saveyourassetsfirst3 |
- Friday Options Recap
- 10 Stocks With Strong Growth And Attractive Valuations
- Best ETFs For Water
- Natural Gas Fundamentals Strengthen, But Faces Technical Hurdles
- 4 Oversold Gold Stocks That Could Rebound
- 2nd Half 2012 Forecasts, Challenges and Opportunities
- Temporary Money Slow Down
- Silver Price Forecast : Silver Market Update
- The case for gold is still strong
- Stronger Dollar “Makes Gold Rally Difficult”, Chinese Buyers “On the Sidelines”, Indian Dealers “Just Buying What They Need”
- A Civilized Rebuttal to Charlie Munger
- The Power of Relative Value & the Silver Market! WOW!
- The Influence of the General Stock Market and Crude Oil on Gold
- Davincij15: Money vs Currency
- Stronger Dollar "Makes Gold Rally Difficult"
- JPMorgan's Whale of a Trading Loss Tale
- Morning Outlook from the Trade Desk - Everyday - One Long Thread
- Gold ‘Will Go To $3,000 Per Ounce’ – Rosenberg
- Drawing Lessons from the Gold-Dollar Relationship in 2008 & 2009
- Global Super-Bugs Herald Age of Silver
- Gold Losing Its Luster
- SilverFuturist: Silver & JPMorgan Tanking
- Bullion Takes It On the Chin – What’s Next?
- If This Happens, It Will Signal A Collapse
- Greg Hunter: Weekly Wrap Up
- James Koutoulas: MF Global
| Posted: 11 May 2012 05:40 AM PDT By Frederic Ruffy: Earnings from chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA) along with better-than-expected Consumer Confidence numbers seemed to help offset news of JP Morgan's (JPM) big trading loss. Shares of the bank are down 8.8 percent and near session lows after disclosing the $2 billion mishap late-Thursday. Shares of the major banks are under water on the news. However, Nvidia is up 8 percent and helping the tech sector on earnings. Bonds are holding gains after the latest PPI report showed wholesale inflation falling .2 percent last month. Gold fell $13.5 to $1852 and oil is off 84 cents to $96.24 per barrel. However, the Dow Jones Industrial Average moved off morning lows early after the Univ of Michigan said it's sentiment index improved to a better-than-expected 77.8 in May. Since that time, market action has been choppy and, with less than two hours to trade, the Dow is up 5 points. The Nasdaq has Complete Story » |
| 10 Stocks With Strong Growth And Attractive Valuations Posted: 11 May 2012 05:26 AM PDT By StockPandit: There are many different strategies to trade stocks and one of them is to find the companies with strong growth outlooks at discounted valuations. The growth outlooks and valuations can be evaluated using the following metrics: (i) EPS Growth Projected This Quarter vs. Same Quarter Prior Year compares the current quarter's projection with the actual from the same quarter a year earlier. This criterion presents a real year-over-year growth number, and is a good indicator of the company's current annual growth rate. (ii) Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio is a comparison of a company's current share price to its earnings per share during a specified time period. The higher the P/E ratio, the more the market is willing to pay for each dollar of annual earnings. (III) Price to Earnings Growth (PEG Complete Story » |
| Posted: 11 May 2012 05:08 AM PDT By Tom Lydon: The water investment theme can be played with exchange traded funds on a domestic or global level. "As the world population increases, so does the demand for clean water. Global water consumption has increased nearly twice as fast as population growth in recent years. United Nations projections place global population growth at 30% by 2030, and as demand continues to grow accordingly, some projections place the water industry at a trillion-dollar market cap as early as 2020," Abraham Bailin for Morningstar wrote in a recent analysis. PowerShares Water Resources (PHO) tracks an index of industrial firms dealing primarily in the water space: water treatment, water utilities, pipe and pump manufacturing, and so on. This ETF does one of the better jobs in generating most revenue from the water industry, reports Bailin. Additionally, water infrastructure spending is hovering around $80 billion per year, and is most likely to double over the Complete Story » |
