What's Next for Silver? Why Considering Both Sides of the Coin Matters For What Comes Next.

What's Next for Silver? Why Considering Both Sides of the Coin Matters For What Comes Next.

Rob Isbitts    Barchart   Tue, February 3, 2026

The silver (SIH26) market just offered up a perfect example of why analyzing both sides of the coin — and having a plan for both — is the only way to survive as a do-it-yourself investor.

In a matter of 48 hours, the silver rush of 2026 went south. The metal plunged nearly 33% from its historic peak of $121 to a low of $76 on Jan. 30. This was the most violent single-day drop since 1980, and it exposed the fragile nature of any trade built on pure momentum.

The iShares Silver Trust ETF (SLV) swelled to $41 billion in assets, even after Friday’s wrecking ball hit. That’s crazy. There’s no other word for it.

SLV hasn’t done anything to hedge against what happened the past few days. Nor should it. It is an exchange-trade fund (ETF) tracking an index. In this case, the price of silver.

It follows that if the ETF is going to always do exactly that, we DIY investors have to do the rest ourselves. Namely, position-size correctly based on what we want. And to take money off the table, at least in part, when spikes in price try to convince us we are infallible.

To understand why this happened and how to handle it next time, we have to look at the two competing forces that define silver's dual identity.

The Case For the Silver Rush

The bull case for silver in early 2026 was, and remains, built on a foundation of physics and industrial necessity. Unlike gold (GCH26), which is mostly stored in vaults, silver is consumed by the modern world.

Over 60% of silver demand now comes from industrial applications that are essential to the 2026 economy. From the massive expansion of solar capacity to the wiring in 15 million new electric vehicles (EVs), silver is a non-negotiable component. Silver has historically been the high-beta version of gold. When investors get nervous about the U.S. dollar or Federal Reserve independence, they buy gold. When they want to supercharge those gains, they buy silver.

The Case For the Silver Crash

The bear case, as we saw in full frontal fashion last week, is built on the reality of leverage and speculative mania. When a commodity goes parabolic, the exchanges eventually step in to cool things down. On Jan. 30, a massive hike in margin requirements acted as the “event.”

Investors who were trading on borrowed money were suddenly forced to either put up more cash or sell their positions immediately. This triggered a cascade of liquidations that wiped out weeks of gains in just hours.

Frankly, I find it borderline irresponsible that in the significant amount of news coverage about silver, rarely did I hear about this threat. I wrote about it on Barchart, but neither before nor after the margin hike was provided as the reason for the drop. It's like Wall Street is trying to hide something.

That said, the immediate catalyst for the crash was the nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed chair. Perceived as a monetary hawk, his nomination signaled a potential end to the era of easy money. This sent U.S. Treasury yields higher and the dollar surging — the two natural enemies of non-yielding assets like silver.

The thrill of the silver trade was replaced by the cold reality of a rising opportunity cost for holding metals.

What’s Next for Silver?

Analyzing both sides of the coin matters here. Because silver is a series of disconnects between industrial physics and speculative fear.

A quick, updated glance at the charts conclude this silver-colored update. The daily looks as we’d expect. Ugly, but still intact in the sense that the PPO is still positive. And that 200-day moving average could be a temporary line in the sand. But that’s for a bounce, not a full reversal to new highs.

To Continue and Read More:  https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/whats-next-silver-why-considering-193957539.html

‘Something Fishy’ At Fort Knox: Giustra on The US Audit & Hidden Gold Flows

‘Something Fishy’ At Fort Knox: Giustra on The US Audit & Hidden Gold Flows

Kitco News: 2-3-2026

Is the paper gold market finally breaking?

 Frank Giustra, CEO of the Fiore Group, joins Anchor Jeremy Szafron to break down the recent market volatility, calling the flash crash a calculated "take down" and a "liquidity event."

Giustra argues that after 50 years of dominance, the paper market is "losing its efficacy" as pricing power shifts to physical delivery in Asia.

 In this deep dive, Giustra warns that the US is living on "borrowed time" as the national debt spirals, predicting that the "end of the time of fiat" is inevitable.

He analyzes the White House's new "Project Vault," declares that "globalization is as dead as the dodo bird," and questions the "mystery" of Fort Knox—asking why the US refuses to audit its reserves while China covertly accumulates bullion.

