strong pay settlements survey and its overall guidance “than the votes of two outliers.”
Bailey seemed to support that view in remarks to reporters after the decision: “I would not overinterpret any other moves in voting patterns,” he said, adding that “it’s important that the view on the future path of interest rates is based on the economic fundamentals.”
Also behind the change was a downgrade to the bank’s estimate of UK growth capacity, which makes faster growth inflationary. It halved its estimate to 0.75% this year but expects potential growth to return to 1.5% from 2026. The bank blamed the downgrade on persistently weak productivity and suggested Labour’s increased spending on the National Health Service may make the position worse.
There were no material changes to the bank’s forecasts following Reeves’ recently announced plans to boost growth by relaxing regulations and waving through infrastructure projects.
“It is hard to see the Bank of England materially stepping up its pace of easing until it sees how the increase in National Insurance is digested by the economy in the spring,” said Luke Bartholomew, deputy chief Economist at Abrdn. “However, the Bank’s signals today suggest there is scope for several more rate cuts this year, given the weak growth outlook, and we continue to see rates below 3% over the next two years.”
end
What Is Really Destroying Europe? The EU…
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 06:30 AM
Authored by Drieu Godefridi via The Gatestone Institute,
The founding idea of the European Union was to build, through shared prosperity, solidarity and a sense of shared destiny among the nations of Europe. That was why three communities were formed: the economy, coal and steel, and nuclear energy. Until around 2000, in terms of growth and innovation, the European economy, year in, year out, was on par with the American one.
Of that initial — and fairly brilliant — gesture of “peace through prosperity,” literally nothing remains. None of the EU’s current leaders cares about the financial well-being of Europeans. Coal is regarded as the devil’s fuel, and nuclear energy is abhorred by Europe’s elites, who say they prefer the inefficient and erratic wind turbines. Since 2000, the European economy has been mired in stagnation, which has worsened since 2008 and threatens to reach its height in the coming years — ending in the destruction of Europe.
Green Deal
The EU is a web of institutions with which an American would find nothing familiar, so let us just say that this web is dominated by one institution: the European Commission. It is a kind of European “government'” with a monopoly on legislative initiatives. Nothing is voted on in the EU without the Commission’s assent.
The Commission makes no secret of the fact that its absolute priority is the Green Deal: to turn Europe into a “Carbon Neutral Society” by 2050. This means achieving a balance between the greenhouse gas emissions produced and those absorbed by natural or technological carbon sinks. The EU’s key strategies to achieve this balance include reducing emissions by massively increasing the use of “renewable energy” sources such as solar, wind, hydro and biomass, improving the energy efficiency of buildings, vehicles and industries, and moving towards low- or zero-emission industrial processes, particularly in steel, cement and chemicals. They also aim to develop carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies to absorb and store CO2 from combustion sources or from the air. Carbon dioxide captured is typically stored in geological formations such as depleted natural gas fields, or old coal mines. In Europe, the North Sea seabed serves as an ideal location for carbon storage.
The problem is that these CCS technologies are extremely expensive. Imposing them in the gigantic way that zero-carbon requires implies additional costs that are impossible for any developed economy to digest. That is probably why these fantastical CCS technologies play such a marginal role in Europe. The truth is that the reduction in CO2 emissions in Europe is almost exclusively due to industry leaving Europe. That is the dirty little secret of the Green Deal: Europe is reducing its CO2 emissions to the extent and in proportion to the destruction of its industry.
The industry destroyed in Europe, however, is immediately reborn elsewhere in the world: in East Asia, South America and, of course, the United States. This means that the CO2 emissions destroyed in Europe reappear as if by magic somewhere else — before the products of that particular industry are re-exported to Europe. In the majority of cases — because transporting anything emits CO2 — the balance sheet in terms of this European sleight of hand in reducing global CO2 emissions is negative.
The stated motive and reason for being of the Green Deal is to save the climate, which in European circles is often spelled with a capital C – “Climate” — which says a lot about the religiosity of the whole approach. To “save the planet,” we are told, we need to reduce CO2 emissions.
The only technological way we know so far to reduce CO2 emissions is by nuclear power. The EU “elites,” however, hate nuclear power: their real objective is not to mitigate climate change and “save the planet”, but to force an exit from capitalism and return to the subsistence economy that has always been the ambition, the dream and the horizon of environmentalists — long before there was any talk of global warming. “Capitalism is killing the Planet”, wrote The Guardian.
Freedom of speech
If there is one reality that leaders whose power is founded on myths abhor, it is transparency. Whereas in 2020, the power of the American legacy media still allowed it to make people believe that Hunter Biden’s laptop was a Russian disinformation operation, over the last few years, this power was been reduced to shreds. The same shift is happening in Europe, under the influence not of European social media networks, because they do not exist, but of American ones, such as X. The EU elite has lost control of the narrative. Europeans are turning away from the lies and myths of the Green Deal en masse.
This is what the EU cannot tolerate. By adopting the Digital Services Act (DSA), the EU wanted to give itself an instrument with which to subdue the American platforms, and are obliged to fund hordes of censors to hunt down content that disagrees with the European Queen-Commission. The EU has been requiring a fine of 6% of worldwide revenue from social media companies, which would inevitably kill off the platforms.
These faceless censor-hunters, who are accountable to no one, are supposed to remove all content that is hateful, discriminatory or transphobic. None of these vague terms can be rigorously defined. Given the absence of precise definitions, the censors do whatever they want. The arbitrariness is total. In practice, these censors massively quash so-called “right-wing” content, while leaving the abundant anti-Semitic, Islamist and Marxist literature untouched.
That, apparently, is the whole point. The European Left, like the American Left, devotes unlimited antagonism to anything that does not think like it, talk like it, dream, eat or work like it.
By introducing legislation such as the DSA, Europe is asserting itself as a major player in the censorship camp, following the example of China, Iran, Russia and Islamist countries, and contributing to the de-civilization of the European continent. After all, isn’t freedom the definition, the reason for being and the sole distinguishing criterion of Western civilization?
Open borders
Not a week goes by in Europe without an illegal immigrant, a recent migrant, an asylum seeker or an Afghan who is here without anyone knowing in what capacity, deliberately mowing down pedestrians, stabbing young women or massacring infants and young children in a crib. Europe is experiencing the worst crisis of migratory anarchy since the Norman and Islamic invasions of the High Middle Ages.
This anarchy is not a natural calamity. It is the result of a series of political decisions, shared between the EU, the European Court of Human Rights and the member states. The EU in particular, being a borderless market, has created and developed an external border guard service, FRONTEX. The problem is that, as European law currently stands (EU + ECHR), these border guards essentially provide a free ferry service between Africa and Europe. European law expressly prohibits them from turning back illegal immigrants when they are intercepted. They are obliged to bring them into the European Union so that they can exercise all their “rights”.
In Europe, even more than in the USA, once an illegal immigrant is in the country, in the overwhelming majority of cases, they stay — millions of them. Europeans watch in amazement as their proud cities — Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Rome, London — undergo demographic metamorphoses in real time, while hate-filled crowds march regularly through their streets shouting anti-Semitic slogans, “death to the Jews” and other benedictions borrowed from their friendly native culture.
Can the EU be saved?
One reason for democracy to exist is to allow a peaceful change of leadership and policy. In the last European Parliament elections, Europeans voted massively to the right, evidently in reaction and fury against the policies of the European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen. What enraged voters is the Green Deal, which makes energy unaffordable, and the migratory chaos, now heavily tinged with Islamism and hatred of Jews.
What came out of those elections? A new von der Leyen Commission! With a different program? No, with a program that is even more radical, environmentalist and censorious than the first von der Leyen Commission. It is as if Americans voted 60% Republican, and the president then appointed was a socialist. How can this be, when Europe claims to swear by “democracy”?
Because of two factors, it seems. The first: the largest group in the European Parliament is the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP). This group is numerically dominated by Germany’s CDU/CSU – the party of former Chancellor Angela Merkel. Her party, however, is to the left of the US Democratic Party on most issues. Its support for the most obtuse environmentalism, and the Green Deal in particular, appears total. Therefore, when it came to imposing a new president of the European Commission after the June 2024 elections, the CDU/CSU chose someone from within its ranks who maintains strong environmentalist convictions: Ursula von der Leyen.
The second and most important factor is that the EU is, in reality, a Potemkin democracy. It looks like a democracy, but is in fact an authoritarian bureaucracy. There is no election by the citizens of a parliament worthy of the name, no transparency, no recourses and, it seems, no way of eliminating the organization or any part of it. European citizens can vote as they please, but it is a self-appointed elite within the European institutions who decide the future of Europe. These “elites” will do anything to keep themselves and their ideology in power. Last week, the Dutch daily De Telegraaf revealed that the first von der Leyen Commission had massively financed environmental NGOs to put pressure on members of the European Parliament — long live the separation of powers! — and citizens in favor of the Green Deal.
In addition, Qatar has massively infiltrated the European Parliament, buying parliamentarians to promote its interests and its Islamist vision of the world. Whether people vote left or right, it makes no difference: Von der Leyen and her far-left environmentalist agenda are still in power. Can one measure the sense of alienation that must be felt by Europeans, forced to finance a corrupt bureaucracy working against their interests?
When it comes to migration, the economy, free speech and democracy, the EU is not the solution to any problem. The EU is the problem.
end
5 RUSSIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS
ISRAEL/HAMAS/USA/HAMAS
VERY WELCOMING WORDS
(JERUSALEMPOST)
Defense Secretary Hegseth to Netanyahu: Destroying Hamas, Hezbollah is ‘very important’ to us
‘Destroying the capabilities of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon is very important to us. You have a long memory, and so do we,’ Hegseth said.
By AMICHAI STEINFEBRUARY 5, 2025 22:53Updated: FEBRUARY 6, 2025 03:00
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday evening that the United States regards destroying the capabilities of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon as “very important.”
“Destroying the capabilities of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon is very important to us. You have a long memory, and so do we,” Hegseth said.
“We welcome the elimination of the person responsible for killing marines in Lebanon. We released ammunition that had been delayed for a long time,” he added.
Hegseth noted, “Regarding Gaza, insanity is doing the same thing over and over again. Therefore, other solutions are needed. Here at the Pentagon, we are prepared for all kinds of plans.”
Additionally, Hegseth said that the United States is “prepared to consider all options” when asked about the possibility of deploying forces to Gaza.
Netanyahu in Washington
Netanyahu arrived in DC on Sunday and is set to return to Israel on Saturday.
His visit marks the first foreign leader to be invited to the White House in Trump’s second administration.
Additionally, this visit marks Netanyahu’s 14th stay at Blair House, more than any foreign leader since it was built in the 19th century.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.
END
ISRAEL/HAMAS/GAZA/USA/OPINION
Trump’s Gaza plan isn’t meant to work, but that’s the point – comment
On the face of it, Trump’s plan for the US to occupy Gaza is not remotely feasible, but that could all be part of the president’s scheme.
By ALEX WINSTONFEBRUARY 5, 2025 12:22Updated: FEBRUARY 5, 2025 16:07
US President Donald Trump dropped a bombshell on Tuesday when he announced that the United States will take over the Gaza Strip for the foreseeable future.
With his declaration, the president has once again thrown a diplomatic grenade into the Middle East conversation – not a particularly quiet region at the best of times and one beset by 15 months of war.
The proposal – one that envisions the US developing Gaza, creating jobs, and turning it into an international hub – immediately triggered widespread backlash. The Palestinians see it as a veiled attempt at forced displacement, Israel remains cautious, and Arab states like Egypt and Jordan swiftly rejected the idea.
On the face of it, the plan is not remotely feasible. The US military occupying Gaza is a logistical and political nightmare. Some 20 years of experience in dealing with Iraq and Afghanistan will have taught the upper echelons in the Pentagon that Arab states would never publicly accept a mass Palestinian exodus onto their soil.
Even Israel, despite its frustration with Hamas, understands the consequences of such a move.
