(The Daily Economy)—The recent weakness in the US dollar has reignited the debate over the durability of the dollar’s dominance in global finance. Over the first half of the year, the Bloomberg Dollar Index has fallen nearly 8.5 percent, marking one of the sharpest declines since the mid-1980s.
Yet while this drawdown has fueled widespread commentary about de-dollarization, it is important to distinguish between dollar weakness — a familiar, cyclical phenomenon — and the far more consequential and complex issue of de-dollarization, which concerns the dollar’s standing as the world’s primary reserve currency and medium of international exchange.
Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index & US Dollar Index Spot Rate, 2023- present
The current period of dollar weakness is rooted in several overlapping forces. Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, aggressive trade policies, escalating tariff conflicts, and sharp reversals in longstanding diplomatic and economic norms have unnerved international investors. The dollar index has fallen nearly nine percent since inauguration, the worst such performance since the 1971 Nixon shock, when the US severed the dollar’s convertibility to gold. Bank of America’s fund manager surveys indicate that bearish sentiment toward the dollar is at its highest level since 2006, while foreign appetite for US assets — particularly Treasurys and equities — has declined meaningfully, with foreign ownership of Treasurys falling to 32.9 percent as of late 2024.
Simultaneously, the fiscal position of the United States has worsened considerably. The Trump administration’s substantial tax cuts and growing entitlement obligations are threatening to push deficits to alarming levels, while rising interest costs on government debt threaten long-term fiscal stability. These dynamics are now feeding into market pricing and investor expectations. With global capital increasingly reluctant to finance Washington’s deficits on previous terms, foreign inflows into dollar-denominated assets have moderated. Many foreign investors, particularly from Europe, are in a sustained “buyers’ strike” on US assets, compounding downward pressure on the dollar.
- Read More: thedailyeconomy.org
At Last, a Company With Integrity in the Gold IRA Industry
For several years, I’ve been vetting out precious metals companies in search of the best. I believe in gold and silver but it’s hard to find integrity in the Gold IRA industry. The vast majority operate with shady tactics and gigantic spreads that take advantage of Americans who simply want to protect their life’s savings.
I’ve found a handful that I like and I’ve worked with some of them. By no means would I “unrecommend” them because, again, I vetted them out and found them to be above the fold. Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be better than the rest when the rest are so darn awful.
After years of searching, I finally found a company that truly operates with integrity. Augusta Precious Metals has three important attributes that set them far above the competition:
- Non-Commissioned Sales Team: I cannot stress how important and unique this is. With just about every other company in the Gold IRA industry, the sales teams make commission from every account they open. This means they steer their clients toward the gold and silver products with the highest commission. With Augusta Precious Metals, the team is solely focused on putting the best gold and silver for their clients into their IRA. They get paid to serve the best interests of the Gold IRA client, NOT their own commission pay.
- Incredibly Low Fees: Most Americans would be shocked if they knew the spread other Gold IRA companies charge. Augusta charges just 5% versus up to 45% elsewhere.
- No Pressure, No Gimmicks: There’s an understanding among most in the Gold IRA industry that fear and pressure is the way to go. Augusta Precious Metals takes a sober approach when working with clients because they hold integrity in the highest possible regard. This is why they don’t offer gimmicks like “free” or “bonus” silver. It’s also why they do not apply pressure tactics to get quick sales. Their educational and transparent approach to doing business is exceedingly rare in the Gold IRA industry.