Plus, Giustra issues a stark warning on Bitcoin, stating it is "running out of buyers" and facing a "great unraveling." Recorded on February 3, 2026

Timestamps:

 00:00 Introduction and Market Overview

01:23 Flash Crash Analysis: Was it a "Take Down"?

03:57 Paper Gold vs. Physical Gold: The Shift in Power

07:03 Government Initiatives: Project Vault & Global Competition

12:15 US Debt: Living on "Borrowed Time"

18:02 Global Gold Accumulation: Who is Buying?

20:54 China's Gold Strategy: A "Sanctions-Free" Trade Channel

23:39 The Future of Digital Currencies & CBDCs

25:33 Synthetic Foreign Demand for US Debt

25:53 The Growing US Deficit and Interest Rates

27:31 Stablecoins and Dollar Dominance

28:04 Concerns Over State Surveillance

29:20 The Mystery of Fort Knox: "Something Fishy"

33:15 The Volatile Mining Market: "Early Days"

37:15 The Risks of Bitcoin: "Running Out of Buyers"

42:13 The Future of Gold and Copper

47:07 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8VfuKlED6o

Gold And Silver Are Fighting To Stabilize After A Historic Market Meltdown

Gold And Silver Are Fighting To Stabilize After A Historic Market Meltdown

Huileng Tan,Samuel O'Brient  Business Insider   Mon, February 2, 2026

• Gold and silver prices remained volatile after Friday's market meltdown.

• President Donald Trump's pick of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed chair hit the debasement trade.

• Both precious metals edged slightly higher on Monday morning after extending their slide earlier.

Precious metals were paring some of their steep losses on Monday, rising after briefly extending a historic sell-off that shook the market on Friday.

Gold was down by less than 1% at around $4,700 per ounce, after tumbling more than 10% on Friday in its worst decline since 2013. Despite the recent pullback, the metal remains up about 10% year to date.

Silver remained highly volatile, falling about 2% to around $77 an ounce after plunging as much as 36% on Friday, the biggest single-day loss since 1980.

The crash in metal markets came after Donald Trump tapped Kevin Warsh to run the Federal Reserve. Warsh is viewed as more hawkish and more likely to preserve the central bank's independence than other candidates.

That outlook hit the debasement trade — pushing the US dollar higher, weighing on dollar-denominated commodities such as gold and silver. As markets open in the US on Monday, though, conditions appear to have stabilized as both precious metals demonstrate an ability to rise above macro-driven volatility.

Most importantly, Warsh supports shrinking the Fed's balance sheet, which would ease fears of a weaker dollar and help explain recent declines in gold and silver prices, wrote Vishnu Varathan, Mizuho's Asia head of research excluding Japan, on Monday in Asia.

Meltdown after historic rally

Before the sell-off, gold had been on a blistering yearlong rally, fueled by heavy central bank buying and geopolitical tensions.

Those forces remain in place and now appear to be provide support, despite previous speculation.

"I think the fundamentals remain pretty well in place despite those risks around Fed independence," Daniel Hynes, a senior commodities analyst at ANZ , told Bloomberg TV, on Monday.

Hynes said broad geopolitical tensions continue to support the gold market, even as he expects price volatility to remain high.

"The general unbending of the world order that we hear about constantly, and the US's role within that, has really been at the crux of this haven buying, and I don't see that ending any time soon," he said.

However, analysts are continuing to warn on silver, whose gains have far outpaced gold in recent months due to speculative Chinese demand.

Ole Hansen, the head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, wrote on Friday that gold is susceptible to a pullback amid this month's surge in prices. However, price declines in gold are likely to be met with fresh demand.

But silver may struggle to keep pace with gold. Several finance pros have speculated that it will likely fall in the coming months.

To Continue and Read More:  https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/gold-silver-keep-spiraling-market-021804162.html

Trust Collapses as Gold Exposes the Accelerating Reset

Trust Collapses as Gold Exposes the Accelerating Reset

Gold Rush Hour:  2-1-2026

Gold just hit $5,000 and some are rushing to sell. But central banks are hoarding it.

Trust in the dollar is evaporating, and a monetary reset is already in motion.

If you're worried about inflation, debt, and the collapse of institutional credibility, this episode reveals why $5,000 gold may soon look cheap.

In a recent video conversation captured at a VR conference, industry experts gathered to discuss the current state of gold as a monetary asset amidst a backdrop of global economic uncertainty.

The consensus among the speakers was clear: gold remains a crucial safe-haven asset for investors looking to weather the storm.