But here’s the thing – Trump probably knows that, too. The former president is not proposing a realistic strategy. He’s making an opening bid in a negotiation.
This is Trumpian negotiation 101, lifted straight from his 1987 book The Art of the Deal.
In his world, you start with an extreme demand – one that is so outrageous it shifts the boundaries of what was previously considered possible. Then, when the inevitable pushback comes, you negotiate down to something that, while far less extreme than your initial position, is still a big win. You aim for 100, knowing that landing at 50 is still a success.
TRUMP’S TRACK record in real estate and politics could suggest that his goal isn’t to occupy Gaza – it’s to force neighboring Arab nations, who have up until now dragged their feet, to take a more active role in solving the crisis. His assumption? That the shock of such a radical proposal will jolt Egypt, Jordan, and the Gulf states into stepping up in ways they have so far refused to.
For decades, Arab nations have loudly supported the Palestinian cause, but they have done little to materially improve the situation in Gaza beyond funneling money to Hamas.
Egypt, which once ruled Gaza, keeps its border tightly sealed, building barriers that make Israel’s security walls look lenient by comparison. Jordan, already home to a massive Palestinian population, wants no part of an influx from Gaza. Meanwhile, wealthy Gulf states, despite their enormous resources, have largely avoided offering Palestinian refugees permanent resettlement or serious infrastructure investments in Gaza.
By throwing out a seemingly preposterous plan, Trump may be forcing these countries to react – if only to reject his idea and propose an alternative. Suddenly, discussions about how to rebuild Gaza, who will govern it, and where displaced Palestinians might go shift from a vague, open-ended conversation to one with real stakes.
What are the obstacles?
To be very clear: The chances of the US taking over Gaza are close to zero. The idea is riddled with insurmountable obstacles.
First and foremost, Trump was reelected on his renewed position of America First. Changing trade agreements and diplomatic relationships with other countries is intended to improve the domestic lives of ordinary Americans. Suddenly switching to occupying a foreign piece of land is a cost that is unlikely to pass a Republican-controlled Congress eager to reduce overseas military entanglements. The American public has no appetite for another Middle East quagmire.
The comments also go against the military record of the previous Trump administration.
As president, Trump pushed for troop withdrawals in Syria and Afghanistan, criticizing prolonged US involvement abroad. Why would he now advocate for the most challenging US military intervention in decades?
EVEN AMERICA’S closest Arab allies – Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and the UAE – would never sign off on a US-controlled Gaza. It would violate their long-standing position that Palestinians must control their own land.
Plus, there is regional stability to consider. An American military presence in Gaza would become an instant target for Iranian-backed militias, Hamas, and jihadist groups. The risk of constant insurgency-style attacks would make long-term governance impossible.
Regarding the president’s comments on Gaza itself, the enclave is in ruins, its infrastructure decimated. Rebuilding it would take a decade and billions of dollars, requiring international cooperation – something a unilateral US occupation would make nearly impossible.
Trump’s real calculation may be that the mere suggestion of US control over Gaza will shake the Arab world into action.
Egypt, which has taken a hands-off approach for years, might suddenly find itself pressured to open border crossings, facilitate aid, or help manage security. Jordan, wary of another Palestinian refugee crisis, could be pushed into a more active diplomatic role. The Gulf states, embarrassed by Trump’s framing of them as mere bystanders, might finally invest in Palestinian infrastructure instead of just issuing pro-Palestinian rhetoric at the UN.
The key to his thinking is not the literal implementation of his words, but their ability to reframe the debate. He doesn’t need to “win” the Gaza issue outright; he just needs to move the goalposts.
By aiming for an impossible maximum, the president makes the previously unthinkable suddenly seem reasonable. A few weeks ago, the idea of Egypt or Jordan taking a bigger role in post-war Gaza was off the table. Now, it may start looking like the moderate alternative.
This is classic Trump deal-making: start at the extreme, let everyone panic, then walk it back to something that, while less dramatic, still represents real movement in his direction.
So, will the US take over Gaza? If it does, then we are all in for a shock.
Will Trump’s declaration change the conversation and possibly push Arab nations into doing more?
That’s the real deal.
END
ISRAEL/HAMAS/SAUDI ARABIA
(ZERO HEDGE)
‘Non-Negotiable’: Saudi Arabia Blasts Trump’s Gaza Takeover Plan
Wednesday, Feb 05, 2025 – 09:20 PM
The international reaction to President Trump’s Tuesday declaration that the US will “take over” the Gaza Strip and that Palestinians would “love to leave” the largely destroyed enclave which has suffered in the midst of the Hamas-Israel war (though a fragile truce has held for a couple week) has been as expected. Various countries have issued condemnation, including predictably from the United Nations chief, given it smacks of ethnic cleansing of a historic territory, though few actual details have been defined in terms of how such a plan involving US troops would be executed.
Saudi Arabia has been one major US regional ally to react swiftly in condemnation. The Saudis have said Wednesday that Trump’s desired ‘normalization’ with Israel based on the Abraham Accords would definitely be off.
Riyadh said the Palestinians must be guaranteed an independent state if were to ever implement diplomatic relations with Israel. “The establishment of the Palestinian state is a firm, unwavering position,” the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said said on X.
“His Highness [Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman] has affirmed this position in a clear and explicit manner that does not allow for any interpretation under any circumstances.”
“His Highness stressed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not stop its tireless work towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the Kingdom will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that,” the statement continued.
Needless to say, a permanent removal of Palestinians from Gaza would thwart such a possibility, and other Arab states which have already made peace with Israel might reverse their position, for example the UAE. The Saudis are making clear that this stance is ‘non-negotiable’ – and the reality is that mass displacement of Palestinians to neighboring states would likely collapse the Hamas truce, and halt the ongoing hostage/prisoner exchange.
Russia too is another major power condemning Trump’s Tuesday remarks, with top diplomat Sergei Lavrov arguing that this “culture of cancellation” is at work, suggesting that the US is seeking to ‘cancel’ Palestinian identity.
Lavrov said that UN National Security Council decisions were “were recognized by everyone without exception a month and a half ago as a necessary basis for actions to create a Palestinian state” and have “simply been canceled.”
Arab public opinion is also clear…
Trump said during Netanyahu’s White House visit that the US “will take over” Gaza after relocating Palestinians elsewhere and that a major reconstruction plan in the Strip could turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”
Israeli hardliners in Netanyahu’s cabinet have welcomed these ‘shock’ words. But without Arab capitals, including the Saudis, on board it’s hard to see how it could get off the ground in any practical sense. Hamas would certainly resume fighting, and neighboring Arab militaries could be drawn in. There’s also a continuing truce with Hezbollah which would likely break down.
END
ISRAEL/HAMAS/EX HOSTAGES
Four surveillance soldiers freed from Gaza head home after week at hospital
Liri Albag, Naama Levy, Daniella Gilboa and Karina Ariev return to their families, while Agam Berger, who was released later, to remain at medical center a few more days
By ToI Staff5 February 2025, 6:16 pm
- Former hostage Daniella Gilboa, who was recently released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, returns home from the hospital in Petah Tikva, February 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
- Freed hostage Liri Albag returns to her home in Moshav Yarhiv, February 5, 2025, after being released from the hospital. (Yehoshua Yosef/Flash90)
- Freed hostage Karina Ariev returns to her home in Jerusalem, February 5, 2025, after being released from the hospital. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
- Friends and relatives welcome former Israeli hostage Daniella Gilboa, who was recently released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, as she returns home from hospital in Petah Tikva, February 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
Four of the five freed surveillance soldier hostages returned home from the hospital on Wednesday, 11 days after their release from Hamas captivity in Gaza.
Liri Albag, Naama Levy, Daniella Gilboa and Karina Ariev were treated at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva since their release on January 26, during the second hostage-prisoner exchange of the current Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.
The four were released in an elaborate ceremony orchestrated by the terror group, which paraded them on stage wearing fake IDF fatigues and distributed certificates and “gift bags” to mark their 15 months of captivity in Gaza.
They stayed at the hospital several more days than planned in order to be with their friend and comrade, Agam Berger, after her release on January 30.
The soldiers were offered the chance to spend some time at the Kfar Maccabiah hotel complex in nearby Ramat Gan upon their release from the hospital, according the Kan broadcaster, but chose to return to their homes.
Berger will remain at the medical center for a few more days.
Videos posted to social media showed dozens of people awaiting the four women in their hometowns with flags and welcome signs to celebrate their return.
The families of the soldiers put out a statement Wednesday as they were discharged from the hospital: “In the last ten days since our daughters: Liri, Karina, Agam, Daniela and Naama returned, the girls stayed in a private, closed compound within the hospital, where they were treated professionally and sensitively with the utmost consideration for their special condition.”
Friends and relatives welcome former Israeli hostage Daniella Gilboa, who was recently released from Hamas captivity in Gaza, as she returns home from hospital in Petah Tikva, February 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
“We are embarking on a path of rehabilitation,” the families’ statement continued, “and we are confident that the embracing and professional experience of the medical, psychological and administrative team… was a significant and important stop for healing in the continuation of each of the girls’ journey on their return home.”
(L-R) Naama Levy, Karina Ariev, Agam Berger, Liri Albag and Daniella Gilboa watch a concert in their honor at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva, February 4, 2025 (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
“We would like to thank the people of Israel for the warmth and love that we and the girls have received. The girls are expected to have a long rehabilitation journey, and we ask that you respect the privacy, quiet and time that they need to slowly return to themselves,” the families’ concluded.
The mayor of Naama Levy’s hometown of Ra’anana, Chaim Broyde, said Wednesday that “our hearts are overflowing with excitement on the occasion of Naama’s return to us in Ra’anana, to her warm and loving home.”
“The Ra’anana community embraces our beloved Naama, and will do everything to support her and make her return to routine easier, and we look forward to the return of all the hostages to their homes,” Broyde was quoted as saying by Channel 13 news.
The five soldiers were among seven female troops abducted from the IDF surveillance unit at the Nahal Oz army base during the Hamas-led massacre on October 7, 2023.
One of the abducted surveillance soldiers, Ori Megidish, was later rescued alive, and the body of a second one, Noa Marciano, was recovered after she was murdered in captivity.
Since the start of the current ceasefire-hostage release deal last month, 13 Israelis and five Thai hostages have been freed from Hamas captivity. An additional 20 Israelis are slated to be released over the coming weeks, although Israel has said it believes eight of them are no longer alive.
Seventy-six of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 34 confirmed dead by the IDF.
Liri Albag gives a thumbs-up sign to a large crowd of Hamas operatives and supporters, alongside fellow Israeli hostages Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy, before they are released by Hamas to the Red Cross in Gaza City, January 25, 2025. (AP Photo)
The terror group freed 105 civilians during a weeklong truce in late November 2023, and four hostages were released before that.
Eight hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 40 hostages have also been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the Israeli military as they tried to escape their captors.
Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the body of an IDF soldier who was killed in 2014. The body of another IDF soldier, also killed in 2014, was recovered from Gaza in January.
END
NOW THIS OPINION
ISRAEL/GAZA
We shouldn’t dismiss Trump’s vision for Gaza so quickly – editorial
After nothing else has worked, this, at least, is an attempt to shake things up and break paradigms that have failed time and again.
By JPOST EDITORIALFEBRUARY 6, 2025 05:58
US President Donald Trump gave Israelis on Tuesday something many could only have dreamed of.
He aligned himself fully with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war aims: Dismantling Hamas’s military and governing capabilities, securing the return of all the hostages, and ensuring that Gaza would never again pose a threat to Israel.
He made clear, after signing an order resuming “maximum pressure” on Iran, that Tehran will never acquire a nuclear weapon.
He did not pledge allegiance to the idea of a Palestinian state and said his administration would weigh in within a month on whether Israel should extend sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.
He reaffirmed his intent to broker an Israel-Saudi normalization agreement.