| Natural Gas Fundamentals Strengthen, But Faces Technical Hurdles Posted: 11 May 2012 05:00 AM PDT By Capturetrends: May 10, 2012: The steady multi-year decline in the price of natural gas seems to have stopped and reversed given the change in fundamentals. Prices rallied by over 25% in the past few weeks due to a reduction in supply. After a sustained fall in natural gas prices, big players such as Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Chesapeake (CHK) energy decided to reduce output. This has led to a rally in prices and from a long term perspective a reduction in output combined with growing demand for natural gas as a substitute for crude oil will push prices higher. But will there be more demand for natural gas is the million dollar question. Also on the supply side it's doubtful if manufacturers will keep supplies low. Competition is sure to force increased supply Complete Story » |
| 4 Oversold Gold Stocks That Could Rebound Posted: 11 May 2012 04:49 AM PDT By Hawkinvest: A recent Bloomberg article summarizes the bullish case for gold prices as laid out by Complete Story » |
| 2nd Half 2012 Forecasts, Challenges and Opportunities Posted: 11 May 2012 03:55 AM PDT "…The banking system remains severely stressed, with some form of new easing—a QE-3—likely just a matter of time, and likely sooner rather than later. All Fed actions since the crisis of 2007 and panic of 2008 have been aimed at saving the banking system—not the economy—where the survival and health of banking system is the Fed's primary function. "In the current political environment, however, the Fed likely would run into heavy public opposition to an ongoing effort to bailout the banking system. …Any new form of easing will be justified under the cover of an effort to boost economic activity. "The April payroll-survey employment gain of 115,000 was below already-weak consensus expectations, for a second month, while the household survey showed an outright monthly employment contraction for the second month. None of the month-to-month changes were statistically significant, as usual, but year-to-year change in nonfarm payrolls has begun to slow markedly." "Household-Survey Employment Fell as Payroll Growth Faltered" John Williams, shadowstats.com, 5/4/12 Major Challenges confront investors in the 2nd half 2012. So it is essential to describe the Key Forces which will influence the 2nd half, as the Markets Takedowns earlier this week show. Indeed, The Precious Metals and Tangible Assets Price Takedowns of Recent Days reflects The Cartel's (See Note 1) increasingly desperate Attacks on pro-Precious Metals and Tangible Asset Sentiment and thus on Prices. Considering "why" indicates how to profit from the Opportunities arising from the Takedowns. First we know that in the two of the three largest economies in the World, the Eurozone and the U.S., unemployment is high and rising, with youth unemployment near 50% in Key Countries of the Eurozone. Citizen dissatisfaction has been reflected in the recent French and Greek Elections and their Aftermath, and will intensify. Moreover, Official Employment and other figures in Key Countries are Bogus. "Let's cover the April Jobs and Unemployment report issued by the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. They reported that the Unemployment rate as of April 30th was 8.1 percent, which of course is nonsense. It fails to include 7.9 million people looking for full time work, but involuntarily settling for part-time work. Of course part-time work is a double whammy, low wages and no benefits. It also fails to include 2.4 million folks who want to work, looked for work in the past 12 months, but not the past 30 days. It also fails to include immigrants who are looking for work, but are here, living in this country, marrying, having children. If we add all this together, we are talking a real unemployment rate of around 20 percent. Then we need to consider quality paying jobs, which are not in this number. Full time employed folks at minimum wage, a wage insufficient to support a family. The entirety of this situation is dismal. "Now, to the interesting number. The BLS reported with a straight face that the economy created 115,000 new jobs in April. This number deeply disappointed markets. It is a number that failed to cover the breakeven figure of 150,000 needed to simply cover legal population growth, let alone eat into the ranks of the unemployed. "But wait, the 115,000 is vastly overstated. It was really a lie. The CES Birth Death adjustment in April was a whopper of a lie, 206,000. In other words, the BLS fudged the non-farm payroll actual counted number by 206,000, made it seem better by 206,000 than it really was. It means the economy actually lost 91,000 net jobs in April." Robert McHugh, "McHugh's Market Forecasting & Trading Report," 5/4/12 Indeed, in the U.S., Real