
Discover the insights of economist Stephen Leeb, PhD, chief investment adviser for Turbulent Times Investor.
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Commentary from an economist, published alongside a monthly investor edition. Recurring subjects include the limits of artificial intelligence, China's economic and strategic position, gold and the future of the dollar, and US political and public-health controversies.
Recent examples: Gold at $40,000?? · America's Weimar Moment? The Red Flags We're Watching
Written from Stephen Leeb, PhD > Turbulent Times Investor News’s own published post titles and openings in Sep 11, 2026. It describes the subjects the newsletter covers, not its views, and is not investment advice.
348K on Sep 10, 2026 → 346K on Sep 30, 2026
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Most-reacted post we have seen: A Milestone Week for Gold — 48 reactions on Jul 21, 2026.
Gold at $40,00/oz. or higher? Really? We found it hard to believe, too—until we looked deeper Stephen Leeb, PhD > Turbulent Times Investor News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Recently we watched an interview in which a friend of ours, someone with long experience and much success in gold and commodities, said he wouldn’t be surprised to see gold go up 10-fold—a rise that would bring it to $40,000 an ounce. While we’ve been highly bullish on gold, our initial reaction was to be skeptical. We thought our…
Historical parallels are never perfect. But they can be revealing—and serve as warning signs. Stephen Leeb, PhD > Turbulent Times Investor News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Recently we’ve seen posts that equate present-day U.S. with the Weimar Republic, Germany’s ill-fated democratic government that was formed after Germany’s defeat in World War I and that ultimately led to the rise of Nazism. Is this apt? Is it fair? Does the U.S. today really resemble a Germany edging towards a future in which its…
AI is flooding into every aspect of life in the U.S. today—including our classrooms. And that, according to one of the most authoritative measuring sticks of educational achievement, is damaging our children. Results from the latest round of PISA (Program for International Assessment) tests were released this week, and they were chilling. The tests, which are organized by the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), score 15-year-olds around the world on their skills in reading, math, and science. A record 91 countries and economies participated in the most recent…
SEPTEMBER 2026 DIGITAL EDITION Click the PRINT VERSION tab on the upper main navigation menu to access the print files for the complete monthly edition, along with Growth & Income portfolio spreadsheets. They Have Gold All Wrong September 4, 2026 | By Stephen Leeb and Donna Leeb An ossified view that ignores the real world It’s undeniable that the market is great at shrugging off risks—until, suddenly, it isn’t. The question for investors: Would you rather be early? Or are you willing to risk being too late? We know which side we hope you’ll be on: Readying yourself now so that you’re…
Optimists see the glass as half full. Pessimists see it as half empty. That cliche is a wonderful metaphor in many areas of life. But sometimes it fails to capture the full extent of the possible alternating realities. Stephen Leeb, PhD > Turbulent Times Investor News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Today, when it comes to the stock market, the optimists have faith that rising stocks are the gift that will keep on giving. The pessimists worry that the rise is threatened by any number of risks. We fall…
111 times. That’s how many times Dr. Anthony Fauci took the fifth when he appeared before the Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on July 29. In 2022, Dr. Fauci had said on CNN: “I am very happy to testify before any congressional oversight committee. I have nothing to hide. I can explain and validate everything I’ve done… I am going to do what I need to do and that’s cooperate fully because we have nothing to hide.” Stephen Leeb, PhD > Turbulent Times Investor News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free…
forever The East, led by China, seems better positioned by the day to compel U.S. cooperation in the new world order that China is determined to engineer. The U.S. won’t remain the hegemonic nation we once were. But we’d reap great benefits from cooperating—and risk great damage if we don’t. China’s most critical project is the Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI, which connects more than 150 countries via massive infrastructure creation, including rail and roads, sea-based shipping lanes, ports, and investments in telecommunications. BRI countries span Asia, Africa, and even include Latin…
forever There are always those pesky canaries in the coal mine. And along with them, there’s always the question: When will investors pay attention? We’re referring to that event or events—such as a sharp drop in a significant player—that warn that a market bubble is getting closer to being unsustainable. Market tops, and subsequent crashes, don’t happen out of the blue, although it might seem like it at the time. There’s always something to tip you off. And recently in today’s market there have been warning signs ominously similar to those that preceded both the dot.com bust and the 2008…
forever The global monetary system is being rebuilt, but most investors are watching the wrong signals. In this interview, Dr. Stephen Leeb gives you the structural framework to understand what's actually happening to gold, the dollar, and Western financial dominance before the next phase of this transition accelerates. If you hold physical gold, are considering it, or want to understand where the real money is moving, this is the conversation to watch. Dr. Stephen Leeb joins GoldCore TV for an explanation of the monetary forces reshaping the gold vs dollar balance of power. As the…
forever What does it mean to be human? A very staggering question, indeed. And what does that answer tell us about the difference between humans and AI? Would it leave open the possibility that machines eventually could equal humans in how they think and respond and create? Or would it point to an unbridgeable chasm between humans and AI? In a world in which AI is becoming ever more ubiquitous, there are probably no more important questions. We believe the answers start with drilling down to the core of how you define a human being. If you can first answer this question, you could then answer…
forever As we sat here writing this update this past Sunday morning just a few hours before watching the World Cup final, we were making no predictions as to which team would win, Spain or Argentina. But there was one thing we were and are willing to bet on: This week—and Friday, July 24, specifically—will be notable for some major milestones for gold that ultimately will bear on the major geopolitical shifts now underway. Why are we singling out July 24? As we’ve noted previously (see the article, “ Mantra for Today’s World: Safety First ” ), the date marks the official launch of Hong Kong’s…
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