It’s no secret that the East (Asians and Indians) continue to acquire a lot of gold as Western demand has weakened this year. According to the most recent data released by the USGS – United States Geological Survey, U.S. gold exports surged during the first four months of the 2017 versus the same period last year.

How much? A great deal. In the first four months of 2017, the U.S. exported a stunning 173 metric tons of gold (5.5 million oz) compared to 119 metric tons (3.8 million oz) during the same period last year.Thus, U.S. gold exports Jan-Apr 2017 surged 45% versus last year:

This is quite a large increase. I would imagine part of the increase is due to the fact that U.S. precious metals retail demand is off considerably ever since Trump was elected President. U.S. Gold Eagle sales are down ... Read more »

Well now, let’s get to the much-anticipated explosive conclusion of last week’s conversation with Jim Rickards, author of multiple best-selling books, renowned economic commentator and portfolio manager.  And we’ll pick up the conversation with a question about the War on Cash and the War on Gold.

Mike Gleason: I wanted to ask you about a tweet you sent out earlier this month – and for people who want to follow you there, it's @JamesGRickards – but in that tweet you wrote:

Just informed that Scotia Bank branch is now a gold buyer only. Will not sell to retail clients. Get it while you can. War on gold is here.

Expand on that here, Jim. What did ... Read more »

The bull market cycle has stretched longer than normal, but it won’t last forever. When falling stock market values, rising healthcare costs, and rising commodity prices all hit simultaneously, it will be a financial disaster for individuals who aren’t well diversified into hard assets.

Well now, without further delay, let’s get right to this week’s exclusive interview.

Mike Gleason: It is my great privilege to be joined now by James Rickards. Mr. Rickards is editor of Strategic Intelligence, a monthly newsletter, and Director of the James Rickards Project, an inquiry into the complex dynamics of geopolitics and global capital. He's also the author of several bestselling books including The Death of Money, Currency Wars, The New Case for Gold, and now hi ... Read more »