Commodities, Business & Shipping

Welcome to the Precious Metals Bug Forums

Welcome to the PMBug forums - a watering hole for folks interested in gold, silver, precious metals, sound money, investing, market and economic news, central bank monetary policies, politics and more.

Why not register an account and join the discussions? When you register an account and log in, you may enjoy additional benefits including no Google ads, market data/charts, access to trade/barter with the community and much more. Registering an account is free - you have nothing to lose!

Crisis on The Mississippi River Could Hurt Grain Exports and Prices​

Oct 5, 2025


2:47
 

The Medici: Bankers Who Invented the Renaissance Economy​

Oct 7, 2025 #financialhistory #financeexplained #moneyandpower
"The Renaissance wasn’t just about art and genius. It was about money.
Behind Michelangelo, Da Vinci, and the popes of Rome stood one family: the Medicis. They didn’t just fund the Renaissance — they invented the modern economy. From banking popes to buying politicians, from financing masterpieces to bribing their way back into power, the Medici used money to control politics, religion, and culture itself.
This video from The Financial Historian reveals how the Medici Bank became Europe’s financial engine, how Medici popes turned the Vatican into a personal bank account, and how Catherine de’ Medici shaped French politics. Their wealth created the Renaissance — and their playbook still defines money and power today.
History doesn’t just repeat. It compounds. And the Medicis showed us a truth we still live under: money doesn’t just talk. It rules.


9:40
 

What Soaring Fertilizer Prices Mean For Farmers With Matthew Kruse​


Oct 7, 2025
Matthew Kruse breaks down the latest developments in Brazil’s soybean planting and the rising fertilizer costs shaping the 2026 crop year. 🇧🇷🌱

He highlights:
• 🚜 Soybean planting progress in key states like Paraná and Mato Grosso
• 💰 How higher fertilizer prices are impacting production costs and profit margins
• 🌾 Practical strategies for managing rising input costs, including adjustments to application methods and exploring alternative nutrient sources

With fertilizer costs climbing and planting rapidly advancing, Kruse outlines what these shifts mean for global grain markets, U.S. competitiveness, and farmer decision-making heading into next year’s crop.


7:33
 

S&P 500 snaps 7-day winning streak as Oracle slides, shutdown angst grows: Live updates​

The S&P 500 struggled on Tuesday, bogged down by a drop in Oracle shares amid investors’ worries about the profitability of the artificial intelligence rollout. Wall Street also looked for more developments out of Washington with the U.S. government shutdown in its second week.

The broad market index pulled back 0.38% to close at 6,714.59, snapping a 7-day winning streak, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.67% to finish at 22,788.36. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 91.99 points, or 0.2%, to end at 46,602.98.

More:

 

Gold prices keep rising, and jewelry companies are sounding the alarm​

  • Some jewelry companies that aim to offer gold products at lower price points are beginning to sound the alarm on higher prices for the precious metal.
  • Gold has risen significantly over the past year, reaching record highs amid recession fears and macroeconomic uncertainty, and is forecast to continue to rise through next year.
  • To adapt, some companies are raising prices of their products, while others are exploring alternative avenues for producing high-quality products.
Amid global economic turbulence, the prices of precious metals have been climbing higher and higher.

The price of gold in particular has skyrocketed over the past year, rising more than 50%. For midsize jewelry companies aiming to offer fine gold necklaces, earrings and more at lower price points than legacy luxury jewelry brands, gold futures could be spelling trouble.

Though gold is often subject to market fluctuations, investors have been increasing their holdings over the past year over recession fears and market uncertainty, according to Goldman Sachs. Gold is on pace for its third straight year of double-digit gains, even hitting record highs this week during the government shutdown.

More:

 
WSJ

A New Wall Street Trade Is Powering Gold and Hitting Currencies​

Investors worried about the future of the dollar and other major currencies are piling into gold, bitcoin and other alternative assets, powering what has become known on Wall Street as the debasement trade.

