Opening Note…

Welcome back, this week I am running a very special prize draw! You could be in with the chance to spend a day with me, here at my Castle on the beautiful Isle Of Man. All flights and accommodation paid for! (Full details in this email).

China & US: After last week’s spotlight on China and the United States, many are speculating about what will happen next. While economists and politicians continue to argue that there’s still no clear-cut winner or loser in the current ‘trade war’ - in a scenario like this, it’s important to follow the money.

With that said, we’re starting to see several updates reporting nearly $21 billion of revenue generated by US tariffs, including $500 million specifically from the reciprocal tariffs enacted on April 5th.

Large numbers like this continue to lead to reactions that fuel an emotionally and politically charged conversation around Tariffs, and of course, the trade war. Whether President Trump’s strategy is “winning or not,” it’s clear that he is cleverly positioning the US to minimize trade deficits and counter China’s influence. Meanwhile, China is building the Digital Yuan and preparing for a world where the dollar’s dominance wavers.

Ultimately, the US dollar remains the central focus. However, this is not the first time the dollar has undergone a repositioning on the global stage. If you know your history, you’ll know that there’s also another key economic indicator that you should be aware of, and that is the soaring price of gold.

For this reason, I’m currently working on 2 Gold and Silver courses that dive deep into the foundations and strategy behind Gold and Silver investing. My goal is to help you strategically position yourself to use Gold & Silver as a function to: Invest, make money, be an inflation hedge, and of course, be a hedge against de-dollarization.

These 2 courses (coming soon) will help you immensely as the current world economy continues to fracture, yet present great opportunities. There will be 2 programs:

1. Gold & Silver FOUNDATIONS: Time-Tested Principles for Protecting Your Money

2. Gold & Silver ADVANCED: How To Grow Your Wealth By Building A Time-Tested Portfolio

We’ll now break down the latest news from around the globe.

Table of Contents

• 1. Weekly Spotlight

• 2. Quick Takes

• 3. Chance To Visit My Castle! & Important Video of …

• 4. Chart of the Week

• 5. Market Overview

• 6. Faith & Success

• 7. Join the Conversation 💬

1. Weekly Spotlight

Trade War Escalates, Ray Dalio Sounds the Alarm, and the EU Stumbles:

This week, it’s all converging: China lashes out over tariffs, the U.S. inflation pressures mount, and Europe’s economy shows cracks beneath the surface. Add to this - Ray Dalio’s stark warning of a coming financial breakdown, and one question looms: are we already in a global recession… or is the worst still ahead? (It’s definitely not behind us, I can tell you that for sure!)

Dalio didn’t mince his words. He warned that the U.S. is entering a “classic debt spiral,” period (I only talked about this on last month’s Patreon Macro Investment video). He said the global monetary system may be heading for a hard reset.

Europe? Not far behind. With Germany’s economy stagnating, the ECB signaling panic behind closed doors, and growing social unrest in France and Poland, it’s clear the EU is not prepared for what’s coming.

Meanwhile, China is pushing. Beijing officials are openly accusing Washington of unwarranted economic aggression. State-backed media is warning of “long-term retaliation,” and there are rumblings that China could weaponize rare earth exports further. At the same time, Europe is caught in the crossfire, with many officials criticizing U.S. trade policy and Macron openly calling for greater EU independence from Washington. Quietly but clearly, parts of Europe are positioning themselves for closer ties with Beijing than they are with the U.S.

Let’s break it down further:

• U.S. credit card delinquencies are at their highest level since 2008…

• China is dumping U.S. Treasuries at an accelerated pace…

• Temu and Shein price hikes mark the start of import inflation…

• Eurozone manufacturing remains in contraction for the 14th straight month…

• Global shipping costs are rising again, driven by Red Sea disruptions and trade rerouting…

• Corporate bankruptcies in the U.S. have surged year-over-year, especially in retail and mid-sized firms, reflecting tighter financial conditions…

• Commercial real estate defaults are spreading in major cities…

• Gold and silver are hitting record highs, historically a signal that institutional investors are seeking safety outside fiat systems…

The signs aren’t subtle anymore. The truth is, the system is under strain. And many of us saw this coming. That’s why I started on these 2 new courses a while back, I knew you’d need them! And I had a suspicion that the trade war would lead to Gold & Silver spiking - but that’s not all… I’m currently writing an extensive post for those of you in the Patreon private community about a breakthrough opportunity I’ve just spotted with the Gold to Silver ratio (that happens very rarely in our lifetimes).

Watch out for that, I’ll publish it soon (between that, Good Friday, writing this email, and the walk & talk today - I’m going to be very busy!)

2. Quick Takes

Here are the top stories shaping the week:

• Letitia James Now Facing Legal Heat of Her Own
  New York AG Letitia James is now under scrutiny herself (finally!) A federal referral alleges she committed mortgage fraud by misrepresenting a 5-unit property as 4-units to secure better financing. She’s also facing questions about undisclosed Virginia real estate holdings and potential false residency claims.

• UK–US Trade Deal Within Reach
  The White House now expects a trade agreement with the UK to be finalized within three weeks.

• EU Considers Export Restrictions Over US Tariffs
  Brussels is exploring export restrictions in response to Washington’s trade policies.