The conversation emphasized the importance of adopting a long-term perspective when it comes to gold investment. Rather than reacting to short-term price fluctuations, investors should focus on the bigger picture.

With trust in traditional financial systems eroding, gold is increasingly seen as a reliable store of value. Central banks are buying gold at a rapid pace, while many retail investors are selling prematurely, driven by short-term price movements. This dichotomy highlights a significant opportunity for investors who can resist the temptation to time the market.

The speakers warned of a looming monetary reset and the potential for hyperinflation, drawing historical parallels with Weimar Germany’s devastating experience.

As global debt continues to balloon, the value of fiat currencies is likely to plummet, causing gold prices to skyrocket.

In this scenario, investors who have allocated a portion of their portfolio to gold will be well-positioned to weather the storm.

The conversation also touched on the effect of inflation and monetary policy on personal debt. With inflation on the rise, fixed-rate mortgages become effectively cheaper over time, making it a sound financial strategy to hold gold while paying down debt.

This counterintuitive approach can help investors build wealth while minimizing their exposure to the risks associated with fiat currencies.

Some investors may be hesitant to invest in gold, fearing they’ve “missed the boat.” However, the speakers argue that the fundamental value of gold relative to global debt implies a much higher intrinsic price.

With significant gains potentially on the horizon, waiting too long to invest in gold may prove costly. As the demand for gold continues to rise, acquiring it will become increasingly difficult and expensive.

As the global economic landscape continues to evolve, staying informed and adopting a long-term perspective will be crucial for investors seeking to protect their wealth.

In a world where uncertainty is the only constant, gold remains a beacon of stability.

By understanding its enduring value and adopting a sound investment strategy, investors can navigate the challenges ahead with confidence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyHC7oLg9mE

So... Is The Gold Boom Over?

So... Is The Gold Boom Over?

Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black)  February 2, 2026

It wasn’t until somewhat recent history that the price of gold was less than $1,000 per troy ounce. Now (as you probably know), the price of gold has just dropped by $1,000 in only a matter of days. Silver's decline was even more violent.

Much ink has already been spilled over this, suggesting that “the gold bubble has burst”. Naturally we have a different view.  It started on Thursday when the White House announced that Kevin Warsh would be nominated as the next Federal Reserve Chairman.

Warsh is known to be ‘hawkish’, prompting speculation that he would keep rates higher to combat inflation. A lot of people obviously viewed this as bad for gold, prompting an unprecedented wave of selling.

So is that it? Is the precious metals boom over?

Not by a long shot.

Again, I don't say that because of any fanaticism over precious metals. I don’t fall in love with any asset.

But I do understand the big picture story driving gold prices, and that story hasn't changed.

(Note: we're going to focus on gold in this article and leave silver for another time, since silver has different factors at play.)

The first thing that’s important to remember is the reason WHY gold reached such heights over the past few years: foreign central banks.

Central banks have always purchased gold as a strategic reserve asset; this is nothing new. In fact, in 2018 and 2019, before Covid upended the world, central bank gold purchases totaled roughly 650 metric tons.

By 2022, however, central banks started purchasing a LOT more gold— roughly 1,000 metric tons per year, a 50% increase over the long-term average.

The same thing happened in 2023. And again in 2024.

Those extra central bank gold purchases caused a surge in demand... and gold prices roughly doubled in price over that three-year period.

So what was so special about 2022 that prompted central banks to start buying more gold?

Simple. It was the start of a long-term trend of foreign countries losing faith in the US government.

They watched Joe Biden shake hands with thin air. They witnessed the humiliating debacle in Afghanistan. They observed rising US budget deficits and a national debt spiraling out of control. They saw inflation rising.

All of these events made foreign governments and central banks question how much they wanted to keep buying Treasury bonds.

But the real watershed moment came after the invasion of Ukraine.

The US government's response was to freeze Russian assets; Congress then soon passed the REPO Act, giving the President authority to seize Russian sovereign reserves.

This sent shockwaves through foreign governments around the world. Suddenly they felt like their money was no longer safe in America— that the US government could freeze their reserve assets without warning.

I'm not arguing whether this was right or wrong from a moral perspective. But from a practical standpoint, though, it had an obvious consequence: foreign countries wanted to start diversifying their reserve assets away from US dollars and from the United States.

And in their efforts to diversify away from the dollar, gold became the easiest strategic reserve asset for those foreign central banks to buy.

