The gold price: my opinion

The gold price is now falling significantly.  I believe the long term trend remains upwards.  The current retracement might provide an opportunity to accumulate more gold and gold stocks, but only after a low is confirmed.  The price of gold tends to

Financial risk continues to grow astronomically

"Banks globally sold $707.6 trillion of over-the-counter derivatives as of June 30 [2011], about 18 percent more than the $601 trillion at the end of 2010, according to data published by the Bank for International Settlements last month."

Would the US print dollars for a third Greek bail-out?

The US Fed may well be forced into underwriting a third Greek bail-out.  A Greek sovereign default may well be more seriously harmful to the US economy than to Europe or Greece, because

China warns of Iranian iron ore import risks

See the Mineweb.com article: "China warns of Iranian iron ore import risks".

March 20 deadline for Greek bail-out resolution

Greek sovereign debt default remains possible;  financial insurers remain gravely exposed.  Greek bond holders threaten legal action over the possible increase to their agreed 50% haircut limit.

Yuan denominated international trade increases thirteenfold

Use of the Chinese yuan for international trade settlement is now thirteen times larger than in 2010.  Diversification away from the US dollar is increasing, as its role as the global reserve currency starts to decline.

Gold price supported by long term fundamentals

The price of gold is supported by a number of factors which should tend to underpin rising gold prices over the longer term.

Renewed Tien An Men threat to Chinese one-party rule

The Financial Times reports "Wukan villagers form own administration".

Comprehensive Euro solution beyond reach - Fitch

"Fitch has concluded that a 'comprehensive solution' to the eurozone crisis is technically and politically beyond reach". 

G20 bestows "too big to fail" honour upon twenty-nine banks

Twenty-nine banks have been declared "too big to fail", gaining G20 priority for survival.  That embeds into their corporate decision making psyche that they should be specially immune to market forces, like Greece is. 

"If the only way Europe can save the Euro is via the printing press, it's not worth saving"

- David Bassanese, p33 Australian Financial Review, Dec 17-18, 2011.

Indian households' $1T gold stockpile growing

Indian households hold 11% of all the gold which has ever been mined

IMF confirms crisis escalation

Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), stated that the financial crisis is "not only unfolding but escalating", according to the Financial Times article:  "IMF chief warns over 1930s-style threats", in which she warns of rising global protectionism and economic depression.

Euro bail-out facility acknowledges risks of Euro ceasing

In working to protect the Euro with financial instruments to insure troubled countries against default, the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) has explicitly identified the risk that the Euro could break up, or cease to be lawful, according to the Financial Times.

"Gold bull market on last legs - Gartman"

For my refutation of "Gold bull market on last legs - Gartman", see this recording. Gold may well decline to $1475 as he predicts, but a 20% fall is only one criterion for a bear market as he claims: more criteria are required to confirm a bear market. Gold's 30% fall during 2008 did not end the bull market.

Perth Mint makes one tonne gold coin

Click here for details.  Click here for video. 

Chinese gold imports increase

Chinese demand for physical gold increases with widening prosperity across the population whose culture has valued gold highly for millennia.  In September 2011 China started installing 2000 gold bullion vending machines.  I believe the central committee has a policy to encourage popular accumulation of private gold holdings to complement central bank and other government holdings, to strengthen China's gold backing, and their global economic and political clout, and to

Eurozone banking crisis unresolved

The Euro banking crisis remains unsolved according to "Eurozone banking system on the edge of collapse".  The last crisis summit only produced another plan.  Gold is being sold heavily again, suggesting possible co-ordinated central bank selling to contrive confidence in the Euro.  I acknowledge JSMineset.  Join us for Free Live Stock Market Briefings. 

Legislation allowed MF Global client funds to be "invested" in European bond derivatives

A sequence of US regulatory relaxations permitted US client funds to be held in progressively more risky investments than US treasuries.  See:  Tiny Rule Change at Heart of MF Global Failure: William D. Cohan.

Germany's latest dilemma

Either Germany:  leaves the Euro currency;  or accepts Euro money printing with serious inflationary consequences.  Euro money printing now appears inevitable.

