Outside The Dollar

China added 25.8 tonnes of gold to its reserves in October, a 24th straight month of purchases, as of November 2026, while AI spending, inflation and federal debt keep pressure on the U.S. dollar. Elena Reyes explores how these forces may connect, from a projected $10 trillion AI buildout to rate expectations and Frank Giustra's view that roughly $40 trillion in debt could elevate gold. She also e...

Gold rose about 3% on Nov. 4, 2026 and climbed above $4,000 as the dollar weakened after the midterm elections. This November 2026 episode of Outside The Dollar looks at why that matters for gold, silver and other precious metals. Host Elena Reyes walks through the Fed's inflation warning, Goldman Sachs' view of gold as a potential hedge, and a jump in central bank gold buying. She then turns to t...

Gold has fallen more than 25% from its January peak as of October 2026, even though inflation, heavy federal borrowing and central-bank buying remain in place. Elena Reyes examines each of those forces in turn, from rising consumer prices and a fiscal 2026 deficit near $2 trillion to the People's Bank of China's latest reserve purchases. She then explains how higher bond yields have pressured gold...

China imported more than 1,000 tonnes of gold during the first eight months of 2026, a pace that puts gold and other precious metals back in the spotlight for October 2026. Elena Reyes connects that demand to falling consumer sentiment, renewed inflation worries and an IMF warning about concentrated stock markets. The episode also looks at how China's gold buying fits into a gradual push to expand...

Several economic signals may point to a market environment that is more fragile and inflation-sensitive than headline numbers show. The U.S. added 29,000 jobs in September, while the ISM services Prices Index rose to 74.0 and central banks added a net 39 tonnes of gold in August. The episode connects AI concentration, softer hiring, stubborn prices, central-bank gold buying and oil above $100, and...

At an illustrative 3% inflation rate, $100,000 held with no return keeps its nominal value but buys only about $55,400 worth of goods after 20 years. This October 2026 episode of Outside the Dollar shows how that math connects to a broader picture. We explore the gap between strong economic headlines and household costs, a global bond selloff pushing yields higher, the long-term case for gold, and...

China's shrinking U.S. Treasury holdings alongside record gold imports signal a deliberate diversification away from dollar-denominated debt, not an abandonment of the dollar itself. This September 2026 episode examines how persistently high interest rates, a national debt interest bill near $1.4 trillion, and a shrinking foreign buyer base for Treasuries are converging into what one prominent bon...

The 10-year Treasury yield crossing 5.04% in September 2026 is the single number tying together this week's economic pressures, from mortgage rates to precious metals prices. Kathrynn explores how CBS News' five economic warning signs—oil prices, inflation, interest rates, federal debt, and AI valuation concerns—connect to rising bond yields, and why higher yields make gold and silver face short-t...

Central banks continued adding to gold reserves in September 2026, with China and Poland among the buyers extending a multi-year accumulation trend even as the pace cools from last year's highs. Elena Reyes connects this reserve-building activity to oil prices approaching $100 a barrel, inflation data arriving ahead of the Federal Reserve's September meeting, and the rising cost of servicing feder...

The federal government's debt-servicing costs, not the $40 trillion headline figure, are the real strain on fiscal policy heading into September 2026. Elena Reyes examines Treasury Secretary Bessent's argument that economic growth could resolve the debt burden, contrasted with economist skepticism that growth alone offers no realistic path out. The episode also covers a new Texas law expanding how...

The same forces driving concern over U.S. debt are also pushing more people to look outside the dollar toward scarce assets like gold and silver. Host Elena Reyes connects Ray Dalio’s warning about America’s growing debt burden with China’s gradual build-out of alternative payment rails, the notable August 2026 moves in precious metals, and the latest signs that inflation remains elevated even as...

The federal deficit hit $432 billion in July, the largest monthly shortfall since March 2021, and it's directly linked to this week's bond market turmoil pushing gold and silver higher in August 2026. Elena Reyes traces how rising Treasury borrowing sent the 30-year yield to 5.234%, its highest level since 2007, and explains what that means for mortgages, federal interest costs, and the $40 trilli...

Employers cut 23,000 jobs in July 2026 against forecasts for a 95,000 gain, exposing a widening split between labor data, inflation trends, and a surging gold market. Elena Reyes examines gold's sharpest weekly rally since February, survey data showing nearly half of central banks plan to add reserves, and Japan's yen intervention involving over a trillion dollars in Treasury holdings. She contras...

