Financial Markets

Gold and silver whip around with war and liquidity stress, while the Fed quietly rolls out “emergency” support. Mark Thornton explains what’s driving the moves.

Mark Thornton explains the gold and silver selloff.

Government debt is junk investment, but the markets treat it as gold. That is because government greases the skids, keeping its paper from the market discipline that private investments experience.

As investors become squeezed as the economy tightens, they look toward the government to provide them with even more cheap credit. Ordinary Americans are paying for these unsound policies.

Mainstream finance regularly confuses finance, insurance and betting. The Austrian School provides the tools to understand their differences.

Mainstream finance regularly confuses finance, insurance and betting. The Austrian School provides the tools to understand their differences.

Two interviews, two timelines: before and after the Middle East war. Mark Thornton explains what the conflict means for oil, inflation, and why gold and silver still signal deeper trouble ahead.

The “bottom 99%” aren’t losing to markets: they’re losing to the Cantillon effect.

Iran escalation, fragile debt markets, and gold flashing warning signs. Mark Thornton explains why this bubble won’t end gently.

Bob uses Trump’s call to ban congressional insider trading as a springboard to explain why, from an Austro-libertarian perspective, insider trading and speculation could help markets work, while still justifying special rules for government employees.