Okay, here’s a verification of the claims made in the NPR transcript, as of today, November 21, 2023. I’ll break it down section by section, noting accuracy and providing updated details where relevant. I will also note the date of my search for each claim.
Overall Note: The transcript is from August 2023. Market conditions have changed substantially as then. Thus, many of the specific price points and immediate reactions are outdated. Though, the themes discussed (volatility, AI investment concerns, healthcare pressures) remain relevant.
1. Market Volatility & Trump’s Actions (ASPAN’s opening remarks – Date of Search: Nov 21, 2023)
* Claim: “At one point this month, the stock market had its worst day since October.” – Generally Accurate (as of august 2023). August 2023 did see some significant market pullbacks. While pinpointing the worst day requires specific data, there were days with ample declines.
* Claim: “President Trump made new threats about tariffs and taking U.S. control of Greenland.” – Accurate. Trump did publicly express interest in purchasing Greenland in 2019, and the idea resurfaced in news reports in 2023. (Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49184996, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-considered-buying-greenland-2023-08-16/)
* Claim: “Then this past week,the S&P 500 hit that all-time high.” – Accurate (as of August 2023). The S&P 500 did reach new highs in late July/early August 2023. (Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/03/stock-market-today-live-updates.html)
* Claim: “Gold has been on this crazy run for the past couple of years, and earlier this week, it was selling for $5,000 per ounce.” – Inaccurate. Gold has been on a run, but the price of $5,000/ounce is significantly overstated.In August 2023, gold was trading around $1,900 – $2,000 per ounce. (Source: https://www.kitco.com/gold-price-today-usa/). As of today,November 21,2023,gold is trading around $1,970/ounce.
* Claim: “Silver and copper also hit record highs before they all fell back.” – Partially Accurate. Silver and copper did see price increases in 2023,but the claim of “record highs” needs qualification. Silver did approach multi-year highs, but didn’t necessarily break all-time records.Copper also saw increases. The “fell back” part is accurate as there was some volatility. (Source: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/copper-prices-hit-near-two-year-high-2023-08-17/)
2. AI & Tech Stock Volatility (RASCOE & ASPAN – Date of Search: Nov 21,2023)
* Claim: “Tech companies are largely powering the stock market,as we’ve covered extensively
Worth a look