And, most shockingly – in the sense that no one saw it coming – he said the US would take over Gaza after all its residents were relocated elsewhere.
Trump’s answer
With that, Trump provided the answer to a question that has bedeviled everyone since the war began on October 7: What happens the day after? Who will take control of Gaza?
Trump’s answer: We will. The United States of America.
“The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too,” he said. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out. Create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area. Do a real job, do something different.”
Predictably, there were scores of scoffers and mockers around the world. Predictably, the Arab world rejected the idea out of hand.
Also, predictably, Israel’s airwaves were filled with commentators laughing it off, explaining why it would never work, and wondering whether it was not just lip service and a ploy to ultimately get Netanyahu to do what the president wants.
In other words, many Israelis – and Jews in certain circles in the Diaspora – did what they often do when faced with good news: Look for dark clouds behind any silver lining.
And Trump’s proposal is a silver lining. It presents a fresh, out-of-the-box approach to a problem that experienced diplomatic minds have spent years trying to solve – only to recycle the same solutions that fail time after time.
Along comes Trump, and he offers up completely new ideas. Are they realistic? Maybe not. Are they implementable? Maybe not.
But why not give them a hearing? Why pooh-pooh them as unworkable right off the bat?
There are enough people out there who will characterize Trump’s ideas as ridiculous without Israelis or Jews needing to add their voices to the chorus.
An alternative approach
We recommend a different approach: Welcome the ideas, flesh them out, refine them, and test their feasibility.
But don’t summarily dismiss them or shut them down before they’ve had a chance to take shape.
As former president Joe Biden recommended to Netanyahu last year in an entirely different context: Take the win.
And this is a win. The most powerful leader in the world has stood up and unapologetically aligned US policy with Israel’s interests. That is no small thing. Celebrate it – don’t deflate it.
The unvarnished truth, as Trump said in his press conference, is that the same solutions for Gaza have been tried repeatedly, but nothing has changed, and nothing has moved.
“You have to learn from history,” Trump said, adding, “You can’t let it keep repeating itself,” something that has been the case in Gaza for generations.
“You can’t keep doing the same mistake over and over again. Gaza is a hellhole right now. It was before the bombing started, frankly. And we’re going to give people a chance to live in a beautiful community that’s safe and secure.”
Is the idea of relocating Gaza’s people elsewhere unconventional? Of course.
Is the idea of the US taking control of the Strip revolutionary? Certainly.
Is the vision of Gaza becoming a Middle Eastern Riviera a bit too rosy? Undoubtedly.
But nothing else has worked.
This, at least, is an attempt to shake things up and break paradigms that have failed time and again.
END
THIS MORNINGS HEADLINES:
2 soldiers killed, 8 wounded as crane collapses on troops in Gaza due to strong winds
Netanyahu: Israel should ‘examine, pursue’ Trump’s ‘remarkable’ plan, Gazans should be able to leave with option to return * IDF ordered to ready plan to let Gazans leave voluntarily
- 8min agoSpain rejects Israel’s suggestion it should accept Palestinians from Gaza
- 20min agoIDF names second fatality in accidental Gaza crane collapse
- 27min agoResponding to Trump’s plan, China says Gaza is not political bargaining chip
- 1hr agoIran’s Revolutionary Guards transform ship into country’s first drone carrier
By Michael Bachner Follow
and ToI StaffToday, 5:05 am
Staff Sgt. Nachman Refael Ben Ami, left, and Sgt. First Class (res.) Nadav Cohen, killed in an accidental crane collapse in Gaza on February 6, 2025. (Courtesy)
Sergeant-Major Nadav Cohen and Staff-Sergeant Nachman Refael Ben Ami were killed in battle while fighting in the northern Gaza Strip, the IDF announced on Thursday.
Sgt.-Maj. Cohen, 21, from Beit Hanan, served in the 51st Battalion in the Golani Brigade.
St.-Sgt. Ben Ami, 20, from Eilat also served in the the 51st Battalion in the Golani Brigade.
The military added that a soldier had also been seriously wounded in the incident.
Due to bad weather, a crane fell in the area where the soldiers were operating near the Israeli border, Israeli media reported. Several other soldiers were wounded to various degrees, according to the reports.
The military has opened an investigation into the incident.
Soldiers killed since beginning of war
According to the IDF’s tally, the deaths of Sgt.-Maj. Cohen and St.-Sgt. Ben Ami raise the total of soldiers killed on or since October 7 of last year to 844.
Some 405 of this number were killed since the start of the military’s ground operations in the Strip on October 27.
ISRAEL/HAMAS
‘Resist the displacement’: Hamas calls on Arab factions to unite after Trump Gazan relocation plan
“We call on the Arab countries to resist Trump’s pressure and stand firm on their positions rejecting displacement,” Hamas said.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFFEBRUARY 6, 2025 16:30
Hamas strongly rejected US President Donald Trump’s recent statements announcing his plan to relocate Gazans from the Gaza Strip to rebuild the area and called on Arab countries to unite with the intent of combating the decision in a Thursday official statement.
Hamas also demanded an emergency summit with Arab countries to confront what the terror group referred to as Trump’s “displacement project.”
“Trump’s talk about Washington’s acceptance of the Gaza Strip can be compared to a declaration of its [the US’s] desire to occupy the Strip,” Hamas said.
“We do not need any country to patrol the Gaza Strip, and we do not accept replacing one occupation with another,” the group added.
Hamas then called for “Palestinian unity,” emphasizing that this was necessary to “face the displacement” of the Gazans.
Hamas calls on Arab countries for resistance
“We call on the Arab countries to resist Trump’s pressure and stand firm on their positions rejecting displacement,” the terror group said.
Hamas also called on Arab nationals and international organizations to “make a strong move to reject the Trump project.”
Hamas’s strong rejection comes after Trump announced his plan on Tuesday to relocate Gazans in the Strip, with the intention of rebuilding the area to allow for their later return. The announcement occurred during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhu’s visit to Washington to meet with Trump, along with other US officials.
Trump says no US soldiers will be needed in the Gaza Strip
Following the announcement, on Thursday, Trump made an additional statement, adding that in the case that Israel turns the Gaza Strip over to the United States at the end of the war, no US soldiers would be needed there.
“The Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel at the conclusion of fighting. The Palestinians, people like Chuck Schumer, would have already been resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region. They would actually have a chance to be happy, safe, and free,” Trump wrote in his post on the Truth Social platform.
“The US, working with great development teams from all over the World, would slowly and carefully begin the construction of what would become one of the greatest and most spectacular developments of its kind on Earth. No soldiers by the US would be needed! Stability for the region would reign!!!” the post concluded.
END
White House Softens Aspects Of Gaza ‘Takeover’ – Emphasizes No Boots On The Ground
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 11:00 AM
Israel announced Thursday it has begun preparations for the departure of large numbers of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip following President Trump earlier this week publicly backing a controversial mass resettlement plan in neighboring Arab countries.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump’s plan for Gaza as “remarkable” in an interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity published Thursday. “The actual idea of allowing Gazans who want to leave to leave. I mean, what’s wrong with that? They can leave, they can then come back, they can relocate and come back. But you have to rebuild Gaza,” Netanyahu said.
In the face of fierce condemnation and pushback from an assortment of countries like Saudi Arabia, China, Russia, Ireland, as well as the United Nations – Trump has still doubled down in a Thursday Truth Social post.
He explained that “the Gaza Strip would be turned over to the United States by Israel” after the end of hostilities. He reiterated that Palestinians could be relocated to “far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region” and would “actually have a chance to be happy, safe, and free.”
The president said the that the US would oversee development teams from across the world, which will “slowly and carefully” begin the construction of what would become “one of the greatest and most spectacular developments of its kind on Earth.”
That’s when he emphasized the following: “No soldiers by the US would be needed! Stability for the region would reign,” Trump wrote. Given that it’s an active war zone, and Hamas and Islamic Jihad are still openly displaying their weapons in battalion-sized displays and deployments, it seems doubtful any of this could happen without serious military intervention.
Trump said all of this after on Tuesday he declared he wants to the US to “take over” and “own” the Gaza Strip. Some aspects have been softened or walked back by the White House, however.
When pressed for clarification on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “They need to be temporarily relocated out of Gaza for the rebuilding.” Thus the plan has changed to a non-permanent resettlement, apparently, though it’s hard to see the logistics and politics of all of this actually playing out.
Leavitt continued, “It’s been made very clear to the president that the United States needs to be involved in this rebuilding effort to ensure stability in the region for all people.”
“That does not mean boots on the ground in Gaza. That does not mean American taxpayers will be funding this effort,” she added.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also sought to distance the administration from criticisms that this looks like a potential major foreign military intervention. He said the idea was of “temporary” relocation, and said the proposal “was not meant as hostile. It was meant as, I think, a very generous move — the offer to rebuild and to be in charge of the rebuilding.”
And Trump’s envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, echoed something similar. He said the US doesn’t want to put any US troops on the ground, and that no US dollars should be spent. He acknowledged that Trump had been “gestating” on the idea for a while.
end
HEZBOLLAH/HAMAS
Hezbollah ties exposed: Hind Rajab Foundation linked to terrorist funding network
New evidence reveals deep ties between Belgium-based Hind Rajab Foundation and Hezbollah’s global financial network, raising concerns over its true agenda.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFFEBRUARY 6, 2025 19:10Updated: FEBRUARY 6, 2025 19:13
New information reveals even deeper connections between Hezbollah and the Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), a new Belgium-based NGO with a declared mission to prosecute former Israeli soldiers abroad.
“Over 1,000 cases have been filed against Israeli soldiers across the globe,” a source told The Jerusalem Post. “This is a large operation, which requires an entire array of analysts, lawyers, and other workers. In other words, it requires a lot of money, and we may have found some of its sources.”
According to a Diaspora Affairs Ministry report in January that was published by the Post, HRF’s founder, Dyab Abou Jahjah, a Lebanese national with a history of Holocaust denial, homophobia, and support for terrorism, received training from Hezbollah in his early days, and he admitted to having lied to Belgian immigration authorities to facilitate obtaining asylum.
New information from former senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment, as well as a new Know Your Customer (KYC) system developed in Israel to combat terrorism funding (CFT), showed that HRF’s relations with Hezbollah are much deeper than thought at first and involve an elaborate network of Hezbollah-affiliated actors and companies in four continents.
The new information made available showed Abou Jahjah’s history as part of an intricate network of Hezbollah-affiliated companies and families of financiers and legal advisers, many of them designated by the US for their ties to the Iranian proxy terrorist group. They include Kassim Tajideen, a designated Hezbollah financier; and Salem Sleem, a registered lawyer of many companies designated as part of Hezbollah’s financial network.
Leaks have shown Abou Jahjah as being included in the US No Fly List, which indicates that US authorities consider him to have strong connections with terrorist activity.
The new available information showed a connection between Abou Jahjah and Salem Sleem, a prominent figure in Hezbollah’s legal advisory array, who is the registered lawyer of at least 24 Lebanese companies, many of which are either designated as Hezbollah-related by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) or controlled by individuals sanctioned for their ties to Hezbollah.
In addition to his working with Hezbollah-affiliated organizations, Sleem is also the registered attorney of a Lebanon-based company owned by Abou Jahjah, in addition to his father and two brothers, named “Sales Force.” According to the source, Sleem’s sister, Zeina, resides in Kinshasa, Congo, a hub for many of the companies led by designated Hezbollah financier Kassim Tajideen, and works for one of Tajideen’s companies there.
This further highlights the relationship between the designated Hezbollah financier and the lawyer representing many of Hezbollah’s designated companies, the source said.
Family ties
More of Abou Jahjah’s connections run through the family. His brother, Ziad, another owner of Sales Force, worked in the past in a Belgium-based company named Soafrimex (active 1989-2018), which was accused of trading in blood diamonds and financing Hezbollah and Abou Jahjah’s older organization, the Arab European League (AEL, active 2001-2006).