Unemployment is 22.3%. Moreover, Real U.S. GDP is a Negative 2.17% and Real Inflation 10.28% (see paragraph re shadowstats below). Moreover, it is no wonder that economies are not recovering and that unemployment is increasing because, as shadowstats points out, the Bailouts and QE were, and are, all about sustaining a Profitable Banking System for its owners (including the owners of the Private For-Profit Fed) at the expense of taxpayers, as we describe in our Article, "Gain From Gargantua" from 3/2/12 in the 'Articles by Deepcaster Cache' at deepcaster.com. Another Key Reality going forward is that all the Bailouts and Q.E. (i.e. Money Printing) is coming at a Great Cost. This vast and increasing Monetary Inflation is already transforming itself into Price Inflation. We emphasize that in the U.S., the numbers are already threshold Hyperinflationary with Real Inflation at 10.28%. Shadowstats.com calculates Key Statistics the way they were calculated in the 1980s and 1990s before Official Data Manipulation began in earnest. Consider Bogus Official Numbers vs. Real Numbers (per Shadowstats.com) Annual U.S. Consumer Price Inflation reported April 13, 2012 2.65% / 10.28% U.S. Unemployment reported May 4, 2012 8.2% / 22.3% U.S. GDP Annual Growth/Decline reported April 27, 2012 1.62% / -2.17% U.S. M3 reported May 7, 2012 (Month of March, Y.O.Y.) No Official Report / 3.02% (e) Failing to take the impending Hyperinflation into account can be lethally destructive to wealth. And the Third increasingly troublesome Reality going forward is that of Debt Saturation, not just of certain companies and citizens, but of Sovereign Nations, because several Key Sovereign Nations Debts can never be repaid. As a result, Social Chaos is increasing and Extreme measures are being considered. Spain's 10yr Note Yields are at 6%ish again; its Banks/Economy will "need" over $1Trillion. That is, it is too Big to Bail. Some Nations may resort to an "Icelandic approach" of Debt Repudiation. For example, Great Britain may resort to an approach similar to Iceland's, a decision which would have profound effects on the Capital Markets. Consider: "Britain could be just eight months away from cancelling billions of pounds of public debt that it acquired with made-up money, Financial Mail has learnt. "The first £8billion of gilts – Government bonds – bought under the Bank of England's quantitative easing scheme will be due for repayment from the start of next year. That means the Treasury will give the Bank £8billion to redeem gilts that the Bank bought with cash that it conjured out of thin air. "The Bank, a nationalised industry whose shares are owned by the Treasury, could then return the £8billion to George Osborne and his colleagues, who will in effect have spent £8billion of free money." Dan Atkinson, "Treasury could make £8bn of public debt 'disappear' if it cancels bonds bought by Bank of England," 5/5/12 Financial Mail Indeed, as one Commentator on Dan Atkinson's report notes, such an "Icelandic" Debt Repudiation course of Action could go a long way toward Alleviating both Great Britain's and the USA's Debt Crises. "The private, for-profit Federal Reserve cabal borrowed its funny-money concept from the Rothschild-controlled Bank of England. The idea is that these central banks conjure up money from thin air [a book-keeping entry], then lend [by buying government bonds] the newly-created money and collect interest on that funny-money. Tax-payers are, of course, the ones paying the interest. "Calling the interest "dividends", Dan Atkinson reports that British taxpayers have already paid the Bank of England 12 billion Pounds on debt/money created since the start of the Quantitative Easing program. "Governments would go a long way toward becoming solvent by repudiating all the funny-money debts created by central bank book-keeping entry. At least in the United States, the Constitution gives the Congress and Executive full power to issue the nation's money. No bank intermediary, such as the Federal Reserve, is needed to lend money." Such a Debt Repudiation is not unprecedented in the U.S. President John F. Kennedy embarked on a similar course when he ordered the U.S. Treasury to issue U.S. Notes which were competitive with the Federal Reserve Notes/Debt issued by the private for-profit Fed. After President Kennedy was assassinated a few months later, the U.S. Notes disappeared from circulation. Given all the foregoing, it is understandable that The Cartel will go to great lengths (as in this week's Precious