Is there *anything* this clown won't touch? I also wonder if this will encourage countries to continue, if not expand, their withdrawl of bullion from the NYC vaults out of concerns over soverignty and what is rightfully their property.
(Bloomberg) -- A Trump administration ruling that gold bars will be subject to tariffs stunned traders who had assumed they would be exempted, throwing bullion markets into turmoil.
Futures in New York, which are backed by bars shipped from Switzerland and other key trading and refining hubs, surged to a record.
Traders, analysts and executives across the industry had understood the bars would be exempt from reciprocal tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump, such as a 39% levy on Swiss goods. But when a gold refiner in Switzerland asked about it, US Customs and Border Protection clarified that one-kilogram and 100-ounce gold bars are subject to the levies, according to a letter from the agency.
The decision, if it remains in place, has sweeping implications for the flow of bullion around the world, and potentially for the smooth functioning of the US futures contract. Gold’s role as a financial asset and global currency sets it apart from other commodities like copper that have been roiled by tariffs, and traders said on Friday that shipments had largely frozen up in response to the shock news.
“In the long run, the existence of US tariffs on deliverable gold products raises the question on the role of futures trading in the US,” said Joni Teves, a strategist at UBS AG. “Until there is clarity, we expect the gold market and precious metals markets more generally to remain very nervous.”
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https://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-adds-surprise-gold-bar-045737320.html
Comments
There is another complication in global trading of gold. Standard sizes vary by locations (NYC, London, Dubai, China, Switzerland), so it isn't just a matter of shipping gold from place A to place B. Gold at place A may have to be melted & recast into sizes acceptable at place B. To all those costs, add tariffs.
Some gold is stored in vaults around the world & can be debited or credited without any physical movement.
Unfortunately, many so-called "patriots" just don't seem to care about democratic principles.
The gold tariff is an incredibly thoughtful policy created by one of the smartest people on the planet.
It just needs to be tweaked since markets were getting a bit "yippy."
The administration will soon clarify all the "misinformation" reported by the mainstream media.
The White House intends to post an executive order in the near future to clarify what an official called misinformation about the tariffing of gold and other specialty products. The official detailed the plans Friday on condition of anonymity.
That's not 'misinformation', you doofus, it's self-inflicted confusion caused by your own economic geniuses who don't understand anything. Moreover, it should not require a formal 'executive order' to clarify things -- unless the Tariff Toddler wants another photo op because it would deal with his favorite thing: GOLD. *grumble*
May be if the mini panic has passed, nothing will be posted by WH and some new guidance may be provided just to US Customs.
”… these tariffs won't impact demand or the spot gold price much. However, they do cause a problem for folks who arbitrage between London Gold and Comex Gold, because Comex Gold requires 100-ounce bars for settlement, which is what comes out of Switzerland and has now been sanctioned to the tune of 39%. Meanwhile, London gold has 400-ounce bars … what this has done is thrown a monkey wrench into the plumbing of gold … ”
Excerpt from: Daily Rap (Fleckenstein Capital LLC). This is a subscription based service. Link takes you to the site one year ago. You’d need to “pay-up” to read current commentaries.
Miss the Contrarian Chronicles from 20 years back on MSN Money.
“It became a must-read for investors burned by the dot-com bubble and wary of Wall Street's pervasive optimism. The column stood as a stark, often witty, counterpoint to the prevailing market narratives of its time”.
Need the Chronicles today!
Not sure how well being a contrarian works in today’s heady markets. Bill was correct on gold 5-10 years ago when few saw the worth. But his persistent bearishness on the broader equity market hasn’t worked over the same period. You’d have made a lot of money on gold but forfeited a lot of the gain in equities had you followed him over the past decade.
The problem being contrarian is expressed pretty well in the old cliche: “Markets can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent.”
“Ablin considers the S&P 500 index about 27% overvalued today, based on the divergence between corporate earnings and dividend growth and S&P 500 returns over time. But (he says) that doesn’t mean stocks can’t keep climbing … ”
Isn’t that like saying, “I know I’m already drunk, but I don’t think another drink will hurt any …..” ?
Article: ”There’s $7 Trillion in Money-Market Funds. That’s Bullish for Stocks, Says This Investment Pro.” Published in Barron’s - August 11, 2025
But President Trump did post the following concise statement on Truth Social.
@realDonaldTrump 12h
A Statement from Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America:
Gold will not be Tariffed!
BTW, there has been a flurry of WH postings since Thursday on Azerbaijan-Armenian, DC, China, alternatives in DC plans, but where is the info on gold? May be the EO machine can't run fast enough.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/news/