Musk: Poor to Pay Price for Biden's Call For More Taxes on Rich

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc. - The AP
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc. - The AP
TT

Musk: Poor to Pay Price for Biden's Call For More Taxes on Rich

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc. - The AP
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc. - The AP

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc., said that President Joe Biden's proposal to impose higher taxes on extremely affluent Americans will only affect lower-to-middle income groups.

"In all seriousness, I agree that we should make elaborate tax-avoidance schemes illegal, but acting upon that would upset a lot of donors, so we will see words, but no action, Musk said in a tweet.

"Those who will actually be forced to carry the burden of excess government spending are lower to middle income wage earners, as they cannot escape payroll tax," he added.

This came after Biden said during his campaign rally in Philadelphia on Saturday that “It’s about time the super-wealthy start paying their fare share.”

Biden called on union workers to support his reelection bid and called for new taxes on the wealthy and corporations.

While the number of billionaires in the US has risen to about 1,000, they pay some 8 percent of their earnings in taxes, he said.

“They paid at a lower tax rate than schoolteachers, than firefighters, probably anyone in this room. It’s time they paid a minimum tax. I don’t mind them being billionaires."



Gold Prices Climb on Safe-Haven Demand; US Payrolls Data in Focus

Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)
Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)
TT

Gold Prices Climb on Safe-Haven Demand; US Payrolls Data in Focus

Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)
Gold bullion displayed in a store in the German city of Pforzheim (dpa)

Gold prices climbed on Friday, supported by safe-haven demand arising from the Middle East conflict, while spotlight shifted towards US payrolls report to gauge the trajectory of the Federal Reserve's policy path.
Spot gold was up 0.3% at $2,662.50 per ounce, as of 0325 GMT, after climbing to an all-time high of $2,685.42 on Sept. 26. Bullion has gained 0.2 for the week.
US gold futures edged 0.1% higher to $2,682.10.
The dollar eased 0.1%, pulling back from over a one-month high, making greenback-priced bullion less expensive for other currency holders, reported Reuters.
Geopolitical tensions, particularly concerning Israel and Iran, are supporting gold prices and unless these risks subside, prices are likely to remain near record levels, said Ajay Kedia, director at Kedia Commodities, Mumbai.
The US is discussing strikes on Iran's oil facilities as retaliation for Tehran's missile attack on Israel, President Joe Biden said, while Israel's military hit Beirut with new air strikes in its battle against Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Bullion is considered a safe investment during times of political and financial uncertainty, and thrives in a low-rate environment.
The US nonfarm payroll data is due at 1230 GMT. New York Fed President John Williams and Chicago Fed President Austan are also scheduled to speak later in the day.
If the NFP report comes in strong, it will be positive for the dollar and then gold prices will see some profit-booking, Kedia added.
Traders see a 69% chance of a 25-basis-point Fed rate cut in November, according to CME FedWatch Tool.
BMI said in a note it expects gold prices to trade within the range of $2,500 to $2,800 in the coming months.
Spot silver rose 0.4% to $32.17 per ounce and has gained about 1.8% so far this week.
Platinum climbed 1.1% to $1,001.79 and palladium advanced 1.4% to $1,013.46.