Soafrimex was owned by Tajideen, a Lebanese businessman designated by the OFAC as facilitating Hezbollah’s financial network through an array of companies in Lebanon and Africa, especially in Congo.
In 2017, Tajideen was also charged by the US district attorney for the District of Columbia with fraud, conspiracy, money laundering, and violating global terrorism sanctions regulations. Tajideen pleaded guilty following his arrest by INTERPOL in Morocco.
In 2020, US authorities said Tajideen had been deported from the US to Lebanon upon attempting to enter the country.
Tajideen’s brother Hussein, who was also designated by OFAC for contributing to Hezbollah’s financial network, owned a food company in Brazil named Zaimex (active between 2008-2013), in which Abou Jahjah’s brother Ziad was a prominent shareholder.
A former Zaimex employee testified on her LinkedIn account that Zaimex had collaborated with several companies designated by the US for financing Hezbollah. Since Zaimex was active even after the 2010 designation of Tajideen and his companies, she told the Post, this means that the Brazilian company has breached sanctions by working with Hezbollah’s financing network directly or indirectly.
Ziad Abou Jahjah also owns a real-estate company in Czechia named Andromeda, whose sole documented activity is two unexplained large-scale maritime shipments of sugar weighing more than 45,000 kg. from Colombia. According to the source, this is especially notable as Colombia is notorious for being a hub for drug trafficking in which Hezbollah is famously involved.
Likewise, one prominent partner of Dyab Abou Jahjah is Karim Hassoun, who leads the Hind Rajab Foundation and has also joined Abou Jahjah in leading the AEL and another NGO named the March 30 Movement, the parent organization of HRF. According to a 2019 leak, Hassoun was also placed on the US No Fly List, further highlighting the US authorities’ view of his potential terrorism relations and activities.
Both Hassoun and Abou Jahjah have been found to co-own a company named Bellezza BV, which was registered in 2020, with its address located at what appears to be Hassoun’s home in Willebroek, Belgium. The company reported on its formal registration a variety of activities, including catering, operation of hotels and guesthouses, purchase and sale of real estate, and commercial intermediation.
No tangible, genuine activity was found, however, and no online presence has been registered. According to the source, this may imply dishonest and suspicious activity, especially taking into account the history and shared endeavors of both Hassoun and Abou Jahjah.
This new information indicates that Dyab Abou Jahjah was partnering with actors close to the network affiliated with Hezbollah financiers, legal advisers, and owned companies.
“All of the mentioned protagonists have shown numerous times their support for Hezbollah, for terrorism, for the October 7th attacks and even for taking more hostages,” the source said. “The HRF leaders demonstrate clear ties to extremist ideologies, terrorist-affiliated networks, and potentially illicit financial activities. Despite attempting to frame itself as legal advocacy, the foundation and its founders align with broader efforts to support Hezbollah economically and morally.”
HAMAS/ISRAEL//
end
ISRAEL/HAMAS
ISRAEL/ARAB TOWNS INSIDE ISRAEL
WEST BANK/ ISRAEL
END
SYRIA/RUSSIA
end
RUSSIA/UKRAINE/
Trump To ‘Force’ Zelensky To Agree On Ceasefire By Easter According To Alleged Leaked Peace Plan
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 10:20 AM
As of the start of this week, the Kremlin said ‘no progress’ had been made in arranging peace talks on Ukraine between Moscow and Washington. Rumors and speculation abound, given that US diplomats under Trump are without doubt working behind-the-scenes to arrange something, with the possibility that talks could be hosted in a ‘neutral’ location like Saudi Arabia or the UAE.
A Thursday Daily Mail report has just added immense fuel to the fire of speculation, presenting the allegedly leaked Trump ceasefire plan which he intends to present for Russia’s consideration. The report says Trump will try to ‘force’ Ukraine’s President Zelensky to agree to a ceasefire by Easter, which is on April 20 this year.
The Trump administration is seeking to end the war within 100 days. “The unconfirmed plans, reported by Ukrainian outlet Strana, have been doing the rounds in ‘political and diplomatic circles’ in Ukraine, and will include a ceasefire by April 20 that would freeze Russia’s steady advance, a ban on Ukraine from joining NATO, and a demand for Kyiv to accept Russian sovereignty on annexed land.”
While still very much unconfirmed, the headline is having an immediate impact on oil prices. Zelensky’s office has vehemently denied the legitimacy of reports of the peace plans being reported and floated.
On top of these alleged key aspects of a ban on NATO admission, freezing the front lines, and agreeing to Russian sovereignty over the four annexed territories in the east, the leaked report says the following is also included in the proposal:
- On top of this, Ukrainian troops will be made to leave Russia’s Kursk region, where it launched a counteroffensive in August, while a contingent of European soldiers, which could include British troops, would be asked to police a demilitarised zone. American troops will not be involved in this contingent.
- The EU will reportedly be asked to assist Ukraine in its reconstruction efforts, which may cost as much as $486billion (£392billion) over the next decade according to the German Marshall Fund thinktank.
- The plans will reportedly begin with a phone call between Zelensky and Vladimir Putin in early February, a meeting between the two warring leaders in late February to early March and an official ceasefire declaration of a ceasefire by April 20.
- A declaration on the agreed parameters for ending the war would then be released by May 9, after which Kyiv would be asked not to extend martial law or mobilize troops.
This essentially gives Moscow most everything it wants – particularly the ban on NATO admission – and so if true the plan is likely to be entertained positively by Putin.
Zelensky has been complaining that talks about Ukraine between the US and Russia must never happen without Kiev’s representation and input, but Zelensky it seems is being left behind. He’ll likely reject the above ‘leaked’ plan, but for Moscow and Washington that probably won’t matter too much.
The most immediate reactions are in gold (lower) and oil (lower)…
Below is a further breakdown on the alleged leaked plan…
* * *
Ceasefire by Easter:
NATO Membership: Ukraine would be barred from joining NATO under the plan.
Territorial Concessions: Kyiv would recognize Russian sovereignty over annexed lands and withdraw troops from Kursk.
Demilitarized Zone: European, possibly British, troops would police it; no U.S. involvement.
Reconstruction: EU assistance sought for Ukraine, estimated at $486 billion over a decade.
Timeline:
1) Early February: Zelensky-Putin phone call.
2) Late February to early March: Leaders’ meeting.
3) April 20: Ceasefire declaration.
4) By May 9: Agreement terms released, no further martial law or mobilization.
5) Additional Support: Continued U.S. military aid for Ukraine, with a pathway to EU membership by 2030.
END
RUSSIA/UKRAINE
END
RUSSIA/UKRAINE/USA
6.GLOBAL ISSUES//COVID ISSUES/VACCINE ISSUES/HEALTH ISSUES
DR PAUL ALEXANDER
MARK CRISPIN MILLLER
Anchor Dimitri Sotis, whose distinctive warm voice led WTOP’s evening news, dies at 55
January 27, 2025
WTOP evening anchor Dimitri Sotis, whose deep, warm voice informed and kept listeners in the D.C. region company during storms, elections and breaking news, has died at the age of 55. “It is with the utmost sadness and shock that I write this email to let you all know our friend and coworker, Dimitri Sotis, has passed away,” said Joel Oxley, general manager of WTOP and president of Hubbard Radio Washington, D.C., in an email to staff early Sunday. Sotis was found unresponsive in his home in Alexandria, Virginia, late Saturday night.
No cause of death reported.
Reported on January 26:
Remembering AJ Fritz: The voice behind Lehigh radio
January 26, 2025
Bethlehem, PA – Lehigh radio host Alfred Fritzinger, known to many as AJ Fritz, died unexpectedly on Dec. 31 at the age of 67. Fritzinger was the host of the acclaimed rock radio show “FritzRocks” that began in 1996. During his career, he received the annual Lehigh Valley Music Award for Best College/Community Radio Personality six consecutive times. He had been the manager and chief operator of WLVR, Lehigh’s radio station, since 2000.
No cause of death reported.
Two photographers “died suddenly”:
Longtime Arizona’s Family photojournalist passes away after cancer battle
January 31, 2025
PHOENIX, AZ — A longtime Arizona’s Family photojournalist passed away on Thursday at the age of 66 after a brave battle with cancer. By all accounts, Jim Fry was one of the best in the news business.
Beloved New Orleans photographer, foodie Pableaux Johnson dies after collapse at second line
January 26, 2025
Pableaux Johnson, the journalist and food writer known for his communal Monday night red beans and rice dinners and photographs of New Orleans second line culture, died on Sunday. He was 59. Johnson was taking photos at the Ladies and Men of Unity second line parade when he collapsed. He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital where he died, according to Brett Anderson, a friend and food writer at the New York Times. Johnson, named one of the 100 Greatest Home Cooks of All Time by Epicurious, hosted weekly red beans and rice dinners at his Uptown home that would grow to legendary status.
No cause of death reported.
Kansas City Chiefs mourned death of cheerleader before securing Super Bowl return
January 27, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs players and fans mourned the death of cheerleader Krystal Anderson ahead of their AFC Championship game victory following her passing prior to the 2024 NFL regular season. The 40-year-old was a beloved member of the Chiefs Cheer team, having performed at over 100 games over ten years in her role from 2006 to 2011 and 2013 to 2016. Known to loved ones as “Krissy,” she died on March 20 after battling sepsis following the tragic stillbirth of daughter Charlotte Willow. She was placed on life-support and underwent three surgeries, but the procedures failed to determine the source of the infection, according to her GoFundMe page. The former cheerleader also served as a software engineer and yoga instructor during her working life and is survived by her husband, Clayton Anderson.
SLAY NEWS
NEWS ADDICTS
| Fox News Hires President’s Daughter-In-Law Lara TrumpDaughter-in-law to President Donald Trump and former RNC Chair, Lara Trump, is joining Fox News — where she will host a Saturday evening show.The New York Times broke the news Wednesday afternoon, announcing the equal parts stunning and not-at-all surprising news that Trump would be joining the largely right-of-center cable news network that has long enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship …READ THE FULL REPORT |
| McConnell Falls Again After Taking a Spill Down Marble Steps – In WheelchairMcConnell’s office told Fox News: “Senator McConnell is fine. The lingering effects of polio in his left leg will not disrupt his regular schedule of work.”Senator Mitch McConnell fell again Wednesday after taking a spill down marble steps after voting to confirm HUD Secretary.McConnell, 82, has a weak left leg after suffering from Polio as a child.“McConnell fell in room, …READ THE FULL REPORT |
| New AG Pam Bondi FREEZES all federal funding to sanctuary citiesNew Attorney General Pam Bondi just issued a directive to freeze all federal funding to sanctuary cities, according to Fox News. Bondi issued a slew of directives today, but this one will surely get a lot of attention. It was near the bottom of the article by Fox News, so I’ll just put it at the top of mine: And …READ THE FULL REPORT |
| FCC Releases Raw ’60 Minutes’ Interview with Kamala Harris – CBS RespondsThe Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday released the raw ’60 Minutes’ interview with Kamala Harris. Last week it was reported that the FCC is investigating CBS’s deceptively edited 60 Minutes interview with former Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris. President Trump’s FCC Chair Brendan Carr demanded that CBS hand over the unedited transcript of the infamous ’60 Minutes’ interview with …READ THE FULL REPORT |
| Watch: Oversight Committee Devolves Into Shouting Chaos After Republicans Block Elon Musk SubpoenaThe House Oversight Committee on Wednesday devolved into chaos after the Democrats, who are in the minority, failed to subpoena Elon Musk.Democrat lawmakers lashed out at Elon Musk for shaking up Washington with his DOGE team.The Trump Administration really poked the hornets nest after Musk’s DOGE workers accessed the Treasury Department’s payment systems.The Democrat-media complex lashed out at the young …READ THE FULL REPORT |
EVOL NEWS
| LATEST NEWS: |
MICHAEL EVERY/PHIL MAREY/OR OTHER EXECS //RABOBANK/
7.OIL AND NATURAL GAS ISSUES/GLOBAL/ENERGY/COAL
Treasury Targets Iran’s Oil Network In New Sanctions As Trump Stuns By Talking Deal
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 11:45 AM
President Donald Trump has been notoriously hawkish on Iran, as have some of his top national security officials, which is why it was surprising and refreshing for his rhetoric to take a different track in Wednesday statements. Responding to reports that the US and Israel are preparing scenarios to attack Iran and its nuclear sites, Trump stated Wednesday that these reports are “greatly exaggerated” and said that making a deal would be preferable instead.
