Not everyone cheered when Western authorities immobilized some $350 billion of Russian foreign-currency reserves following the Putin-ordered invasion of Ukraine. Nor does everyone agree with recent Western proposals to commandeer that cash to shore up Ukraine's defenses. China, in particular, has withheld its applause, and it may not be coincidental that March marked the 17th consecutive month of Chinese gold purchases. [The People's Bank of China bought a record 735 tonnes of gold in 2023 according to
The Gold Observer.] Even such central banks as Singapore and Poland, the governments of which harbor no known extraterritorial ambitions, have been stocking up on the legacy monetary asset, the World Gold Council reports.
"The U.S. is essentially throwing its weight around, maybe a little too much," Pierre Lassonde, a cofounder of Franco-Nevada Corp. and a dean of the Canadian mining community, opines to deputy editor Evan Lorenz. "Looking at the finances of the United States and the enormous budget deficits, just interest on the debt is more than the defense budget. The dollar used to be called TINA, i.e., There is No Alternative. Gold is the new alternative. I call here GINA."
~ Jim Grant, "Gold rush," Grant's Interest Rate Observer, April 11, 2024