Again, the trend continued throughout 2023 and 2024.

2024 was particularly interesting because the gold price was clearly surging— almost exclusively due to foreign central bank demand.

Yet, despite gold’s obvious rise, individual investors weren’t having any of it. In fact, in 2024, gold ETF saw net OUTFLOWS totaling MINUS 2.9 metric tons. This means that individual investors were net sellers of gold, even as foreign central banks were buying by the ton.

2025 became the year gold went parabolic, rising to $4,500 by year end.

But the key growth driver in 2025 was not central banks. In fact, foreign central banks dialed back their purchases to around 800 metric tons last year—still more than normal, but less than the record 1,100 tons from 2024.

Individual investor demand made up the difference in a big way. Net ETF inflows swung from minus 2.9 tons to plus 801 tons. That's a massive turnaround. On top of that, there was significantly more demand for gold bars and coins.

Bottom line, much of gold’s very recent parabolic price move is because small (and large) investors piled in. Those investors are now dumping their gold because they’re spooked about Kevin Warsh.

Our readers should not be surprised by this pullback; we've been talking about the possibility of a short-term shakeout for some time.

And while I'm not smart enough to know what's going to happen next week or next month, it’s clear that the real story (i.e. foreign governments and central banks losing confidence in the United States Congress) has not gone away.

Think about it— America is deeply divided. The Federal Reserve is in crisis. The US government has shut down for the second time in four months. The national debt keeps rising (now $38.6 trillion). And hardly anyone in Congress seems to care.

Do you think all of this makes foreign governments and central banks want to hold more of their reserve assets in the US, or less?

We think the answer is clearly less, and hence the trend that began in 2022 will likely continue.

Foreign governments and central banks are sitting on $10+ trillion in foreign reserves— most of that parked in US dollars.

Their “extra” gold purchases since 2022 (i.e. they amount of gold they bought each year above the historic average) only totals around $100 billion, i.e. roughly ONE PERCENT of their reserves.

Would it be so crazy to assume that they might want to diversify TWO percent? Or maybe 5%? If so, there could be a LOT more money coming in to gold.

And if a mere 1% of foreign reserves cause the gold price to skyrocket, how high will the gold price go if they park 5% or more?

Again, this isn’t something that’s going to happen tomorrow. It’s a long-term trend. But the point is that the story hasn’t changed.

Remember that in the early 1970s, the gold price increased 5x for similar reasons— US deficits and fiscal woes. But gold peaked in 1975, then fell by a whopping 40%.

A lot of people thought the gold boom was over. But it wasn’t. Again, the story hadn’t changed.

And shortly after, gold resumed its rise, climbing another 8x. It took the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980— someone who was serious about restoring fiscal order— for the trend to finally stop.

I don’t know how far gold might fall. But I do know the fundamental story hasn’t changed.

It also seems pretty obvious that many gold companies (whose share prices have plummeted since Friday) are now quite cheap.

For example, one mining company we’ve written up in our premium investment research recently confirmed that their mining costs for this year will be $1,200 per ounce or less.

Their stock price is down substantially since Friday, which is crazy. The gold price could fall to $3,000, and the company would still be trading at a single-digit P/E ratio.

(Did I mention they’re debt-free and pay a healthy dividend?) There are plenty of other undervalued gold companies out there, so definitely consider giving our premium investment research a try.

To your freedom,   James Hickman   Co-Founder, Schiff Sovereign LLC

https://www.schiffsovereign.com/trends/so-is-the-gold-boom-over-154314/?inf_contact_key=69982acb4816f6b5978259c6fb3c33702294a318289bad97137125bd69e8bd38

Why Gold & Silver Are Above Governments and Central Banks

Why Gold & Silver Are Above Governments and Central Banks

Lynette Zang:  1-31-2026

Gold and silver are finite, decentralized, and exist outside political systems and centralized control.

 As global debt rises and money printing accelerates, nations and institutions are quietly moving back to sound money.

Fiat currencies depend on confidence and always lose value over time and history proves it.