“I want Iran to be a great and successful Country, but one that cannot have a Nuclear Weapon,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “I would much prefer a Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement, which will let Iran peacefully grow and prosper. We should start working on it immediately, and have a big Middle East Celebration when it is signed and completed. God Bless the Middle East!” Trump added.
During his first administration, Trump unilaterally pulled the United States out of the JCPOA nuclear deal with Iran in 2018, which had been implemented during the Obama administration, and involved the other P5+1 countries of China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union.
He also dropped a surprise bombshell upon signing the new executive order to reimpose “maximum pressure” on the Islamic Republic, though it’s been woefully underreported in the media:
“There are many people at the top ranks of Iran that do not want to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said in the Oval Office.
Still, Trump claimed when he signed it that he was “unhappy” to do it – perhaps revealing it as leverage and part of his big stick approach which can induce a better deal down the road.
Iran and Mideast regional analyst Trita Parsi commented on how unexpected and significant these words are for a sitting American president:
I cannot recall any U.S. president ever deviating from the quasi-official American line that Tehran is dead set on getting nukes. U.S. officials rarely allow any nuance, or any shades of gray: Iranians always want a nuclear weapon and the only way to stop them from getting one is by preventing them from having access to the necessary material, know-how, or technology. If they have access, they will invariably build a bomb. It’s an unchallengeable certainty.
The 2007 National Intelligence Estimate on Iran caused a major controversy for simply assessing that Iran did not have an active nuclear weapons program, even though it also concluded “with moderate-to-high confidence that Tehran at a minimum is keeping open the option to develop nuclear weapons.”
That is: Iran still wanted a bomb but appeared to have temporarily paused its pursuit of one.
In the meantime, as of Thursday, maximum pressure has formally gone into effect as the US Treasury implements sanctions on the international Iranian oil transport network.
“This action is consistent with the President’s February 4 National Security Presidential Memorandum directing the Treasury Department and other U.S. government agencies to enact maximum economic pressure on Iran in order to deny all paths to a nuclear weapon and counter Iran’s malign influence,” the fresh Treasuring notification said. It announced that this will deprive the country of hundreds of millions of dollars for its military machine.
Trump stuns…
x.com/RStatecraft/status/1887297658655760693
Tehran is seeking to rally OPEC to its side after Trump threatened to take Iran’s crudel exports to zero:
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian urged OPEC members to unite against possible U.S. sanctions on the major oil producer, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would seek to drive Tehran’s oil exports to zero.
Iranian crude oil exports currently stand at around 1.5 million barrels per day, with the majority going to China. The loss of such a volume, equal to about 1.4% of total world supply, would be significant for markets.
US Treasury Secretary Bessent further announced the US is aggressively targeting Iranian efforts to use oil revenues to bolster its nuclear program, develop ballistic missiles, and support its terror proxies. Will this serve to bring Tehran and the Trump administration to the negotiating table? It looks calculated to do so, at least.
8. EMERGING MARKETS//AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND ISSUES//
CANADA
END
CANADA
YOUR EARLY CURRENCY/GOLD AND SILVER PRICING/ASIAN CLOSING MARKETS AND EUROPEAN BOURSE OPENING AND CLOSING/ INTEREST RATE SETTINGS THURSDAY MORNING 6;30AM//OPENING AND CLOSING
EURO VS USA DOLLAR: 1.0359 DOWN 39 BASIS PTS
USA/ YEN 152.39 DOWN 0.202 NOW TARGETS INTEREST RATE AT 1.00% AS IT WILL BUY UNLIMITED BONDS TO GETS TO THAT LEVEL…//YEN STILL FALLS//END OF YEN CARRY TRADE BEGINS AGAIN OCT 2024/Bank of Japan raises rates by .15% to 1.15..UEDA ENDS HIKING RATES AND NOW CARRY TRADES RE INVENTS ITSELF//
GBP/USA 1.2387 DOWN 0.01112 OR 111 PTS
USA/CAN DOLLAR: 1.4351 UP 0.0034 (CDN DOLLAR DOWN 34 BASIS PTS)
Last night Shanghai COMPOSITE CLOSED UP 46.17 PTS OR 1.27%
Hang Seng CLOSED UP 294.53 PTS OR 1.43%
AUSTRALIA CLOSED UP 1.23%
// EUROPEAN BOURSE: ALL GREEN
Trading from Europe and ASIA
I) EUROPEAN BOURSES: ALL GREEN
2/ CHINESE BOURSES / :Hang SENG CLOSED UP 294.53 PTS OR 1.43%
/SHANGHAI CLOSED UP 46.17 PTS OR 1.27%
AUSTRALIA BOURSE CLOSED UP 1.23%
(Nikkei (Japan) CLOSED UP 235.05 PTS OR 0.61%
INDIA’S SENSEX IN THE RED
Gold very early morning trading: 2861.80
silver:$31.98
USA dollar index early THURSDAY morning: 107.86 UP 42 BASIS POINTS FROM WEDNESDAY’s CLOSE.
THURSDAY MORNING NUMBERS ENDS
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And now your closing THURSDAY NUMBERS 1: 30 AM
Portuguese 10 year bond yield: 2.864% DOWN 1 in basis point(s) yield
JAPANESE BOND YIELD: +1.283% up 0 AND 5/ 10 BASIS POINTS /JAPAN losing control of its yield curve/
SPANISH 10 YR BOND YIELD: 3.021 DOWN 1 in basis points yield
ITALIAN 10 YR BOND YIELD 3.432 DOWN 2 points in basis points yield ./ THE ECB IS QE’ ING ITALIAN BONDS (BUYING ITALIAN BONDS/SELLING GERMAN BUNDS)
GERMAN 10 YR BOND YIELD: 2.3635 DOWN 0 BASIS PTS
IMPORTANT CURRENCY CLOSES : MID DAY THURSDAY
Closing currency crosses for day /USA DOLLAR INDEX/USA 10 YR BOND YIELD/1:00 PM
Euro/USA 1.0369 DOWN .0030 OR 30 basis points
USA/Japan: 151.97 DOWN 0.614 OR YEN IS UP 62 BASIS PTS//
Great Britain 10 YR RATE 4.4920 UP 3 BASIS POINTS //
Canadian dollar DOWN .0019 OR 19 BASIS pts to 1.4333
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The USA/Yuan, CNY ON SHORE CLOSED DOWN AT 7.2895 (ON SHORE)..CHINA MUST DEVALUE TO GOLD
THE USA/YUAN OFFSHORE: (YUAN CLOSED (UP)…. (7.2899)
TURKISH LIRA: 35.89 EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LEVEL/DEATH WATCH/HYPERINFLATION TO BEGIN.//
the 10 yr Japanese bond yield at +1.283
Your closing 10 yr US bond yield UP 1 in basis points from TUESDAY at 4.436% //trading well ABOVE the resistance level of 2.27-2.32%)
USA 30 yr bond yield 4.642 DOWN 0 in basis points /11:00 AM
USA 2 YR BOND YIELD: 4.206 UP 2 BASIS PTS.
GOLD AT 11;00 AM 2836,70
SILVER AT 11;00: 31.97
Your 11:00 AM bourses for Europe and the Dow along with the USA dollar index closing and interest rates: THURSDAY CLOSING TIME 11:00 AM//
London: CLOSED UP 103.99 pts or 1.21%
German Dax : UP 316.49 pts or 1.47%
Paris CAC CLOSED UP 115.94 pts or 1.48%
Spain IBEX CLOSED UP 194.30 PTS OR 1.55%
Italian MIB: CLOSED UP 540.29 PTS OR 1.48%
WTI Oil price 70.74 11 EST/
Brent Oil: 74.49 11:00 EST
USA /RUSSIAN ROUBLE /// AT: 976.42 ROUBLE UP 1 AND 36/100
GERMAN 10 YR BOND YIELD; +2.3635 DOWN 0 BASIS PTS.
UK 10 YR YIELD: 4.4920 UP 3 BASIS POINTS
CDN 10 YEAR RATE: 2.990 DOWN 0 BASIS PTS.
CDN 5 YEAR RATE: 2.669 DOWN 1 BASIS PTS
CLOSING NUMBERS: 4 PM
Euro vs USA 1.0388 DOWN 0.0011 OR 11 BASIS POINTS//HEADING TO PARITY WITH THE DOLLAR
British Pound: 1.2438 DOWN .0063 OR 63 basis pts/HEADING FOR PARITY /USA
BRITISH 10 YR GILT BOND YIELD: 4.482 DOWN 0 BASIS PTS//
JAPAN 10 YR YIELD: 1.275 DOWN 1/2 BASIS BASIS PTS.
USA dollar vs Japanese Yen: 151.52 DOWN 1.13 OR 113 BASIS PTS// HEADING FOR 160 TO THE DOLLAR
USA dollar vs Canadian dollar: 1.4306 DOWN .0009 BASIS PTS CDN DOLLAR UP 9 BASIS PTS
West Texas intermediate oil: 70.62
Brent OIL: 74.72
USA 10 yr bond yield UP 2 BASIS pts to 4.436
USA 30 yr bond yield UP 1 BASIS PTS to 4.649%
USA 2 YR BOND: UP 3 PTS AT 4.212
CDN 10 YR RATE 2.981 DOWN 1 BASIS PTS
CDN 5 YEAR RATE: 2.651 UP 1 BASIS PTS
USA dollar index: 107.54 UP 9 BASIS POINTS
USA DOLLAR VS TURKISH LIRA: 35.88 GETTING QUITE CLOSE TO BLOWING UP/
USA DOLLAR VS RUSSIA//// ROUBLE: 98.75 UP 1 AND 23/100 roubles
GOLD 2,856.35 (3:30 PM)
SILVER: 32.25 (3:30 PM)
DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE: DOWN 125.65 PTS OR 0.28%
NASDAQ 100 UP 115.90 PTS OR 0.54%
VOLATILITY INDEX: 15.48 DOWN 0.29 PTS OR 1.84%
GLD: $ 263.43 OR DOWN 0.70 PTS OR 0.27%
SLV/ $29.38 PTS OR UP 0.03 OR 0.10%
TORONTO STOCK INDEX// TSX INDEX: CLOSED DOWN 35.35 PTS OR 0.14%
end
TRADING today ZEROHEDGE
ZEROHEDGE/HEADLINE CLOSING MARKETS
‘Sell All The Things’ – Markets Stall Ahead Of ‘Most Important Jobs Print… Since The Last One’
END
USA DATA
Initial Jobless Claims Tick Higher Off Multi-Decade Lows
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 08:35 AM
Initial jobless claims rose very marginally off near multi-decade lows last week (from 208k to 219k) and slightly higher than the 213k expected…
Source: Bloomberg
The state by state data is just remarkable in its flip-floppiness (yes that’s a word!!)…
Last week California saw jobless claims plunge…
This week California and New York saw claims soar…
Continuing claims continue to oscillate around 1.9 million Americans (decoupling from initial claims stronger trend)…
Source: Bloomberg
Finally, we can’t but notice this jobless claims data series seems decoupled from various other labor market realities still… such as The Conference Board’s Jobs-Plentiful/Hard-to-Get series…
Source: Bloomberg
So, strong ADP, strong jobless claims, weak JOLTS, weak Conf Board… tomorrow’s NFP is anyone’s guess still!
