September 2019
It's September! Fall is just around the corner (although with the Indian summer many are experiencing, it may not feel like it yet!). With the changing seasons, we thought we'd introduce something new in this newsletter. From here forward, each newsletter will now begin with "X-cerpts" which are simply a few thoughts from OWNx's CEO, Jeremy Brakenhoff and COO, Josh McCleary. In an age where increasing transparency is valued, we feel it is a good step in the right direction. And knowing these guys, their thoughts could be on literally anything, so in the future, don't be surprised by the unexpected!
Enjoy the newsletter,
The OWNx Team
X-cerpts
Times are a-changing. Seems like that theme has threaded through our newsletter since the beginning. If the world is changing in so many areas and at such a rapid rate, it brings up some pretty important questions, not the least of which is who you choose to navigate these changes with. That is a question that we're asking ourselves as we decide how to build out the OWNx platform. One of the answers that is clear is that we want to align with those who aren't afraid to believe in big, bold dreams. Thinking big sets a high bar. It stretches us beyond our comfort zones and causes us to break boundaries that otherwise would hold us back. Yet at the same time, our partners must also see the future with clear eyes. Big goals built on ideology alone lead nowhere. We've seen enough of that over the last couple of years in the blockchain space.
Striking a balance between pragmatism and boldness is actually a lot of fun. We get to have great brainstorming sessions with our team where we peer over the horizon into what is possible and see OWNx and our clients standing in the light of that future. At the same time, we get to explore new technologies and build relationships with people who can create a realistic path from where we stand today to the destination on that horizon. It can be tempting at times to get impatient with the journey. However, we believe the journey is just as important as the arrival because it is in the journey where meaningful long-term relationships are formed.
To be sure, there will be unexpected turns and detours, and we'll have to make our way over and through our fair share of obstacles. After all, we've been on this journey for over a decade now. From our launch as SilverSaver to the new vision of OWNx, it's been quite a ride. But the really good stuff is yet to come. We're excited about what we see on the horizon, and through these X-cerpts, we are inviting you to have a peek inside what is driving us to continue on this journey.
Until next time, all the best!
Jeremy Brakenhoff, CEO & Josh McCleary, COO
Gold Breakout Confirmed
In our July newsletter we highlighted the movements in the price of gold and silver and noted that multi-year breakouts had occurred. Still, there was one more breakout remaining that was necessary to provide a truly "textbook" long-term reversal in the market.
(Chart from July newsletter)
Here we are two months later and the good news is that the "pending" breakout needed to confirm the long-term trend change has occurred.
In yet another development in the precious metals markets, the gold/silver ratio has begun to narrow. From a high of near 90, the ratio has fallen into the low 80s. These are very encouraging developments for those who have patiently accumulated metals for the last several years and it means that continued dollar cost averaging and buying on pullbacks (there will be pullbacks!) are both good strategies as we move into what appears to be a new multi-year bull market.
Spotlight: Silver's Industrial Uses
We have always been a believer in silver, and industrial use is a major reason why. Regardless of what happens in the economy, new industrial uses for silver continue to be found which bode well for prices over the long term.
Silver Has “Too Many Industrial Uses” for Prices Not to Improve
An upcoming generation of new investors has not seen a major downturn in the markets. That and their "infatuation" with cryptos is one reason why they should take another look at silver.
Silver as a Constraint for a Large-Scale Development of Solar Photovoltaics?
"Other industrial applications are in the fields of electrical and electronics equipment, brazing alloys and solders, and as catalyst in the ethylene-oxide synthesis.... A large deployment of solar photovoltaics could conflict with all these other uses and potentially create a competition in the metal's demand."
4 Factors That Drive Silver Demand
Industrial and technological uses for physical silver account for well over half of annual demand, spurred by the metal’s strength, malleability, and ductility.
Suggested Reading
GDP - A Brief But Affectionate History
This is a rather short (less than 150 pages) but interesting look at how GDP became the key "go to" statistic for measuring economic activity. But does it really tell us the true health of our economy and society? Author Diane Coyle gives us food for thought.
Building Social Business: The New Kind of Capitalism That Serves Humanity’s Most Pressing Needs
As Jeremy and Josh said at the outset - times are a changing. One of the ways is the adoption of new business models that are more tuned to the needs of the families and communities in which they operate. This book is one of many that examines this new (and welcome) trend.