Last updated 27 October 2026

Disclaimer

Big Picture Brief is education, not financial advice.

We explain what is happening in geopolitics and money, and why it might matter. Nothing on this site is a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any investment, currency, commodity (including gold) or other product, and nothing here takes account of your own circumstances.

We are not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority to give investment advice. Before making a financial decision, think about speaking to a qualified, regulated adviser.

Facts and figures

We source and date every fact, and we link to our sources at the end of each piece. Figures can be revised and situations change quickly, so a piece is accurate as of the date shown, not necessarily today. If we get something wrong, we correct it and say so at the foot of the piece.

Views

The Four Lenses set out the published views of the people named. They are their views, not ours, and including them is not an endorsement. We aim to be non-partisan: we explain arguments from across the spectrum and don’t campaign.

The gold tracker

The gold tracker uses public data from official and industry sources, named on the page. Past prices and flows tell you nothing certain about the future.

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Other websites

We link to other websites so you can check our sources. We aren’t responsible for their content.