Concern about the rapidly rising U.S. government debt is partly behind recent surges in gold prices and bitcoin, even as the Treasury market so far remains relatively sanguine about the country's fiscal path, market observers say. The U.S. budget deficit widened to $1.7 trillion in fiscal year 2023 and is on track to reach $2.6 trillion by 2034, according to the Congressional Budget Office. U.S. government debt held by the public, meanwhile, is on pace to reach a record 106% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2028, up from 97% in fiscal year 2023. It has soared to $27 trillion from $17 trillion in early 2020 and $5 ... (full story)