Luke Gromen: The Mother of All Supply Distributions & Why Gold Will Go 'Much Higher'

Palisades Gold Radio
Palisades Gold RadioMay 12, 2026

Why It Matters

The convergence of a severe oil supply crunch, soaring sovereign debt, and inflated equity markets could trigger a rapid shift to gold and other hard assets, reshaping investment strategies worldwide.

Key Takeaways

  • Hormuz closure triggers unprecedented global commodity supply disruption
  • Sovereign debt and equity valuations at historic highs increase risk
  • Market underestimates oil price surge due to policy price controls
  • Gold likely to rally as safe‑haven amid looming inflation
  • Potential Treasury yield spike if oil prices breach $150 barrier

Summary

Luke Gromen argues we are entering the largest commodity‑supply shock in history, driven by the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, while the global monetary regime is being reshaped.

He points to record‑high sovereign debt, an adjusted Warren Buffett metric at 2000‑era peaks, and supply chains built for efficiency rather than resilience. Oil inventories are depleting at a historic rate, and U.S. policy has been propping oil below $100 through strategic petroleum reserves and dubious peace‑deal narratives, masking an imminent price explosion.

Gromen cites Trump’s “He who controls the gold makes the rules” line and notes Mosaic’s fertilizer unit cutting capex because sulfuric‑acid shipments have stalled—illustrating how physical shortages are already breaking sector narratives.

If oil spikes past $150, Treasury yields could surge, inflation accelerate, and gold, the traditional hedge, is poised for a “much higher” rally, prompting investors to re‑balance toward hard assets and monitor policy moves closely.

Original Description

Stijn Schmitz welcomes Luke Gromen to the show. Luke Gromen is President and Founder of Forest For The Trees LLC. Luke explores the unprecedented global economic and geopolitical shifts, focusing on massive commodity supply disruptions and transforming monetary systems. He highlights several critical trends: the largest commodity supply flow disruption in history, unprecedented levels of globalization, sovereign debt, and market valuations. He argues that current global tensions, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, could trigger significant economic challenges.
Recorded on: May 11, 2026
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Timestamps:
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:00:44 - Unprecedented Energy Disruption
00:02:48 - Globalization and Debt Levels
00:05:00 - Equity Valuations Warning
00:07:20 - Market Pricing Liquidity
00:09:01 - Supply Chain Breakdowns
00:10:28 - Disruption Lag Effects
00:12:15 - Oil Policy Miscalculations
00:15:27 - Geopolitical Trade-offs
00:21:50 - Hubris vs Strategy
00:28:33 - China's Strategic Benefits
00:33:56 - Monetary Order Shift
00:39:52 - Gold's Reserve Role
00:45:06 - Future Debasement & Gold
00:49:46 - Regional Economic Outlooks
00:56:10 - Commodity Generational Trends
01:00:12 - New section
Guest Links:
Luke Gromen began his career in the mid-1990s in Research at Midwest Research before moving over to institutional equity sales and becoming a partner. While in sales, Luke was a founding editor of Midwest's widely-read weekly summary ("Heard in the Midwest") for the firm's clients. He aggregated and combined proprietary research from Midwest with inputs from other sources.
In 2006, Luke left FTN Midwest to become a founding partner of Cleveland Research Company. At CRC, Luke continued to work in sales and edit CRC's flagship weekly research summary piece ("Straight from the Source") for the firm's customers.
In 2014, Luke left Cleveland Research to found FFTT, LLC ("Forest for the Trees"), a macro/thematic research firm catering to institutions and individuals that aggregates a wide variety of macroeconomic, thematic, and sector trends in an unconventional manner to identify investable developing economic bottlenecks.
Luke also provides strategic consulting services for corporate executives. He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and received his MBA from Case Western Reserve University and earned the CFA designation in 2003.
#EnergyDisruption #GlobalSupplyChain #SovereignDebt #EquityValuations #Commodities #FertilizerSupply #FoodShortages #USDollar #GoldReserveAsset #CurrencyWar #TradeSettlement #RareEarthMetals

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