Tuesday 24 March 2020

Panic buying

Of what? Baked beans? Well, maybe those, too. But this is a PR email, and we're talking about gold, man.

The Pure Gold Company has seen a 980% increase in British people panic purchasing gold bars and coins over the last week, compared to the weekly average over the last year, as the Coronavirus pandemic worsens. Demand is being driven by acute fear and uncertainty about the trajectory of the virus and the economic damage most people expect will continue (for years to come) after the virus disappears.

Okay, okay. No endorsement, obviously. I mean ... I suggest you buy baked beans and toilet rolls, anyway. You can't eat gold. Well ... you can, I think. I read something about it, oh, years ago. The point is - 'People want to get their money safe, boss.' Oh, hello, Voice. Yes, they do. But not everyone has got money, you dig?

[You can't eat toilet rolls, by the way.]

Josh Saul, CEO of the gold investment company said: "This level of demand is unprecedented. We have been order taking from 7am until 11pm most nights. Our brokers have been working throughout the weekend and we have encountered gold shortages most days. There is a waiting list for people that haven’t been able to purchase quickly enough and in some cases, we have had to fulfil orders the next day when we have secured more gold supply. Usually clients have lots of questions about the market and how the investment works, but over the last 10 days it's been a question of how much can they buy and how quickly can they do it."

Right.

"Our clients range from financial professionals such as bankers, economists and accountants to company directors, retirees, single mothers, builders and celebrity personalities. From all different walks of life, they are united in their motivation to buy gold. Most are worried about the fate of the banks and being able to access money in a possible lock down scenario. Others are removing their wealth from a downward spiralling stock market and putting it into gold to either recover some of these losses or more importantly to stem their losses. Many clients believe there will be a deep recession that will last for some time. They want to be prepared and secure in an asset class that is physical and capable of increasing while everything else falls in value. Importantly, they want to be able to convert it to cash (quickly) if the need arises."

Single mothers?! Whatever. / Thanks, Josh!

Yeah, yeah. Okay. Dan Pena says he's in cash in the biggest five banks, and if they go down ... he reckons he's taking to the streets to ride around like the fifth horseman of the apocalypse. Or something. I don't know.

Me? I'm just going to play my guitar. 'Like those guys on the Titanic, boss.' Yes, Voice. Exactly like those guys. And we both know what Derek and Clive said about the Titanic, don't we? 'Yes.' Don't go to Mallorca.

...

Anything else? This lockdown is a bit strange. It will only work if people get it in their heads that this coronavirus is dangerous. There aren't enough police. And who can tell how many times you've left your house and for what reason?

Personally, I'm staying in to play my guitar - and write my blog, of course. What else is new?! It's the story of my life, man.

Donald Trump? Christ. He's all over the place at the moment, but he did have a point yesterday about the cure [possibly] being worse than the disease, or problem. I know that if the coronavirus doesn't kill me the economic situation will, sooner or later. That's why I'm in "beast mode" now, and still pushing ahead with my music ... even though everything is senseless, hopeless, pointless. Uh.

Keep fighting!