Metals Takedown) to destroy pro-Precious Metals and pro-Tangibles Sentiment. To consider how all the foregoing is likely to play out see our Forecasts as well as the 3 Takedown Antidotes we suggest, in our June Letter, "3 Takedown Antidotes with Great Profit Potential; 2nd Half 2012 Forecasts: Gold, Silver, Equities, Crude Oil, U.S. Dollar/Euro, U.S. T-Notes, T- Bonds, & Interest Rates" in Deepcaster's 'Letter Archives' at deepcaster.com. One Takedown Antidote is referred to in Note 2 below. Fourth, virtually all important Markets and not just the Precious Metals Market are victims of Cartel (See Note 1) Fed/Government Manipulation. The Markets Manipulation has become so blatant and pervasive that even Establishment Notable Jim Grant (Grant's Interest Rate Observer) was recently moved to describe the extent of the Manipulation. "…The world in which we invest is a world of immense wall to wall manipulations by our friends in Washington. And people get off on Goldman Sachs because it has done this and this, it is pulling wires...The Federal Reserve is the giant squid of squids, it is the vampire squid of vampire squids." "They - the vampire squids - have manipulated virtually every single price and valuation in the capital markets. People ought to recognize when they invest that one of the unspoken risks is the risk that this hall of mirrors, this Barnum and Bailey world that the Fed has created for us is going to vanish one day because they will not be able to hold it any more... It's not as if there is nothing to do in investing, but one must always keep in mind that the valuations that we see, that the prices that we watch flicker across the tape are prices that are fundamentally manipulated by these well-intended, dangerous people in Washington called the Federal Reserve"." "The Federal Reserve Is The Vampire Squid Of Vampire Squids" Jim Grant, 5/3/12, via Bloomberg And the Financial System Mismanagement is not limited to The U.S. Fed. Marc Faber aptly characterized the Eurozone's Financial Managers "The bureaucrats in Brussels are completely useless Functionaries…who seek only to keep their power." Marc Faber, Bloomberg Interview, 05/10/2012 In sum, successful Investors in the second half, 2012, will need to consider the four aforementioned Realities in order to make accurate Forecasts and thus Identify Profitable Opportunities. Best regards, Deepcaster May 10, 2012 Note 1: We encourage those who doubt the scope and power of Overt and Covert Interventions by a Fed-led Cartel of Key Central Bankers and Favored Financial Institutions to read Deepcaster's December, 2009, Special Alert containing a summary overview of Intervention entitled "Forecasts and December, 2009 Special Alert: Profiting From The Cartel's Dark Interventions - III" and Deepcaster's July, 2010 Letter entitled "Profit from a Weakening Cartel; Buy Reco; Forecasts: Gold, Silver, Equities, Crude Oil, U.S. Dollar & U.S. T-Notes & T-Bonds" in the 'Alerts Cache' and 'Latest Letter' Cache at www.deepcaster.com. Also consider the substantial evidence collected by the Gold AntiTrust Action Committee at www.gata.org, including testimony before the CFTC, for information on precious metals price manipulation. Virtually all of the evidence for Intervention has been gleaned from publicly available records. Deepcaster's profitable recommendations displayed at www.deepcaster.com have been facilitated by attention to these "Interventionals." Attention to The Interventionals facilitated Deepcaster's recommending five short positions prior to the Fall, 2008 Market Crash all of which were subsequently liquidated profitably. Note 2: There are Magnificent Opportunities in the Ongoing Crises of Debt Saturation, Rising Unemployment, negative Real GDP growth, more than 10% Real U.S. Inflation (per Shadowstats.com) and prospective Sovereign and other Defaults. One Sector full of Opportunities is the High-Yield Sector. Deepcaster's High yield Portfolio is aimed at generating Total Return (Gain + Yield) well in excess of Real Consumer Price Inflation (10.28% per year in the U.S. per Shadowstats.com). To consider our High-Yield Stocks Portfolio with Recent Yields of 18.5%, 8.6%, 10.6%, 26%, 6.7%, 8%, 10.6%, 14.9%, 10% and 15.6% when added to the portfolio; go to www.deepcaster.com and click on 'High Yield Portfolio'. |
| Posted: 11 May 2012 03:31 AM PDT We've not had the much higher inflation called for – why not? Are there further gains to be made in the prices of gold and silver (and commodities in general)? |