Central bank gold sale announcement retracted

Co-ordinated central bank selling of gold on Thursday, 8 December, to support the Euro and US dollar, has been reported.  That report, by Deutsche Boerse owned MNI, has been deleted from the internet. I acknowledge Goldseek Radio for this news.  See "[MNI] retracts report about central bank gold sales".  Go here to understand the gold price in terms of currencies.

Germany's EU summit backdown raises many questions

Germany has submitted to US demands that sovereign debt holders be immune to "haircuts" if sovereign debt be restructured.  Private sector involvement in debt restructuring is now officially over, according to "EU Summit Clarifies Fiscal Union...".  Haircut risk has been transferred away from sovereign debt holders, banks, and bond insurers.

EU blueprint can't yet solve Euro crisis

The latest EU crisis summit produced only a blueprint which can't yet guarantee the tighter fiscal union announced. Neither the EU, nor the summit attendees, has authority to "embed" fiscal or deficit controls in "national constitutions", as announced. The intended tighter fiscal union can only be achieved after significant constitutional, legislative, political or cultural changes in each and every Euro-zone nation. And it will take much more than a Greek constitutional amendment to reduce entrenched corruption and inefficiencies, and to guarantee Greek fiscal responsibility.  I acknowledge Deutsche Boerse Group's article.

How to control ETF risk

Investing in ETFs, ensure that the fund owns the underlying asset outright, and does not create synthetic holdings constructed from derivatives.  Regularly check that the ETF price accurately tracks the underlying asset price.  Type "USO:$WTIC" or "GLD:$GOLD" into StockCharts.com to check. I acknowledge Chris Waltzek of GoldSeek for this advice.

The great re-hypothecation credit bubble

Banks and other financial institutions might now own MF Global clients' funds, through re-hypothecation loopholes, which have leveraged the European debt crisis fourfold.

MF Global failure impedes US farming

Some farmers are unable to buy seed and feed because their funds have been frozen by MF Global's bankruptcy trustee:  see the CBS news clip or the Chicago Tribune article.

Futures broker slams CME for destroying confidence in system integrity

Futures broker Ann Barnhardt describes how the CME's failure to act as the clearing house backstop amplified the destructive MF Global aftermath, and destroyed confidence in the futures market leading her to close her brokerage. Barnhardt claims the CME did not fulfil fiduciary duties to ensure counterparty obligations were met.

PIGS acronym ensures Euro's demise

One can't demand fiscal discipline of those one labels PIGS.  The "wit" does not outweigh the insult of the expression.

How the gold price is fixed

The price of gold is being influenced by: declining confidence in the Euro, the global reserve currency and other western fiat currencies;  gold's traditional role as reliable money;  and growing Chinese popular wealth.  I found this article "How gold is ‘fixed' and what drives the real price" interesting.  Disclaimer:  I am not in a position to verify the accuracy of any of the assertions made in the article.  I acknowledge Mineweb for this article.

-o0o-

For an overview of the fundamentals of the gold price, viewed as a currency, see this recording.

Euro needs confidence trick, or, "You Can Kiss Me on a Friday"

No EU summit meeting, nor Merkel or Sarkozy, can guarantee that Greece will actually implement the tighter financial controls needed to save the Euro. Market confidence needs to be manipulated into trusting Greek national finances. That sentiment will depend upon collective belief about future Greek behaviour, as opposed to the actual reality of Greek behaviour. Shifting global belief is always a mammoth task.

Don’t let another MF Global ruin you!

In trading futures, forex, gold, CFDs or commodities, you must strictly control all risk of potential loss. This article describes how I minimise my trading risk.

Euro survival rests on too many dilemmas

Either: every Euro-zone nation agrees to surrender some national fiscal responsibility; or the Euro will disintegrate. Survival of the Euro requires complete market confidence in the individual fiscal responsibility of every Euro-zone nation and its sovereign debt. That dilemma ostensibly ensures Euro dissolution.  But there is a greater dilemma.

German bonds are the test of Euro currency confidence

The test of successful IMF support for Europe will be measured by German bond yields.  Re-established confidence in the Euro currency will be apparent only after Germany can again borrow at traditionally low yields, and with successful bond sales.