Chapters:

 00:00 Sound Money Is Above Governments and Central Banks

00:40 What “Sound Money” Really Means (Gold & Silver Explained)

 01:14 The Four Functions of Real Money

02:12 Why Every Portfolio Needs Sound Money

02:47 Gold and Silver Are Used Everywhere in the Global Economy

 03:40 Broad Demand vs Fiat’s One-Place Use Problem

04:19 Why Fiat Currencies Always Collapse

05:39 The Finite Supply of Gold and Silver

06:46 Inflation, Debt, and the Dollar Losing Value

 08:05 Rising Interest Rates and the Global Debt Trap

09:39 Why Central Banks Are Buying Gold

10:47 Taking Power Back With Sound Money

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8L14IEVbrU

[CB] Agenda Has Failed, The Parallel Economic System Cannot Be Stopped : Bob Kudla

[CB] Agenda Has Failed, The Parallel Economic System Cannot Be Stopped : Bob Kudla

X22 Report Spotlight:  1-30-2026

We’re seeing a major shift right now with the EU and Canada cozying up to China in ways we haven't seen before.

With all this talk about tariffs and trade wars under Trump, countries like Canada under Carney are signing these big deals—lowering barriers on Chinese EVs, boosting energy and agri-food ties, and basically pivoting away from heavy US reliance.

With China restricting silver exports and their economy imploding internally, losing millions of jobs, gold's breaking out as the safe haven.

We're talking potential five-figure prices, easy, because demand's outpacing supply big time. Short-term dips from futures games?

Sure, but come January with those restrictions kicking in, watch it rocket. If you're not positioned in gold or related assets, you're missing the boat—it's the hedge against all this inflation moderation and geopolitical mess.

With GDP growth holding strong at over 4% and us growing our way out of debt piles. Tariffs are bringing in billions, potentially paving the way for tax refunds or even scrapping income tax altogether.

Now, on top of that, families are getting a boost with kids under four qualifying for up to $1,000 through expanded child tax credits in places like New York, and it's rolling out nationally with adjustments.

This puts real money back in people's pockets, fuels consumer spending, and by 2026, we're looking at game-changing shifts that cut federal waste and audit the Fed.

It's populist economics at work, and it's going to change everything for the better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQKTi8DkqNE

The Dollar is Falling Apart, Why Gold Comes Next

The Dollar is Falling Apart, Why Gold Comes Next

Wealthion:  1-31-2026

The world is on the cusp of a significant financial transformation, with the U.S. dollar facing an imminent collapse.

This has sparked intense debate about the future of the global monetary system, with many experts predicting a shift towards a new regime backed by gold.

 In this blog post, we’ll explore the key points from a recent video discussion on this topic, highlighting the factors driving the dollar’s decline, the role of gold in the new monetary order, and the challenges that lie ahead.

The U.S. dollar’s dominance has been under threat for some time, with rising fiscal deficits, growing anti-dollar sentiment, and the Federal Reserve’s unconventional monetary policies all contributing to its weakening.

The speaker in the video argues that these factors are creating an inflection point, beyond which the dollar’s decline will accelerate.

 Historical examples, such as Venezuela’s economic crisis and the impact of sanctions on Russia, illustrate the challenges of maintaining the dollar’s status as a global reserve currency.

The Federal Reserve’s response to inflationary pressures, particularly its excessive quantitative easing, has eroded its credibility.

 This has significant implications for the dollar, as investors and central banks begin to lose confidence in the currency.

The speaker suggests that this loss of credibility is a key driver of the transition to a new monetary regime.

Central banks’ recent gold buying trends suggest that they are preparing for a new monetary regime that includes gold as a reserve asset or “cover clause.”

Despite uncertainties about the timing and extent of gold’s role, the speaker believes that it is inevitable and essential to restoring confidence in the financial system.

Gold’s history as a trusted store of value and its limited supply make it an attractive alternative to the dollar.

The speaker highlights the political dynamics at play, particularly the Trump Administration’s desire to be credited with the monetary overhaul.

 In contrast, leaders like Putin and Xi Jinping are taking a more patient approach, suggesting that they are better positioned to navigate the complexities of this transition.

Backing the dollar with gold is a complex and potentially disruptive process. It would require significant changes to government obligations, social programs, and the overall financial system.

The speaker warns that this could lead to civil unrest or conflict, highlighting the need for careful planning and management.

While the speaker is personally bullish on Bitcoin and owns more of it than gold, they dismiss it as a practical official monetary backbone. Bitcoin’s youth, volatility, limited market cap, lack of central bank adoption, and significant public skepticism make it unsuitable for this role.

The speaker predicts that Bitcoin might play a significant monetary role in the future, but only decades from now, if at all.

The video discussion concludes that gold is the most likely candidate to back a new global monetary system, given its history, trustworthiness, and limited supply.

