United States

Authored by Eric Zuesse,

Saudi Arabia's involvement in Yemen has only destroyed lives and created a state of total chaos, and the U.S. government is complicit in the carnage. Both nations should, as part of the peace process, be forced to pay reparations for the tremendous damage their bombs have inflicted. The Yemen crisis should also serve as a prime moment for the U.S. to reconsider its alliance the Saudi regime.

Via SouthBay Research,

Whether measured in volumes (container throughput via Hong Kong) or in dollars (US Import/Exports), the pain is the same: 16 months of steady collapse in global trade.  

The pain is getting worse. 

More containers are leaving the US and going back to China empty.  From the Port of Long Beach (a major US/China trade port):

Despite Russia and the U.S. coming together on Friday to back a U.N.-approved peace plan for Syria, major obstacles remain, including the on-the-ground reality that U.S. "allies," such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey, have armed and financed powerful jihadist forces that won't compromise, as Gareth Porter explains.

5 Key Charts Show Rising Interest Rates Good For Gold Bullion

Gold fell to the lowest level in dollar terms since 2009 yesterday after the Fed’s “historic” 25 basis point interest rate rise on Wednesday. The rate hike has been heralded as the “end of cheap money.” This may or may not be the case but what is more important for precious metal buyers is the impact of potential rising rates on gold prices.