The race between the US and China won’t end anytime soon. With Trump back in office, it is clear that the goal is to ensure the US always leads, not just in tech but in soft power projection. So far, China has been successful in maintaining its dominance as the global factory. Meanwhile, no other country comes close to the US in policing the world. In 2022, Russia was sanctioned and cut off from the SWIFT system after invading Ukraine. China has had its fair share of trouble following President Trump’s a ...

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) criticized U.S. monetary policy on Friday, attributing silver’s historic surge past $103 per ounce to fundamental instability in the dollar. DeSantis Blasts Fiat Currency System “If the US actually had a stable currency you wouldn’t see silver setting new records,” DeSantis wrote on X, responding to data from Barchart showing silver hit $103 for the first time in history. At the time Santos posted, the March 2026 silver futures contract (SIH26) reached $103.405, up 7.3%. I ...

Core Viewpoint - Concerns are rising regarding the sustainability of U.S. debt, with warnings from prominent figures like Ray Dalio and Peter Schiff about a potential "debt death spiral" and the implications for the U.S. dollar and economy [1][6]. Economic Indicators - In fiscal year 2025, the U.S. government reported expenditures of $7.01 trillion against revenues of $5.23 trillion, resulting in a deficit of $1.78 trillion, contributing to a national debt nearing $38.5 trillion [2]. - The U.S. consumer price index increased by 3.0% annually in September, up from 2.3% in April, indicating rising inflation [3]. Job Market and Stock Performance - Layoff announcements have reached 1,099,500 in the first 10 months of 2025, highlighting challenges in the job market [3]. - The stock market has shown strong performance, with the S&P 500 climbing 16% year-to-date and the Nasdaq surging 20% [3]. Shift in Investment Trends - Central banks added 1,045 tonnes of gold to global reserves in 2024, marking the third consecutive year of significant net purchases, indicating a trend towards de-dollarization [5]. - Schiff emphasizes the importance of "strategic assets" as hedges against inflation and a weakening dollar, suggesting that gold is a key asset for wealth preservation [8][10]. Gold as an Investment - Gold is viewed as a safe haven asset, with its value not tied to any specific currency or economy, making it attractive during economic turmoil [10]. - Predictions suggest that gold could rise significantly, with estimates of reaching $10,000 per ounce by JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon and potential increases to $26,000 or even $100,000 per ounce as per Schiff [11]. Real Estate and Alternative Investments - Real estate is highlighted as a traditional asset for wealth protection during inflation, with the S&P Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index increasing by 45% over the past five years [15]. - Alternative investments, including art and crowdfunding platforms for real estate, are gaining attention as ways to diversify portfolios and hedge against inflation [20][21].

Group 1: AI and Technological Revolution - AI is viewed as a technological revolution, with current benefits possibly overestimated in the short term while long-term benefits may be underestimated [4][3] - The critical question remains whether AI can boost global productivity sufficiently to justify the significant investments made, which are in the trillions of US dollars [4][3] - Historical technological revolutions have shown that while they change society and boost productivity, the impact takes time to materialize [5] Group 2: US Economic Performance - The US economy maintained robust growth of 2.9% in 2023 and 2.8% in 2024, despite aggressive monetary tightening by major central banks [7][8] - Two main factors contributing to this strong performance are fiscal policy, which has led to a budget deficit approaching 7%, and a substantial surge in immigration supporting the economy's supply side [8][9] - Current political polarization makes further fiscal expansion difficult, leading to a normalization and significant weakening of the US economy, with a recession probability estimated at around 30% [9] Group 3: Global Capital Shifts - There is a noticeable shift in global capital towards Chinese and European assets, driven by high US market concentration and elevated valuations [22][23] - The Chinese stock market has seen a revaluation, particularly in the technology sector, as global investors begin to recognize its potential [24] - European stocks have historically traded at a discount compared to US stocks, but recent developments suggest a potential reevaluation of this trend [27][29] Group 4: Market Valuations and Risks - Current market valuations are concerning, with a few stocks accounting for a significant portion of the US market, leading to potential market concentration risks [17] - The possibility of simultaneous crises emerging in the future requires vigilance, as current market conditions may not be sustainable [18] - The long-term sustainability of US fiscal policy is in question, with debt levels surpassing 100% of GDP and a budget deficit of 6% to 7% of GDP [13][14] Group 5: Gold and Currency Trends - Gold prices have surged, contrasting with the weakening US dollar, driven by factors such as geopolitical risks and central bank policies [19][20] - A reasonable allocation to gold in investment portfolios is suggested to be around 10% to 15%, reflecting a trend of diversification away from US dollar dependence [21] - The ongoing "de-dollarization" trend indicates a long-term shift in global reserve currency dynamics, with increasing interest in alternative assets [11][19]

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry or specific assets Core Insights - Uncertainty around US tariffs has intensified, with a recent court ruling against Trump's tariffs, suggesting potential risks of lower tariffs on China, but alternative authorities for tariff imposition remain [4][3] - Investor sentiment towards China remains negative despite a recent trade truce, with global investors showing interest primarily in sectors with clear earnings growth potential [9][12] - The People's Bank of China (PBoC) is promoting RMB internationalization as a strategy for de-dollarization, aiming to increase the RMB's share in goods trade to 40% [23][17] Summary by Sections Current Trade Recommendations - Long positions in 3-year CGB (FX-hedged) initiated on March 7, 2025, with a current yield of 1.49% and a profit of +4 basis points [2] Tariff and FX Market Dynamics - The FX market is experiencing a managed fix, with the CNY remaining stable against the dollar, tracking a narrow range of 7.18-19 [4][7] - The CNY has outperformed regional peers despite the broader dollar trend, indicating a degree of resilience in the currency [5][4] Investor Sentiment and Market Activity - Despite a normalization in export activities and a rebound in shipping prices post-trade truce, financial markets in China remain downbeat, with limited interest from local investors to repatriate dollars [9][17] - Local Chinese investors are hesitant to repatriate dollars due to weak economic fundamentals and low interest rates, with a notable shift from net buyers to net sellers of USD [17][25] RMB Internationalization Efforts - The share of CNY-denominated flows in goods trade has increased from 11% in 2018 to over 25% in 2024, driven by PBoC's policy push [23][27] - Commodity-related yuan settlement has risen significantly, indicating a growing trend towards using RMB in international trade [28][23]