• China Dumps Crypto as Economy Slips
  China is selling off seized cryptocurrencies to raise funds, revealing deeper concerns about liquidity and economic pressure inside the country.

• BRICS Pushes Gold-Backed Currency to Undermine U.S. Dollar
  BRICS nations continue laying the groundwork for a gold-backed trade settlement system (still unconfirmed at this stage). This accelerates movement away from U.S. dollar dominance.

• UK Supreme Court Defines Gender in Law
  Britain’s top court ruled that trans women are not legally women under existing law.

• Russia Warns Germany: ‘You Could Be Considered a Combatant’
  Moscow has warned that Germany may soon be treated as an active participant in the Ukraine war due to its weapons shipments, signaling a potential escalation and raising the stakes for Europe. I did warn that Germany moving towards a military economy (to support Ukraine) would backfire on them…

3. Chance To Visit My Castle! & Important Video of The Week

Here’s your chance to win a day with me here at the Castle on the beautiful Isle of Man! Flights, meals & accommodation paid for, by me! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that costs just £1 to enter, good luck!

LINK click here to enter.

Latest Walk & talk: CHINA Could Unleash ‘7-Step Offensive’ For The USA 🇺🇸 

A number of people have asked me the exact same question this week: is China planning a crippling retaliation on the United States? My latest Walk & Talk covers the 7 current strategies that China is using to counter the US tariffs.

Find Out More on Youtube

4. Chart of the Week

📈 Gold Prices Soar to Record $3,323/oz Amid Global Market Volatility

On April 16, 2025, gold prices surged to an all-time high of $3,323/oz, driven by investors flocking to safe-haven assets amid escalating market uncertainty and geopolitical risks. This rally underscores gold's appeal as a hedge against volatility.

5. Market Overview

Despite closing the week slightly higher, the S&P 500’s performance tells a deeper story of fading momentum, rising caution, and increasing market fatigue. Beneath the surface, it’s clear many investors are preparing for uncertainty ahead…

Stock Market:

Monday (April 14):
Markets started the week on a high note, with the S&P 500 climbing steadily as investors priced in optimism around earnings season and the perception that tariffs might be contained. The index touched 5,440 intraday before profit-taking kicked in, closing slightly off the highs.

Tuesday (April 15):
Volatility returned as headlines about China’s crypto liquidation and rising geopolitical tension weighed on investor sentiment. The S&P dipped through the afternoon, snapping its early-week rally and signaling growing unease beneath surface-level gains.

Wednesday (April 16):
Markets attempted a rebound mid-session but failed to regain momentum. Choppy trading reflected investor uncertainty about U.S. economic policy, Federal Reserve direction, and weak global macro data. The S&P closed marginally higher.

Thursday (April 17):
Although the S&P ended the week up 0.52% overall, Thursday trading showed continued weakness. Softening momentum, declining breadth, and mixed earnings reports signaled caution ahead.

Cryptocurrency:

• Bitcoin (BTC): Up 6.6% this week, Bitcoin continues its momentum, climbing above $84,000. Despite macro headwinds and global uncertainty, BTC is holding strong, clearly still viewed as a long-term store of value by major players.

• Ethereum (ETH): Gained 3.9%, showing resilience and steady demand around $1,580. While not keeping pace with Bitcoin, ETH continues to benefit from institutional flows and increased on-chain activity.

• Tether (USDT) & USDC: Both stablecoins remained flat, as expected. No major depegging risks emerged this week, though market watchers are monitoring stablecoin regulation talks across the EU and the U.S.

• XRP: Up 5.0%, but dipped slightly over the last 24 hours. Despite short-term pullbacks, long-term holders remain optimistic as Ripple continues to make global payments inroads.

• Binance Coin (BNB): Up 2.2% on the week, BNB saw steady gains as Binance expands its ecosystem offerings. However, legal scrutiny continues to hover in the background.

• Solana (SOL): The top performer this week, up 19.4%. Solana benefited from strong DeFi activity and developer growth, regaining attention as a leading Ethereum alternative.

Neil’s Summary: Volatility like this usually follows big shifts in policy and global tension. It can feel chaotic, but these are the exact moments where real wealth-building begins. Many of you have already emailed in to thank me for the stock market course (& the screener and Buffet modules) - because you’ve been making great returns so far on these dramatic swings. That’s why I’m here! That’s my job!

6. Faith & Success

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”
— Ecclesiastes 9:10

I was thinking over this verse this week about how so many people now feel lost. For many, building a career in this day and age is very difficult because employees are treated more like a commodity to be used up, than a valuable resource.

I realised this very early on, and instead chose the path of creating my own ‘job’ as it were. I hope for some of you, especially if you haven't found it yet - you're too find the thing that inspires you to ‘do it with all your might’.

This verse is a call to give everything you've got to the task in front of you. Whether you're building something new, pushing through uncertainty, or climbing out of a setback, it’s tough, it is…

But when you move with purpose, persistence, and faith, the results follow, often in ways you never imagined.

7. Join the Conversation 💬

Your comments, shares, and encouragement have a bigger impact than you know. Let’s keep building truth-seeking, financially strong communities together.

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  Thank you again for all your support! Here’s the link again to enter the prize draw: LINK

Stay Informed, Stay Empowered! Stay Blessed!

See you next time,

Your Friend,
Neil,