The urgency to replace the dollar’s failing regime and the lack of any other trustworthy alternative make gold’s role inevitable.

As the world navigates this significant financial transformation, it’s essential to stay informed and consider the insights from experts in the field. For further information and insights, watch the full video from Wealthion.

https://youtu.be/gQjsa_nkZMM

$500 Silver? This Short Squeeze Could Become a Systemic Risk | Willem Middelkoop & Michelle Makori

$500 Silver? This Short Squeeze Could Become a Systemic Risk | Willem Middelkoop & Michelle Makori

Miles Franklin Media:  1-30-2026

Michelle Makori, President & Editor-in-Chief, Miles Franklin Media, sits down with Willem Middelkoop, Founder & CIO of the Commodity Discovery Fund, on The Real Story to unpack what he calls “Silver 2.0” – a potential structural break in the silver market.

Middelkoop warns that the current silver rally is not a typical cycle but an early-stage short squeeze, driven by physical shortages, institutional demand, and years of paper market suppression.

He argues that silver prices could ultimately reach $500 per ounce, while gold may be headed toward $10,000 to $20,000 in a broader monetary reset.

 In this episode of The Real Story with Michelle Makori:

Why silver’s physical supply is colliding with massive paper claims

How a silver short squeeze could create stress for banks and hedge funds

What “metal wars” mean for gold, silver, and critical commodities

Why central banks are quietly preparing for a global monetary reset

How gold price discovery is shifting from the West to Asia

00:00 Coming Up

01:28 Introduction

 03:40 Silver 2.0 & Market Dynamics

 07:58 The Big Reset: Historical Context & Future Predictions

13:01 Institutional Demand & Market Manipulation

 25:21 Potential Repricing & Market Impact

27:02 The Perfect Storm for Commodities

29:08 Potential Financial System Ripple Effects

34:41 The Big Reset & Gold's Role

46:08 Geopolitical Tensions & Gold Repatriation

 48:09 Future Gold Valuation & Global Impact

50:58 China's Role in Gold Pricing

52:03 Conclusion & Final Thoughts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szkmLQCBNXY

News, Rumors and Opinions Friday 1-30-2026

KTFA:

Clare: Saturday is the decisive day... The Democratic Party presents its final proposals to decide the presidency.

1/30/2026

Wafaa Muhammad Karim, a leader in the Kurdistan Democratic Party, revealed today, Friday, that his party has submitted a number of proposals to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan regarding the position of President of the Republic.

Karim explained in a statement to Al-Furat News Agency that "the proposals include granting the Patriotic Union the position of second deputy speaker of parliament and a sovereign ministry, in addition to some positions in the Kurdistan Regional Government, in exchange for giving up the position of president of the republic."

He pointed to "another proposal that includes activating the regional parliament in one session, stressing that these proposals will mature tomorrow, Saturday, to reach a final decision."

He stressed that "until now there is no agreement on a compromise candidate between the two sides, noting that both parties are still holding on to their respective candidates for the presidency."

Raghid  LINK

Clare: Trump's envoy to Iraq responds to rumors of his dismissal: They are fueled by militia networks.

1/30/2026

Mark Savaya, the US president’s special envoy to Iraq, strongly denied rumors of his dismissal, according to a report published Friday by Amberin Zaman, senior correspondent for the US website “Al-Monitor”.

Zaman quoted Savaya in a post on the “X-Twitter” platform (formerly) as saying, “There is a circulation of misinformation, and it appears to be driven by Iranian-backed militia networks.”

Last October, US President Donald Trump decided to appoint Mark Savaya as special envoy to Iraq.

Mark Savaya is the third US envoy to Iraq since Paul Bremer in 2003, and after Brett McGurk, during the war against ISIS in 2014.

Savaya stirred controversy through his writings, in which he explicitly called for ending the issue of armed factions and preventing them from participating in the government, as well as issuing warnings to Iraq and cautioning against a return to a "cycle of complexity".

It is worth noting that Savaya, an American businessman of Iraqi (Chaldean/Assyrian) origin from Michigan, has risen to prominence in recent years through his support for Trump's election campaign and his activities within Middle Eastern communities in the United States.

He had not held previous diplomatic posts, which made his appointment surprising in political circles, but he received confirmation from Trump that he "has a deep understanding of Iraq and influential contacts in the region."  LINK

***************

Courtesy of Dinar Guru:  https://www.dinarguru.com/

Militia Man  The central bank is completely separate, was and always has been.  Every time they have a new prime minister, they still have a central bank governor that gets nominated….An exchange rate change can happen because of that independence.