U.S. employers lost 23,000 jobs in July 2026, a sharp miss against forecasts of 85,000 gains, exposing cracks in the labor market just as inflation pressure and AI valuation fears collide in August 2026. Elena Reyes examines Oracle's steep selloff and Larry Ellison's paper losses, questions claims that the AI trade is now far larger than the dot-com bubble, and unpacks ISM manufacturing data showi...

Four major stories are converging this week: a Federal Reserve decision, record market leverage, AI financing concerns, and a sharp pullback in gold and silver prices. In July 2026, Elena Reyes examines Morningstar's Fed preview, warning that the hawkish tone under Kevin Warsh matters more than the meeting itself, before turning to Globalbankingandfinance's data on margin debt, Treasury yields abo...

Jamie Dimon told CNBC this month he wouldn't buy stocks or long-dated Treasurys at current prices, a warning that anchors this July 2026 episode of Outside The Dollar. Elena Reyes examines Goldman Sachs estimates suggesting China's real gold buying may run nearly five times official figures, alongside World Gold Council data showing a sharp May jump in central bank purchases. She connects this qui...

Gold rallied more than two percent in July 2026 after June's cooler-than-expected CPI report reduced expectations for an immediate Fed rate hike, even as U.S. debt surpassed thirty-nine trillion dollars. Elena Reyes examines why backward-looking inflation data tells only part of the story, unpacking financial repression's roots after World War Two and its relevance to today's debt debate. She brea...

Confidence in dollar-based markets faces pressure from multiple directions this July 2026, as China expands renminbi settlement, valuations stretch amid AI-concentrated gains, and inflation risks linger despite the Iran ceasefire. Elena Reyes examines why economic strength doesn't guarantee stock market strength, then unpacks Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel's warning on sticky inflation and UBS...

Bank of America reset its 12-month gold price target to $6,000 per ounce in June 2026, citing Fed leadership uncertainty, persistent fiscal deficits, and structurally low investor allocations. Elena Reyes stress-tests that forecast alongside Goldman Sachs data showing central banks purchased 59 tonnes of gold in April, with China accounting for roughly 24 tonnes, framing institutional buying behav...

Central banks are accelerating gold accumulation at a pace not seen in recent years, and the June 2026 economic data makes that institutional behavior harder to dismiss. Elena Reyes examines three converging signals — inflation reaching 4.2%, the Federal Reserve holding rates steady, and rising gold demand among sovereign institutions — explaining what each means for investors holding or consideri...

High U.S. debt levels near 100% of GDP are reshaping inflation, interest costs, and how investors think about gold and silver as portfolio hedges. Elena talks with John Ohanesian about why the current debt and deficit path in June 2026 looks different from the post–World War II period, and how structural spending, rising rates, and de-dollarization pressures can affect everyday Americans. They exp...

For the first time in thirty years, gold has surpassed U.S. Treasuries as the world's largest reserve asset — a shift that carries real implications for individual investors in June 2026. Elena Reyes examines what is driving central bank gold accumulation, how eroding real incomes are squeezing household purchasing power, and why the structural trajectory of U.S. federal debt matters to anyone hol...

Central banks are buying gold at a pace of roughly 60 tons per month through 2026, a structural shift that carries implications for individual investors thinking about long-term purchasing power. Elena examines why institutional players, from BRICS central banks to Goldman Sachs analysts, are focused on gold and silver simultaneously in May 2026, tracing the dollar's declining share of global rese...

Gold outperformed both the Dow and real estate over the past 25 years, turning a $100,000 investment made in 2000 into $744,730 by comparison. This episode examines why billionaire Eric Sprott holds 98% of his wealth in precious metals, why Bond King Jeff Gundlach is recommending a 20% allocation to cash and hard assets in May 2026, and what both positions reveal about portfolio construction durin...

Veteran forecaster Gary Shilling is warning of a 2026 recession driven by a frozen housing market, weakening consumers, and stretched stock valuations. In this week's episode, Elena Reyes examines five converging economic signals — from Shilling's recession call to a 50-percent oil surge near the Strait of Hormuz — and explains what the pattern may mean for investors holding or considering preciou...