Traders have snapped up gold since Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled in August that the central bank would begin cutting interest rates despite low unemployment and above-target inflation, pushing prices to records. Most-actively-traded gold futures on Tuesday surpassed $4,000 a troy ounce for the first time.

More:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/mar...S&cvid=68e63498424f48a4bc69040780649c3a&ei=20
 

Morning Bid: Odd couple - Surging stocks and gold​

LONDON, Oct 8 (Reuters) - What matters in U.S. and global markets today

Usually alternatives, stocks and gold are rising together as investors seek to ride an inflationary expansion by taking on AI-driven corporate risk with gold added to portfolios as a hedge against loosening monetary and fiscal policy worldwide.

Monday's brief stumble on Wall Street looks to have been just that and both U.S. futures and European stocks rallied on Wednesday, with the STOXX600 and FTSE100 hitting new records. French markets staged a recovery amid some sign of progress in the government's impasse there and gold surged again after topping $4,000 per ounce for the first time on Tuesday.

More:

 
Weekly scrap market report

Copper Hits New Highs! 💰 Why Scrap Prices Keep Climbing in 2025​

📈 Check Scrap Prices: https://iScrapApp.com/ - Copper continues to steal the spotlight in the scrap world, holding record highs and showing no signs of slowing down. Meanwhile, gold’s historic rise above $4,000/oz has rocked the markets—but it's copper that’s truly driving change in electronics and energy sectors. Here’s what scrappers need to know this week:
👉 Read more: https://iscrapapp.com/blog/weekly-scr...


21:55
 
DW News opinion piece.

Crisis ahead? Why the price of gold is skyrocketing right now | DW News​

Oct 8, 2025 #gold #investing
Crises, wars, uncertainty — when investors are looking for a safe investment in times like these, they buy gold. Bullion has just reached an all-time high, and there seems to be no end in sight to the rally.


9:15
 
Fearnleys Week 41

www.drewry.co.uk

World Container Index - 04 Dec

04 Dec 2025: Drewry’s World Container Index increased 7% to $1,927 per 40ft container this week.
www.drewry.co.uk www.drewry.co.uk

Baltic Exchange Dry Index - Price - Chart - Historical Data - News

Baltic Dry fell to 2,815 Index Points on December 4, 2025, down 1.05% from the previous day. Over the past month, Baltic Dry's price has risen 40.54%, and is up 142.67% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market...
tradingeconomics.com tradingeconomics.com
 

Rare earths stocks surge after China tightens grip on global supplies​

  • China has tightend its controls on rare earth exports ahead of an expected meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump.
  • Shares of U.S. rare earth and critical mineral miners surged as the market speculates on further investment in the industry by the White House.
  • The Trump administration has taken equity stakes in several miners this year to stand up a domestic supply chain against China.
Shares of U.S. rare earth and critical mineral miners surged Thursday after China tightened restrictions on exports, fueling market speculation that the Trump administration will move more aggressively to invest in building out a domestic supply chain.

Ramaco Resources soared 12%, Energy Fuels surged nearly 8%, USA Rare Earth jumped more than 7% and MP Materials rallied over 6%. Lithium Americas popped more than 4% and Trilogy Metals rose over 6%.

More:

 

CNBC Daily Open: The rare earths must flow, but only with Beijing’s permission​

  • China tightens rare earth exports...
  • ...which sends rare earth stocks surging.
  • Ferrari shares hit the brakes.
  • Samsung and SK Hynix hit records.
  • How to hedge a gold pullback.
In the 1984 science fiction film Dune, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen uttered the famous quote that can aptly be used to describe rare earth metals: "He who controls the spice, controls the universe."

The spice was central to the Dune universe, allowing trade to flourish and planets to prosper. In the same way, rare earth metals seem to be the spice today.

These metals are used in almost every electronic device, from smartphones and cars, to ballistic missiles.

More:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/mar...ing-s-permission/ar-AA1Oc4xI?ocid=socialshare
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom