(Natural News)—The price of an ounce of gold could reach $3,000 by the end of 2025, driven by the People’s Bank of China’s massive gold purchases and global monetary easing.

This is according to a prediction made by Goldman Sachs precious metals analyst Lina Thomas, who supported her prediction with recent data showing a surge in gold buying not just by the PBOC but by other central banks. (Related: Gold and silver hit record highs amid geopolitical tensions and Fed rate cuts.)

Central banks purchased 64 tons of gold in October, significantly higher than the average of 17 tons before 2022. China emerged as the largest buyer, purchasing 55 tons, despite reporting only five tons to the public. This suggests that China’s actual gold purchases are ten times higher than officially acknowledged.

Goldman Sachs notes that 81 percent of central banks surveyed by the World Gold Council expect global central bank gold holdings to rise in the next 12 months, with none expecting a decline.

China resumes gold purchases after short pause

The PBOC resumed its massive streak of gold purchases in November following a short hiatus. Official data from the PBOC showed that gold holdings increased to 72.96 million fine troy ounces at the end of November, up from 72.80 million troy ounces a month earlier.

The PBOC is the world’s largest official sector buyer of gold – a title the communist bank has held since 2023. The gold purchases are expected to support demand for precious metals by Chinese investors.

However, the value of China’s gold reserves fell to $193.43 billion at the end of November from $199.06 billion at the end of October, reflecting a decline in gold prices during the month.

Gold prices dropped in November for the first time since June, driven by a short wave of sell-offs following President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in the November election.

Spot prices for gold are down five percent since hitting a record high of $2,790.15 an ounce on Oct. 31 but remain up 28 percent for the year.

Gold purchases driven by demand for asset diversification amid growing geopolitical tensions

The surge in central bank gold purchases, particularly by China, is driven by a combination of financial and geopolitical factors. Goldman Sachs highlights that since the global financial crisis, many emerging market central banks have sought to diversify their reserves, viewing gold as a financial hedge. Geopolitical sanctions, particularly the freezing of central bank assets, have also played a crucial role.

The freezing of Russian central bank assets in 2022 marked a turning point, prompting many emerging market central banks to rethink what is considered risk-free. Following the freeze, purchases by central banks and other institutions in the London over-the-counter market surged fivefold. In China, prominent economists have emphasized the necessity of diversifying foreign exchange reserves to mitigate potential U.S. sanctions.

More related stories:

• China resumes gold purchases, sparking market rally and shaping global gold dynamics.
• Michael Yon and Mike Adams discuss the INFORMATION WAR against GOLD.
• Mike Adams Sermon 65 from the Church of Natural Abundance: GOLD is God’s money, while fiat currencies are SHADOW MONEY.
• Gold is getting close to becoming world’s reserve currency, says precious metals expert Andrew Sorchini.
• DOLLAR DEMISE: China selling U.S. Treasury bonds in record numbers in favor of gold, other commodities.

Sources include:

• Binance.com
• Reuters.com
• Bloomberg.com

(Natural News)—Kratos Defense and Security has confirmed the successful first flight of its stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), the Thanatos.

The exact date of the flight was not disclosed due to the sensitive nature of the project. The flight was conducted to validate the aircraft’s basic aerodynamic design, marking a significant milestone in the development of the highly classified stealth drone program.

Steve Fendley, president of Kratos’ Unmanned Systems Division, stated that the drone’s flight abilities have been effectively proven. The company is now shifting its focus to testing Thanatos’ integrated systems to ensure it meets mission requirements.

“We’re not trying to figure out ‘Does the airplane fly?’ We’re now trying to figure out ‘Does the integrated system tick the mission box?'” Fendley said. (Related: Mysterious drones swarmed a U.S. military airbase for 17 days; officials say they don’t know who operated them.)

The Thanatos UCAV was first unveiled in November 2023 through a 3D artist’s rendering included in Kratos’ financial report. The design features a single-engine, tailless configuration with a diamond-shaped wing, blended air inlets and a recessed engine exhaust, all of which contribute to its low-observability characteristics. The aircraft’s design also lacks traditional vertical and horizontal stabilizers, reflecting Kratos’ emphasis on stealth technology.

Kratos likely to sell Thanatos to the Air Force

While the identity of the customer for the Thanatos remains undisclosed, the aircraft’s design includes both the markings for Kratos and the United States Air Force, strongly suggesting that the drone’s first operator will be the Air Force.

The company has expressed strong interest in the upcoming Increment 2 of the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, which aims to integrate unmanned assets with Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platforms.

The CCA program, also referred to as the “Loyal Wingman” concept, envisions unmanned aircraft operating alongside crewed fighters to enhance mission effectiveness. Fendley highlighted the potential of CCAs to augment fifth-generation fighter aircraft and offboard systems from fourth-generation aircraft, particularly in electronic warfare to improve survivability.

Kratos has prior experience developing UCAVs under the CCA program, specifically with its experimental XQ-58 Valkyrie stealth UCAV, which is currently in testing with the Air Force and the Marine Corps.

The Valkyrie, which is runway-independent and capable of launching via rockets or a trolley, has demonstrated its operational relevance during exercises like Emerald Flag in October 2024. During this mission, the Valkyrie successfully passed targeting data to Marine Corps F-35Bs, marking a significant step in closing the kill chain.

Fendley noted that the Department of Defense has increasingly prioritized runway independence, a feature that Kratos has incorporated into its UCAV designs. While it is unclear whether the Thanatos will share this capability, the company is exploring conventional takeoff and landing systems with retractable gear.

In terms of manufacturing, Kratos has designed its UCAVs with scalability in mind. A study on the feasibility of a 1,000-unit production run for the Valkyrie revealed that propulsion systems would be the primary constraint. Kratos is collaborating with GE Aerospace to develop scalable engines for future systems, including CCAs.

Watch this Dec. 17 episode of “Brighteon Broadcast News” as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, discusses the possible use of drones with radar invisibility technology in the United States.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

• Mach 7 drone illustrates China’s latest leap in hypersonic technology.
• Ukraine claims to be developing “unstoppable” AI-controlled drones that can attack targets on the battlefield.
• Iran has developed a new, high-tech combat drone for Russia to use in Ukraine.
• Fully autonomous KILLER DRONES now closer to reality as rapid development of AI continues.
• Advanced swarming drones operated by U.K. defense ministry ready for deployment within months.

Sources include:

• AviationWeek.com
• TheAviationist.com
• Brighteon.com

(Natural News)—ExxonMobil and Chevron, two of the United States’ largest oil and gas companies, are exploring opportunities to enter the power generation business as Big Tech is looking for electricity suppliers for its growing number of energy-intensive data centers.

Both companies are considering leveraging natural gas-fired power plants equipped with carbon capture technology to meet the growing demand for low-carbon electricity.

ExxonMobil announced on Dec. 11 that it is designing a “massive” natural gas-fired power plant with a generating capacity of over 1,500 megawatts. ExxonMobil claims its facility, which would be dedicated to powering data centers, will capture more than 90 percent of its carbon dioxide emissions. The company emphasized that the project aims to address the short-term need for reliable electricity while minimizing emissions.

“There are very few opportunities in the short term to power those data centers and do it in a way that at the same time minimizes, if not completely eliminates, the emissions,” said ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods.

The company has secured land for the facility but has not disclosed its location or cost. ExxonMobil plans to operate the plant independently of the power grid, which could expedite the permitting and construction process. The plant is expected to be operational within the next five years. This would mark ExxonMobil’s first foray into power generation for external customers, as its previous gas-fired plants were built to serve its own operations.

Chevron, meanwhile, has been in discussions for over a year about supplying natural gas-fired power, coupled with carbon capture technologies, to data centers.

Jeff Gustavson, president of subsidiary Chevron New Energies, confirmed the company’s interest in the sector during an interview.

Gustavson highlighted Chevron’s experience in natural gas supply and power equipment operations as key advantages in meeting the growing demand for electricity from data centers.

“It fits many of our capabilities – natural gas, construction, operations, and being able to provide customers with a low-carbon pathway on power through CCUS (carbon capture, utilization and storage), geothermal, and maybe some other technologies,” said Gustavson.

Big Oil’s entry into power generation driven by demand to accommodate AI

Both companies are entering the power market amid a surge in electricity demand driven by the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and other high-tech industries.

Projections indicate that U.S. electricity demand could reach record highs by 2025, following two decades of stagnation. The urgency to meet this demand has prompted the power industry to invest in new natural gas infrastructure and delay the retirement of fossil-fuel power plants. Natural gas has emerged as a leading option for providing round-the-clock electricity, given its lower cost compared to other sources.

ExxonMobil has also been working with tech giant Intel to develop new liquid cooling technologies for data centers. The partnership aims to design energy-efficient cooling solutions that could reduce emissions and improve operational efficiency. The company has committed $30 billion over the next few years to these efforts, in addition to its plans to increase oil and gas production by 18 percent by 2030.

Chevron, similarly, is leveraging its expertise in natural gas and carbon capture to explore opportunities in the power generation sector. The company’s entry into the market would mark a significant shift from its traditional focus on oil and gas production.

Watch this clip from CNBC discussing how the construction of new AI data centers all over the world is fueling a boom in cooling technology to help prevent these data centers from overheating.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

• OpenAI wants to build data centers that consume MORE POWER than the entire United Kingdom.
• Amazon investing more than half a billion dollars to build small modular nuclear reactors to power its AWS computing centers.
• Google backs construction of first small nuclear reactors to power AI data centers.
• Microsoft to bring infamous nuclear plant back to life to feed POWER HUNGRY AI data centers.
• Big Tech has a growing appetite for America’s electricity and water resources.

Sources include:

• ZeroHedge.com
• PowerMag.com
• Reuters.com
• Brighteon.com