| Silver Price Forecast : Silver Market Update Posted: 11 May 2012 02:40 AM PDT Silver Price Forecast : Silver Market Update Here are a few patterns that might explain the current state of the silver price, as well as, provide the possible way forward. Below is a graphic which compares the current pattern on silver (from about the beginning of 2011 to present) to a 2007 pattern: On both [...]  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| The case for gold is still strong Posted: 11 May 2012 02:30 AM PDT With another sell-off in precious metals leaving gold below $1,600, there is of course much talk in the media about the "death of the gold bull market". But have the fundamentals really ... |
| Posted: 11 May 2012 02:11 AM PDT
WHOLESALE MARKET gold prices touched their lowest level since the first week of January Friday, hitting $1574 an ounce before recovering some ground, while stocks and commodities fell and US Treasury bonds gained, with dealers in major gold buying countries reporting continued limited demand for precious metals. Silver prices fell to $28.54 an ounce – also a four-month low, and 6.1% down on last Friday's close. Heading into the weekend, spot market gold prices looked set for a 3.7% weekly loss by Friday lunchtime in London. Based on PM London Fix Gold prices, the week ended 2 March was the last time gold fell further in a single week. On the currency markets, the Euro fell to its lowest level against the Dollar since January 23 – two days before the Federal Reserve published policymakers' interest rate projections for the first time, showing a majority expected near-zero rates until at least late 2014. The US Dollar Index – which measures the Dollar's strength against a basket of other currencies – hit its highest level since March 16 this morning. "When the market gets very nervous, then they buy Dollars and gold finds it difficult to rally," says Jesper Dannesboe, senior commodity strategist at Societe Generale in London. "Given what's going on in the markets at the moment, any rally will probably just be a bounce before another setback." The Reserve Bank of India ordered exporters to convert 50% of their foreign exchange holdings to Rupee Thursday, a day after the currency closed at an all-time low against the Dollar in Indian trading. Despite the central bank's move, however, the Rupee again fell against the Dollar on Friday, at one point coming within 0.6% of Wednesday's low. Rupee gold prices however still traded slightly lower this morning. The most heavily traded gold contract on Mumbai's Multi Commodity Exchange, the June delivery contract, touched its lowest level in over a month during Friday's trading. "Slowly deals are taking place as market is in the falling mode," one dealer told newswire Reuters. Over in China – behind India the world's second-largest gold buying nation last year – some gold dealers say they expect to see gold demand growth fall this year. "Chinese consumers share a quite pronounced tendency in which they usually buy gold when prices are rising and refrain from purchasing when prices are conceived to be on a downtrend," says Xin Zhihong, vice president at Shanghai jeweler Lao Feng Xiang. "Some consumers are now sitting on the sidelines…the expectation that gold prices will always rise and that gold's value can only appreciate seems to have faded." "It's the worst start of the year [for Chinese gold demand] since the financial crisis in 2008," adds Emily Li, brand general manager at Chow Sang Sang, the second-biggest gold jeweler in Hong Kong. China's gold imports from Hong Kong – seen by many as a proxy for overall imports – rose 59% month-on-month in March, figures published this week show. The 63 tonnes figure however was 39% down on last November's all-time high, while the volume of gold heading from China to Hong Kong also rose, leaving net exports in March at 38 tonnes. Chinese consumer price inflation fell to 3.4% last month – down from 3.6% in March, according to official data. Growth in retail sales and industrial production also slowed, while figures published Thursday show exports grew by 4.9% year on year in April, compared to 8.9% y-o-y a month earlier. The lower CPI figure "confirms that inflation is trending down and that the policy focus will remain on promoting growth," reckons Zhang Zhiwei, Hong Kong-based China economist at Nomura. "The weak export data yesterday put more pressure on the government…probably policy loosening will become more likely going forward." Here in Europe, the Spanish government is set to miss