III USA ECONOMIC NEWS
How ‘Wars Of Choice’ Formed The Worldview Of Trump’s Top NatSec Picks Busy Cleaning Up The Swam
Wednesday, Feb 05, 2025 – 10:35 PM
Authored by Kamal Alam via Al Majallah,
While the wars in Ukraine and Gaza were the dominant foreign policy issues being debated on the presidential campaign trail, Trump often cited another, older war as proof of Biden’s foreign policy failures: the US war in Afghanistan.
And since he won the presidency, Trump has given multiple war veterans who served in Afghanistan a place in his cabinet. Mike Waltz is one of them.
And in his new role as National Security Advisor, he is already cleaning house, getting rid of generals and officials who played a part in America’s blunderous exit from Afghanistan.
And while Afghanistan itself will not feature prominently on Trump’s list of foreign policy priorities, the impact of America’s longest war remains front and center in the minds of Waltz, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, and Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, all Afghan war veterans.
Trump repeatedly said that wars in Ukraine and Gaza would have never started if the US had not left Kabul the way it did in August 2021 and that, going forward, America must avoid wars, and if it has to go to war, it should do it quickly without pursuing regime change.
Waltz would agree. He said Biden’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan allowed the Taliban – which hosted America’s biggest enemy since WWII, Bin Laden and Al Qaeda – to come back to power. Since the pullout, the UN has reported that more than a dozen terrorist groups are back in Afghanistan, which is quickly becoming a bastion for transnational terror groups.
He also said that by abandoning its strategic base in Kabul – Bagram, one of the largest US bases in Asia – Biden basically left it open for China to snatch up. In fact, the Chinese are already using it commercially, mining Afghan minerals and rare earth resources, which are estimated to be worth billions, if not trillions. Waltz bemoans the fact that Beijing is reaping the spoils of a war that Americans died for.
A quick Amazon search on Afghanistan war books will turn up more than two dozen books just written in the last two years by US soldiers and officers on the betrayal of Afghanistan. Whilst Iraq was always seen as an illegal war, Afghanistan was seen as a good war. Waltz himself penned two books on his experiences in both wars.
From military to advocacy
After his military service, he continued his Afghan advocacy, publicly supporting the National Resistance Front led by Ahmad Massoud, the leading opposition group fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Waltz maintains close relations with Massoud and was on the phone with him as the Panjshir Valley was falling in September 2021.
While many officials moved on from Afghanistan, including those in the Biden administration, veterans led by Waltz have kept pressing for accountability over the chaotic way it pulled out. Waltz grilled army generals, including former joint chiefs of staff Mark Milley, who was responsible for Kabul. For his part, Hegseth stripped Milley of his security detail, and his portraits were taken down from the Pentagon.
Former Navy Seal and popular podcaster Shawn Ryan, who interviewed Hegseth just two days before the election, called the former FOX news anchor’s interview with Massoud his “most important interview ever”.
Ryan specializes in security matters and has hosted several high-profile military veterans, including Tulsi Gabbard, who has been very outspoken on the US betrayal of Afghanistan, which she says embodies everything that is wrong with the Pentagon, the CIA, and what some refer to as the Deep State.
Another Trump insider and former counter-terrorism DOD official, Kash Patel, who ran Trump’s Afghan withdrawal plan, wrote a whole book on how to ‘gut’ the defense establishment and fight the ‘Deep State’ which Trump vowed to take on.
During his inauguration speech, he promised to “end wars” and “not get America into them in the first place.” In fact, he was in favor of ending the war in Afghanistan and was the one who started negotiations with the Taliban during his first term, much like he is now calling for talks with Putin and a potential Iran deal. However, he believes this must be done from a position of strength and not in the chaotic way Biden withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021.
As for Ukraine, Trump looks poised to wind down support for Kyiv, which continues to lose territory to Russia, unless he sees a drastic change on the ground.
More generally, Trump’s veteran-filled cabinet will try to avert costly ground invasions and opt for a light footprint with special forces if necessary, as was the case in the early days after 9/11 when less than 200 US special forces backed by air power toppled the Taliban in less than 30 days.
As Waltz assumes his post, his experience in Afghanistan will be weighing on his mind as he advises Trump on the best way to conduct America’s foreign policy.
END
FCC’s Brendan Carr Launches Investigation Into Soros-Backed Radio Station That Outed Undercover ICE Agents
Wednesday, Feb 05, 2025 – 07:40 PM
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr has launched an investigation into a radio station backed by left-wing billionaire activist George Soros that broadcasted the live locations of undercover Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
San Francisco-based KCBS 740 AM, one of the 200 Audacy radio stations bought by a Soros-backed group, came under fire after broadcasting the locations of ICE agents in the San Jose area during the January 26th edition of KCBS Radio Weekend News, where host Bret Burkhart was reporting on ICE raids in the areas. While reading a statement from San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, Burkhart included a statement from the Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network – a left-wing “community defense project developed to protect immigrant families from deportation threats.
The Response Network reports, which Burkhart read on air, gave the color, make, and model of three unmarked vehicles as well as the specific locations of agents in the area.
Chairman Carr thinks KCBS-AM may have violated licensing rules which require broadcasters to serve the public interest, and has sent a formal Letter of Inquiry to the station.
“I want to express my thanks and appreciation to DHS and ICE agents. These law enforcement professionals are honorably serving this country and carrying out vital missions. Their safety is paramount. The FCC will hold broadcasters accountable for complying with their public interest obligations,” Carr told Fox News Digital.
As Radioink reports further, the investigation comes as Carr weighs revisiting a previous commission vote on Audacy’s post-bankruptcy restructuring due to concerns over ownership ties to billionaire and Democratic donor George Soros, which has been an area of concern for many Republican leaders. While Audacy has officially closed its bankruptcy case, when asked by Fox Business about the deal in November, Carr said, “There’s a petition for reconsideration pending at the FCC right now, and I want to take a very hard look at that.”
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“This Is Where The Big Money Fraud Is Happening”: DOGE Dives Into Medicare Payment Malarkey
Wednesday, Feb 05, 2025 – 11:00 PM
Representatives of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) – who just obtained security clearances, have been embedded at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) this week, gaining access to critical payment and contracting systems, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing multiple individuals familiar with the situation.
The DOGE representatives have been on site at the agency’s offices this week, the people said, and they are looking at the systems’ technology as well as the spending that flows through them, with a focus on pinpointing what they consider fraud or waste. DOGE representatives are also examining the agency’s organizational design and how it is staffed, the people added.
Musk confirmed his interest in CMS oversight in a social media post, writing on X: “Yeah, this is where the big money fraud is happening.“
The White House and DOGE officials declined to comment on the matter. In the last week, Musk’s DOGE team has been moving swiftly to gain access across multiple federal agencies, including the Treasury Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to uncover fraud, abuse, and excessive spending.
A CMS official told the Journal that the agency has assigned “two senior agency veterans who are leading the coordination with DOGE,” and that leaders are “taking a thoughtful approach to see where there may be opportunities for more effective and efficient spending in line with meeting the goals of President Trump.”
CMS sits at the heart of the nation’s healthcare economy, managing a budget of approximately $1.5 trillion in fiscal 2024 – roughly 22 percent of total federal spending. The agency employs around 6,710 people and administers Medicare, Medicaid, and other healthcare programs vital to millions of Americans. Many of its employees have spent decades navigating the complex regulatory and operational framework underpinning the healthcare system.
Among the systems DOGE representatives have accessed is CALM, the CMS Acquisition Lifecycle Management system, which contains contract data, sources said. However, they noted that DOGE personnel have not yet gained entry to databases containing personally identifiable health information of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. They also have not accessed HIGLAS, the Healthcare Integrated General Ledger Accounting System, a key accounting platform for CMS payments.
One person familiar with DOGE’s work at CMS emphasized that the current level of access is “read-only,” preventing Musk’s team from making modifications to the systems.
The intervention has raised concerns among CMS veterans and healthcare policy experts. The agency’s payment structures are notoriously complex, involving multiple layers of contractors and private insurers, especially within Medicare. Medicaid, jointly administered by federal and state governments, follows different financial pathways, with federal funding typically flowing to state agencies.
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At Least 40,000 Fed Workers Accept ‘DOGE Buyout’ As Deadline Looms Tonight
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 07:20 AM
Thursday marked the final day for federal employees to accept the Trump administration’s offer of eight months of pay and benefits in exchange for voluntarily stepping down. According to the latest figures from Bloomberg, at least 40,000 government workers—about 2% of the federal civilian workforce—have opted into the resignation program.
An official from the Office of Personnel Management told Bloomberg that deferred retirement applications have been steadily increasing and are expected to surge by the end of Thursday, the deadline to apply. Employees can submit their resignations by sending the word “resign” to their government email accounts.
“While a few agencies and even branches of the military are likely to see increases in the size of their workforce, the majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force,” OPM recently told federal workers in an email.
OPM added: “These actions are likely to include the use of furloughs and the reclassification to at-will status for a substantial number of federal employees.”
The agency also told workers that “consolidation and divestitures” could lead to changes in “physical office” locations.
Reuters noted that federal worker unions have told members not to take the deal. The unions sued to block the offer, with a court hearing scheduled for 1300 ET. Also, Redditors on the “fednews” forum on the Reddit social media platform told other fed workers to “hold the line.”
President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, a special government employee leading the Department of Government Efficiency, have been on a crusade to provide the American people with transparency regarding out-of-control spending by federal agencies. One major win for Trump has been unleashing DOGE to neuter the Deep State’s unlimited piggybank, also known as USAID. The agency has since been rolled into the State Department.
Latest USAID headlines:
ROBERT H TO US; SOROS AND USAID
The Soros connection
US conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation claimed in 2017 that George Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF) had been made “the main implementer of USAID’s aid” since at least 2009.
But the Soros-USAID collaboration began much earlier. A 1993 USAID document shows the agency signed an agreement with the Soros Foundations’ Management Training Program to train 30 “professionals” from Bulgaria, Estonia, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, a series of color revolutions shook Eastern Europe, with George Soros’ network of NGOs playing a central role in the unrest.
In 2003–2004, Soros’ International Renaissance Foundation partnered with USAID to support Ukraine’s ‘Orange Revolution’. Prior to that, the US spent $54.7 million in 2003 and $34.11 million in 2004 on “democracy programs” in Ukraine through various agencies, including USAID
The US legal watchdog Judicial Watch revealed in April 2018 that USAID sponsored Soros’ globalist agenda in Guatemala. In total, OSF reportedly spent around $100 million fomenting unrest in Latin America between 2015 and 2018.
In October 2018, the watchdog obtained documents indicating that USAID partnered with Soros to fund radical left-wing activists in Albania. In 2016, USAID reportedly allocated $9 million to a campaign overseen by Soros’ East West Management Institute.
To illustrate the scale of funds managed by Soros-linked initiatives, in 2024, then-President Joe Biden requested nearly $30 billion for USAID in FY2025.
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WikiLeaks: USAID Has Been Funding Over 6,000 Journalists Worldwide Across Nearly 1000 Platforms
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 02:00 PM
Yesterday’s report that the US government has been funding outlets such as Politico, the Associated Press, the BBC, and others raised more questions than it answered – though the obvious implication is that the US government has effectively been propping up regime-friendly media, which then peddles regime-friendly coverage – and spent years attacking independent outlets such as ZeroHedge, The Federalist, and many unlucky ones who have since been starved out of business.
(By the way, thank you to everyone who subscribed or bought something from our store yesterday. That goes a long way towards our mission to bring you a host of divergent opinions, and let you talk almost as much shit as you want in the comments section).
And while funding for Politico and others has come from all over the federal government – WikiLeaks, citing a RSF report, highlighted that USAID was funding over 6,200 journalists across 707 media outlets and 279 “media” NGOs, which includes 90% of the reportage out of Ukraine.
According to RSF, the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid – roughly $268 million earmarked to fund “independent media and the free flow of information,” has ‘thrown journalism around the world into chaos.’
Almost immediately after the freeze went into effect, journalistic organizations around the world that receive American aid funding started reaching out to RSF expressing confusion, chaos, and uncertainty. The affected organizations include large international NGOs that support independent media like the International Fund for Public Interest Media and smaller, individual media outlets serving audiences living under repressive conditions in countries like Iran and Russia.
…
USAID programs support independent media in more than 30 countries, but it is difficult to assess the full extent of the harm done to the global media. Many organizations are hesitant to draw attention for fear of risking long-term funding or coming under political attacks. According to a USAID fact sheet which has since been taken offline, in 2023, the agency funded training and support for 6,200 journalists, assisted 707 non-state news outlets, and supported 279 media-sector civil society organizations dedicated to strengthening independent media. The 2025 foreign aid budget included $268,376,000 allocated by Congress to support “independent media and the free flow of information.”
Note the recurring use of the term ‘independent media.’
Of course, the RSF report, and another from the Columbia Journalism Review are sounding the alarm over the ‘silencing of independent media’ around the world.
The critical context they omit, however, is that USAID – despite the best of intentions when it was formed, has been corrupted into a deep-state slush-fund.
are around the world, they’re all eating fruit from the same poisonous tree.
IIIB USA COMMENTARIES RE ISRAEL/HAMAS WAR/ and PERVASIVE ANTISEMITISM/WOKISM
iiiC USA COVID //VACCINE ISSUES/IMPORTANT MEDICAL ISSUES
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FREIGHT ISSUES/USA/
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VICTOR DAVIS HANSON OR NEWT GINGRICH/TUCKER CARLSON
VDH
END
KING REPORT
| The King Report February 6, 2025 Issue 7425 | Independent View of the News |
| Bonds soared on Tuesday; USHs rallied as much as 1 21/32. Was it recession/tariff angst or DOGE? Level of Democrat Panic Over Musk Freezing USAID “Unlike Anything Ever Seen” The insider says that so reliant on USAID funded schemes were Democrats in order to ram through their agenda, that this is the equivalent of 9/11 scale attack on them… https://modernity.news/2025/02/05/insider-level-of-democrat-panic-over-musk-freezing-usaid-unlike-anything-ever-seen/ @charliekirk11: USAID has been spending millions of taxpayer dollars every year funding not only the BBC, but also Politico https://x.com/kylenabecker/status/1887136820544049218 Politico published the original Hunter Biden laptop = Russian disinformation story. https://x.com/charliekirk11/status/1887148794544091459 Zero Hedge: According to government spending tracker website USASPENDING.gov, Politico – which laundered the Hunter Biden ’51 intel officials’ propaganda during the 2020 election – received up to $27 million (and by some counts $32 million) from various US agencies during the Biden years… And look at this, the NY Times received $3.1 million in taxpayer funds, while the UK’s BBC received $3.2 million… https://www.zerohedge.com/political/politico-ny-times-propped-millions-dollars-us-government The current owner of Politico is German tabloid & propaganda giant Axel Springer, which also owns Business Insider. Why is a German co the beneficiary of US taxpayer funds for liberal propaganda? @LisaLAlexander: The details on that are subscriptions to Politico for 37 users in FDA for half a mil?? https://x.com/LisaLAlexander_/status/1887008432269476176 @kylenabecker: On Tuesday, it was reported that, “Staff at Politico did not get paid for the latest pay period. The company just sent several emails to employees saying it believes there was a technical error, and is looking into how to fix the issue.” https://x.com/kylenabecker/status/1887136929780494421 @bennyjohnson: This is the biggest scandal in news media history: No employee at Politico got paid yesterday. First time ever the company missed a pay period. This is a crisis. Now we learn Politico — a “news company” — which spent the last 10 years trying to destroy the MAGA Movement was being massively funded by USAID. Trump & Elon deleted their funding. Now Politico will go out of business. @InezFeltscher: Cannot overemphasize what a lopsided playing field it’s been as a matter of course for decades. The left’s activism never slept, because it included most of the federal bureaucracy, an army of NGOs funded by the bureaucracy, universities funded by the taxpayer etc etc. The right had a couple of think tanks funded by private donations. No more! @realchrisrufo: She is not wrong: They are at war against Elon’s effort to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse—because their entire professional-activist apparatus is dependent upon waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer funds. Losing access to that cashflow is an existential threat. (US has state-run media!) @Anc_Aesthetics: What we’re finding out in real time is the entire modern left is just smoke and mirrors. There is no left-wing voter base, all the elections are rigged and fake, all the liberal media outlets have no audience and are kept alive by USAID funding. All their politicians and political pundits are paid by USAID to say what the government wants. The whole thing was a house of cards. GOP Rep @Jim_Jordan: Democrats had no problem with 80,000 IRS agents targeting Americans. But they’re terrified DOGE wants to look into government corruption. @AnnCoulter: USAID and the Democratic Party should be investigated for a RICO violation. @IanJaeger29: Trump calls for an investigation to find out who in the Government has been receiving kickbacks from USAID. WSJ: DOGE Aides Search Medicare Agency Payment Systems for Fraud Elon Musk’s allies have been on site at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services offices this week. @elonmusk: Yeah, this is where the big money fraud is happening. China considers probe into Apple’s policies and App Store fees The country’s State Administration for Market Regulation is reviewing Apple’s policies, including its commission of up to 30% on in-app purchases and restrictions on external payment services and App Stores, the report said. Shares of Apple were down 2.6% in U.S. premarket trading… https://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-mulling-probe-apples-app-091927559.html USPS temporarily suspends some inbound packages from China, Hong Kong The change comes after President Donald Trump announced new tariffs that also target a popular trade loophole called “de minimis.” Chinese e-commerce firms Temu and Shein have relied on the de minimis loophole to keep prices low. A provision in the orders eliminates a popular trade loophole, known as “de minimis,” which allows exporters to ship packages worth less than $800 into the U.S. duty-free… https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/05/usps-temporarily-suspends-inbound-packages-from-china-hong-kong.html WSJ’s @NickTimiraos: Fed Vice Chair Phillip Jefferson (part of Powell’s inner circle) makes even more clear that cuts aren’t a part of the near-term base-case. Lower rates are the most likely outcome “over the medium term.” “That said, I do not think we need to be in a hurry to change our stance.” https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/jefferson20250204a.htm Dark Pools Have Taken Over the Market “For the first time on record, the majority of all trading in US stocks is now consistently occurring outside the country’s exchanges,” and …“…it will be the fifth monthly record in a row, and the third month running that hidden trades make up more than half of all volume.” This shift means that we can no longer trust the pricing on the public exchanges. In other words, the price of the stock that we regular folk see might not be the true price of the stock… “Using those [dark pool] venues helps institutional investors limit information leaking to the market and adversely affecting prices.” Source: Bloomberg… https://www.newconstructs.com/dark-pools-have-taken-over-the-market/ The U.S. trade deficit widened sharply in December as imports surged to a record high against the backdrop of tariff threats. – The trade gap increased 24.7% to $98.4 billion ($96.6B exp), the highest since March 2022, from a revised $78.9 billion in November… https://www.newsmax.com/finance/streettalk/trade-deficit-imports/2025/02/05/id/1197882/ The ADP Employment Change for January is +183k; 150k was consensus. 1-19 employees +23,000; 20-49 employees +16,000; 50-249 employees +53,000; 250-499 employees +39,000; 500+ employees +69,000 https://adpemploymentreport.com/ Senators Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, and Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, have proposed a 10% cap on credit card interest rates for five years. https://www.newsmax.com/finance/streettalk/credit-card-interest/2025/02/05/id/1197899/ ESHs traded sharply lower when the Nikkei opened and sank further until they hit 6020.25 at 5 ET. A relentless rally took ESHs to 6055.50 at 9:38 ET. An early dump pushed ESHs down to 6029.50 at 10:02 ET. Another relentless rally leg developed. After soaring to 6076.75 at 12:08 ET, ESHs retreated modestly and traded sideways until The Afternoon Rally began near 13:39 ET. A plodding, low energy rally took ESHs to a daily high of 6084.50 at 15:25 ET. Late liquidation pushed ESHs down to 6073.50 at 15:50 ET. The late manipulation forced ESHs to 6088.50 at 16:00 ET. Positive aspects of previous session The DJIA rallied sharply; Fangs rebounded sharply after a morning drop. Gasoline and oil declined; USHs were +1 12/32 at the NYSE close. Negative aspects of previous session Precious metals rallied smartly; gold hit another all-time high; $3k beckons. Google and Apple were a drag on the NY Fang+ Index. SPY (S&P 500 ETF) volume was abysmal. There are few organic players in the market. Ambiguous aspects of previous session Bonds rallied sharply; was it recession/tariif angst or DOGE? First Hour/Last Hour Action [S&P 500 Index]: 1st Hour from NYSE Open: Up; Last Hour: Up Pivot Point for S&P 500 Index [above/below indicates daily trend to traders]: 6043.80 Previous session S&P 500 Index High/Low: 6058.64; 6007.06 Trump Idea for Gaza Takeover Gets Israel Backing, Arab Scorn – BBG Saudi Arabia called the plan an “infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people”… No one, including Israel, was expecting the new US President to suggest his country step in and rebuild the coastal Palestinian territory, creating a new “Riviera.” The approach would, according to Trump, require moving more than 2 million Gazans out of the war-ravaged enclave… Saudi Arabia reiterated its support for a Palestinian state and spoke out against “any infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people whether through Israeli settlement policies, land annexation, or attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land.”… https://finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-idea-gaza-takeover-gets-144741844.html ‘Deranged’ and ‘problematic’: Bipartisan lawmakers bash Trump’s Gaza proposal https://t.co/QElIWfCxPN We don’t get Mar-a-Gaza or Gaz-a-Lago; unless it is a negotiating ploy to get Arab states, notably Saudia Arabia, to rebuild and police Gaza. Trump Resort Hotel & Casino in Gaza? ‘C’mon, man!’ National Security Adviser Mike Waltz says Trump plan to ‘take over’ Gaza will force Arab nations to step up https://trib.al/KqTJGer Sir Keir Starmer ‘to push ahead’ with Chagos Islands deal A new agreement offers Mauritius complete sovereignty over Diego Garcia, effectively doubling the initial £9 billion offer, the country’s prime minister said The Chagos archipelago, a remote chain of seven tropical atolls in the middle of the Indian Ocean, is a British overseas territory. Diego Garcia, the largest island, is home to a US naval base that can host nuclear-capable bombers and submarines. In 2019 a non-binding advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice awarded the islands to Mauritius… https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/sir-keir-starmer-to-push-ahead-with-chagos-islands-deal-t8g8bt73d Fox: Top DOJ official says FBI employees who ‘simply followed orders’ on Jan 6 investigations won’t be fired – Trump’s appointee says they will go after employees for ‘weaponizing the FBI’ https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-fbi-official-says-employees-who-simply-followed-orders-jan-6-investigations-wont-fired DOJ accuses FBI of ‘insubordination’ in hunt for proof of ‘weaponization’ https://trib.al/SbqAd9z FOX NEWS: Attorney General Pam Bondi orders the DOJ to pause all federal funding for sanctuary cities, orders prosecution of any jurisdiction impeding immigration enforcement Bondi creating “Weaponization Working Group” to review activities of law enforcement agencies over past 4 years to identify instances of “politicized justice” @BrookeSingman: Bondi is ending the moratorium on federal executions and ordering prosecutors to seek the death penalty when appropriate —specifically with a focus on violent drug trafficking crimes & “re-evaluate instances of the prior administration electing not to seek the death penalty.” @libsoftiktok: Democrat Rep. Al Green has filed articles of impeachment against President Trump for “dastardly deeds proposed and dastardly deeds done.” https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1887171155464778041 @joma_gc: Rep. Al Green, who plans to file articles of impeachment against President Trump accusing him of “dastardly deeds,” sexually assaulted former aide Lucinda Daniels in 2007. Green settled with Daniels using the congressional slush fund. In 2017, as other members of Congress were facing accusations of sexual assault, Green once again paid Daniels to sign a joint statement to get ahead of the scandal resurfacing. DJT signed an EO that bans biological men from participating in women’s sports. Japan Airlines plane collides with Delta jet at Seattle airport https://trib.al/b0bifqc Disney sank 2.42% because ESPN+ lost 700,000 subscribers in 2024. Today is a difficult call. Bulls are encouraged that stocks have rebounded from sharp early declines on negative fundamentals this week. However, a great deal of resources and energy have been spent to rebound stocks. Even though the January Employment, due tomorrow, will have no effect on the Fed (It is in self-parked limbo), traders are conditioned to be cautious ahead of the report. Expected Impact Earnings: LLY 5.06, BMY 1.47, YUM 1.59, PM 1.49, AMZN 1.47 Expected economic data: Q4 Nonfarm Productivity 1.2%, Unit Labor Costs 3.4%; Initial Jobless Claims 213k, Continuing Claims 1.87m; Fed Gov. Waller 14:30 ET ESHs +6.00; NQHs +11.75; and USHs are +2/32 at 20:30 ET. S&P Index 50-day MA: 5997; 100-day MA: 5897; 150-day MA: 5767; 200-day MA: 5645 DJIA 50-day MA: 43,770; 100-day MA: 43,172; 150-day MA: 42,215; 200-day MA: 41,385 (Green is positive slope; Red is negative slope) S&P 500 Index (6061.48 close) – BBG trading model Trender and MACD for key time frames Monthly: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 5382.09 triggers a sell signal Weekly: Trender is positive; MACD is negative – a close below 5735.66 triggers a sell signal Daily: Trender and MACD are positive – a close below 5962.31 triggers a sell signal Hourly: Trender is negative MACD is positive – a close above 6090.22 triggers a buy signal Elon Musk and DOGE engineers have obtained security clearances: Reuters (Now it gets real!) @KanekoaTheGreat: A 2006 archived USAID website proudly claims the agency “supported” revolutions in Ukraine, Georgia, Lebanon, and Kyrgyzstan. USAID funded and trained thousands of journalists, lawyers, judges, and election workers, conducted polls questioning election legitimacy, published reports alleging fraud, and helped oversee new elections, among other initiatives. (Long threat at link) https://x.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/1887222808130035896 @nataliegwinters: The Brookings Institution has forcefully attacked @realDonaldTrump and @elonmusk for shutting down USAID. They conveniently never disclose in all of their hit pieces that they’ve received USAID grants for “humanitarian assistance” and “protecting human rights.” https://x.com/nataliegwinters/status/1887235500169437285 @KanekoaTheGreat: Why did USAID give $68+ million to the World Economic Forum? https://x.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/1887261736618893636 @SidneyPowell1: USAID awarded $1.9 million to the American Bar Association @ABAesq in September before the 2024 election. https://x.com/SidneyPowell1/status/1887244824958349801 @ashleevance: Is this legit? Did NASA spend $500k on Politico subscriptions? https://x.com/ashleevance/status/1887154260208738418 @DOGE: NASA leadership has verified that this was cancelled today. @MrAndyNgo: A large left-wing crowd gathered in the capital to call for the Senate to be shut down and @elonmusk imprisoned after USAID was closed. The anti-Musk rally featured speeches by Democrat politicians. https://x.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1886926575347667153 @Oilfield_Rando: You have to understand that hundreds if not thousands of parasitic NGO offices are located in and around DC. And all of the people staffing them are staring at the abyss of not being able to pay their bills with our confiscated earnings. David Axelrod, James Carville, Rahm Emmanuel, and other Dem solons warned Dems that they are walking into a trap by protesting outrageous federal spending. @C_3C_3: When do we find out Barack Hussein Obama’s entire life was funded by USAID? From childhood to college to politics. DOGE reportedly will audit the IRS. Can you imagine the amount of fraudulent tax refunds? Musk and his DOGE team have started to reveal the below-the-surface iceberg of corruption & fraud. @adamhousley: Just wait until @DOGE and @elonmusk get to the DOD. The contracts that are required that have companies connected to Generals wives and relatives and electeds wives/husbands and relatives. GOP Rep @timburchett: Democrats try to slow DOGE by subpoenaing @elonmusk and were denied. Cameo by @RepScottPerry and @ByronDonalds https://x.com/timburchett/status/1887169143004398063 @libsoftiktok: Sen. Ed Markey (D) is calling for millions of people to “descend on Washington” and “fight” in response to Trump cutting federal waste. Sounds like inciting an insurrection! https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1887230872774140048 If you think Dem outrage and whining is insufferable now, just wait until Musk and Team Trump go after voter fraud, including what really happened during the 2020 Election! @Oilfield_Rando: Hi Liz Shuler any comment on your organization possibly losing this $8.3 million USAID grant for “building worker power for equity and justice” in Bangladesh? Was Solidarity Center awarded these grants because you’re its Chair, but also President of the AFL-CIO, a DNC MEGAdonor? https://x.com/RandoLand_us/status/1887131562762027019 Ex-CIA op @BryanDeanWright: Democrats didn’t mind unelected consultants changing the government when it was their friends at McKinsey or Deloitte. Dem @RepCasar: Fire Elon Musk. Use every legislative, judicial, and public pressure tactic at our disposal until we get it done. @elonmusk: Yeah, he sucks  Dem @Rep_Stansbury: Reporting live from the Department of the Treasury! (Wants to question DOGE) https://x.com/Rep_Stansbury/status/1886888250528424337 @elonmusk responds to Dem Rep. Stansbury: Can I help you? (Musk dressed like The Terminator!) https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1887174880527106540 She comes to me on this day of my DOGE’s wedding and makes these demands. But does she call me The DOGEfather? Is she even a friend? Buona sera, buono sera … Kamala VP pick @Tim_Walz: The richest man in the world is sitting at the Resolute desk, about to defund your public school. Trump should stop him. @elonmusk: What’s your name again? I forgot. Musk keeps mocking and savaging Dems that attack him. In a contest of wits, who’s your pick? ‘Losing their minds’: Dem lawmakers face backlash for invoking ‘unhinged’ violent rhetoric against Musk https://www.foxnews.com/politics/losing-minds-dem-lawmakers-face-backlash-invoking-unhinged-violent-rhetoric-against-musk @greg_price11: At a rally outside USAID, Democrat Congressman Jonathan Jackson accuses Elon Musk of wanting to bring apartheid to America because he’s from South Africa. https://x.com/greg_price11/status/1887195397652730289 AOC ridiculed for bizarre take on Elon Musk’s intelligence as billionaire ‘First Buddy’ guts the government https://t.co/5Rdb6ZCoLy @WendellHusebo: @PressSec says Democrat ‘violent enticing rhetoric’ is ‘unacceptable’ and ‘should be held accountable for that rhetoric’ @EricLDaugh. Karoline Leavitt just dismantled the “we didn’t elect Elon Musk!” talking points. LEAVITT: Trump CAMPAIGNED across the country with Elon Musk, vowing that @ElonMusk would head up DOGE, and the 2 of them were going to look at the receipts of the government and ensure it’s accountable to taxpayers. That’s what’s happening. https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1887205291021717888 @RapidResponse47: TRUMP: “The train that’s being built between Los Angeles and San Francisco is the worst managed project that I think I’ve ever seen... Hundreds of billions of dollars over budget… We’re going to start an investigation of that.” https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1886881232627401102 WSJ: The Central Intelligence Agency offered buyouts to its entire workforce Tuesday… a bid to bring the agency in line with President Trump’s priorities, including targeting drug cartels… @ABC: The Department of Government Efficiency is now scrutinizing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, sources told ABC News. DOGE was first denied access to the NOAA IT servers but now has access, according to sources. @ChadPergram: Fox confirms. McConnell falls down Senate stairs after voting to confirm Scott Turner as HUD Secretary. Unclear about injuries. But Fox is told he appears to be ok. McConnell was helped up by Sens. Steve Daines (R-MT) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK). @nicksortor: Mitch McConnell is now being carted around in a wheelchair after falling TWICE today Congress is a freaking nursing home. https://x.com/nicksortor/status/1887222497604739085 ICE, DEA use flash bangs in raids against 100 Tren de Aragua gangbangers in Aurora, Colorado — 5 months after governor claimed they didn’t exist https://trib.al/Y8x7nL4 Colorado councilwoman encourages people to ‘report’ ICE activity to help illegal immigrants avoid capture https://t.co/jMgMTn6H7A FCC, CBS releases unedited video of controversial ‘60 Minutes’ interview with Kamala Harris https://trib.al/0hK7Twn CA Gov. Newsom weakens financial disclosure requirements for LA officials in aftermath of fires (To facilitate a massive grift for CA pols?) https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/newsom-weakens-financial-disclosure-requirements-la-officials-relief @BuckSexton: Nobody who is truly on the Right cares anymore, at all, what Democrat- Communists have to say. This is a hugely important shift. Moral blackmail is ignored. Accusations are shrugged off. Threats are laughed at. It’s glorious. @larryelder: @JoeBiden signs with Hollywood’s Talent Agency CAA. Sources say Biden to star in upcoming remake of “Weekend at Bernie’s” – renamed “Weekend at Biden’s”. Terrell Owens launches scathing attack on ‘rigged’ NFL and ‘blatant’ Chiefs favoritism before Super Bowl 2025 – The NFL can’t kill this conspiracy theory. Commissioner Roger Goodell, Chiefs players and the NFL referees union have all pushed back on the notion that Kansas City has received favorable calls on their way to Super Bowl 2025. Still, prominent voices of concern keep rising up… https://trib.al/lBmSZrR @WhitlockJason: The credibility of America’s number 1 sport and its biggest platform is being dominated by questions about the legitimacy of the game. The NFL isn’t prepared for this. They don’t know how to handle it. https://x.com/WhitlockJason/status/1887259351162696156 | |
SWAMP STORIES FOR YOU TONIGHT
they are having trouble cracking the case!
zerohedge
100,000 Eggs Stolen As Pennsylvania Police Try To Crack Case
Thursday, Feb 06, 2025 – 09:05 AM
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating an egg heist in Greencastle, about 65 miles southwest of Harrisburg, over the weekend. The very thought of such a crime may seem unimaginable, but with wholesale egg prices reaching record highs, the thieves appear to have been paying close attention to recent developments surrounding the worsening nationwide egg shortage.
Local media outlet WHP-TV reported approximately 100,000 organic eggs (worth > $40,000) were stolen from the back of Pete & Gerry’s Organics’ distribution trailer on Saturday night in Greencastle.
“We take this matter seriously and are committed to resolving it as quickly as possible. Due to the ongoing investigation, we cannot comment any further on this matter,” Pete & Gerry’s, part of the better-known egg distributor Nellie’s Free Range, wrote in a statement.
Authorities did not offer any insight into how such a large theft could have occurred unnoticed or if they had any potential leads in the case.
The egg heist comes as the latest wholesale data from Urner Barry shows whole egg prices hit a new record on Monday amid an ongoing and devastating avian influenza outbreak straining the nation’s egg-producing hen capacity.
Monday’s print of the Urner Barry Egg Index EBP shows prices jumped to $6.44 per dozen, a new record high and more than $1 above from two weeks ago when we informed readers about the “blue-sky breakout” in wholesale prices.
‘Eggflation’ doesn’t stop at the grocery store. US restaurants are also being impacted: Waffle House has added a 50 cent per egg surcharge across all menus. The causal diner chain wrote in a press release:
“The continuing egg shortage caused by HPAI (bird flu) has caused a dramatic increase in egg prices. Customers and restaurants are being forced to make difficult decisions.”
Coming to a supermarket near you…
. . .
GREG HUNTER
SEE YOU ON FRIDAY
harveyorganblog.com 