Jeff  They told us two weekends ago that Savaya would be working with the US Treasury regarding OFAC.  There’s no way they could tell you they’re about to lift the OFAC sanctions off of Iraq.  They have to do it secretly…They’re saying, ‘Oh, we’re going to audit and review Iraq just to make sure there’s no corruption.’  No, the reason they’re auditing them is to make sure they’re complaint so they can lift the OFAC sanctions because Iraq is about to go international when they form the government.  That’s what’s going on.

Jeff  The way you know the rate is going to change is if you saw Iraq approving...the remaining 150 laws, which includes the '26 budget, the oil and gas law, article 140, if you saw them working on all that you could tell yourself the rate's not going to change because they're getting all that done without a rate change.  But the fact that they can't do 150+ laws including the '26 budget or the HCL...banking and tax reforms or any other reforms lets you know they're waiting for the rate to change to implement those items...

Oliver Nailed $100 Silver – Now Calls For $300-$500

Liberty and Finance: 1-29-2026

Michael Oliver argues that silver’s recent surge is not a conventional bull market but a structural breakout, where decades of range bound pricing are giving way to a new valuation regime driven by monetary decay and relative underpricing to gold.

Using historical analogies like copper and lead, he explains how commodities can abruptly escape long held price ceilings and reprice rapidly once old constraints no longer hold, often accomplishing years of adjustment in a matter of quarters.

From a relative value standpoint, silver remains cheap versus gold despite its gains, suggesting further upside as that historical relationship normalizes alongside continued strength in gold itself.

Beneath the metals rally, Oliver identifies the more dangerous fault line in global government bond markets, where persistent high yields and central bank intervention signal a looming confidence crisis that could force aggressive money creation.

In this framework, silver, gold, and broader commodities represent real assets moving to a higher economic reality, while paper assets face rising systemic risk as the bond market strains under unsustainable debt dynamics.

INTERVIEW TIMELINE:

0:00 Intro

1:00 Silver update

17:00 Pullbacks

19:15 Commodities

22:11 Momentum Structural Analysis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI7b_swoGPo

Bond Markets Are Breaking and Gold Is Telling You First | Matthew Piepenburg

Bond Markets Are Breaking and Gold Is Telling You First | Matthew Piepenburg

Kitco News:  1-28-2026

Gold has surged past $5,000 and silver is extending its move beyond $100, but Matthew Piepenburg says the real story is not metal prices.

 It is the accelerating breakdown of trust across global bond and currency markets.

Speaking with Kitco News at VRIC 2026 in Vancouver, Piepenburg, Partner at Von Greyerz, points to rising yields in Japan, the US, and Europe as a clear warning sign. “The bond market is the thing you have to understand,” he said. “Yields are the cost of debt.”

When yields rise even as central banks step in, Piepenburg argues it shows sovereign IOUs are being repriced and the so-called risk-free asset has become “return-free risk.”

Piepenburg says gold’s move is not speculative excess, but the logical outcome of decades of debt expansion and deliberate currency debasement.

“What should shock you is how bad fiat money has gotten,” he said. As governments rely on negative real rates to manage debt,

Piepenburg argues gold is being repositioned by central banks as a neutral settlement asset in global trade, not something you spend, but something you trust when paper systems falter. Recorded January 25, 2026.

00:13 – Market Volatility, Rising Yields, and Central Bank Stress

01:12 – Japanese Yen Surge and Global Bond Market Dysfunction

03:48 – Trust Breakdown in Sovereign Debt and Fiat Currencies

06:53 – Debt, Politics, and the Limits of Monetary Policy

13:30 – Gold as a Global Settlement and Collateral Asset

16:17 – The US Dollar’s Role in Global Trade and Reserve Systems

 18:15 – COMEX, Paper Markets, and Physical Supply Constraints

19:31 – Gold and Silver Price Moves as Warning Signals

 21:03 – Historical Parallels in Currency and Debt Crises

 23:32 – East vs West Markets and Global Price Discovery

 28:15 – Measuring Trust in Modern Financial Systems

32:21 – Wealth Preservation vs Speculation in Volatile Markets

34:28 – Final Thoughts on Gold, Trust, and Systemic Risk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt5b7WlOe4M