its deficit targets in both 2012 and 2013, with both Spain and Italy expected to fall back into recession, according to European Union forecasts published Friday. The forecasts, produced by the European Commission, show that Spain's deficit for this year is expected to be 6.4% of GDP – compared to an EU target of 5.3%. In 2013, Spain is expected to have a 6.3% deficit-to-GDP ratio, versus a target of 3%. Despite the news, yields on 10-Year Spanish government bonds fell slightly this morning, dipping back below 6%. France meantime is forecast to meet its 2012 deficit target of 4.5% of GDP. Next year, however, the Commission says it expects the French government deficit to be 4.2% of GDP, meaning that France, like Spain, would miss the 3% target. The Commission has the power to fine governments that miss EU targets. "Without further determined action…low growth in the EU could remain," said Olli Rehn, European Commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, adding that there are "large disparities between member states". In Germany, consumer price inflation remained unchanged at 2.1% last month, official figures published Friday show. German inflation however is likely to be "somewhat above the average within the European monetary union" Bundesbank head of economics Jens Ulbrich told the German parliament finance committee this week. Greece, which is still without a government after Sunday's election, must stick to its reform plans or it risks having bailout payments stopped, German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle said Friday. "If Greece strays from the agreed reform path, then the payment of further aid tranches won't be possible," said Westerwelle. Over on Wall Street, JPMorgan recorded a $2 billion trading loss in the first quarter of the year, Q1 earnings published Thursday show. "This puts egg on our face," said JPMorgan chief executive Jamie Dimon, who blamed "errors, sloppiness and bad judgment" for the losses. Investors meantime are "losing faith" in commodity hedge funds, Reuters reports. "For people that only came in when the noise about commodities started a couple of years ago, they have basically done nothing," one investor told the newswire. Ben Traynor Gold value calculator | Buy gold online at live prices Editor of Gold News, the analysis and investment research site from world-leading gold ownership service BullionVault, Ben Traynor was formerly editor of the Fleet Street Letter, the UK's longest-running investment letter. A Cambridge economics graduate, he is a professional writer and editor with a specialist interest in monetary economics. (c) BullionVault 2011 Please Note: This article is to inform your thinking, not lead it. Only you can decide the best place for your money, and any decision you make will put your money at risk. Information or data included here may have already been overtaken by events – and must be verified elsewhere – should you choose to act on it.
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| A Civilized Rebuttal to Charlie Munger Posted: 11 May 2012 02:10 AM PDT GIM's own Christopher Barker penned an excellent article to rebut Munger's recent statement that "civilized people don't buy gold." The article is long, and it was prominently featured in jsmineset.com, so I will not copy it here, but anyone who has not yet read it should visit the link below to do so. The comments there are also well worthwhile reading. One excerpt that I will highlight is the quote below. GIM would be well served if that quote became a GIM motto, and if it served as a guide for how we should conduct our discussions and disagreements. Quote: You see, I hail from a corner of the financial universe where investors from all walks of life converge to discuss ideas and investment strategies in an environment of mutual respect and decorum. It is my firm belief that once the discussion of a controversial topic deteriorates into efforts to cast aspersions upon the character of those with an opposing view, we abruptly exit the realm of civilized debate and sacrifice any opportunity to learn from each other in constructive ways. |
| The Power of Relative Value & the Silver Market! WOW! Posted: 11 May 2012 01:34 AM PDT |
| The Influence of the General Stock Market and Crude Oil on Gold Posted: 11 May 2012 01:00 AM PDT SunshineProfits |
| Posted: 11 May 2012 12:38 AM PDT Money is gold and silver. Currency is something else. Not rocket science here. from davincij15: ~TVR |
| Stronger Dollar "Makes Gold Rally Difficult" Posted: 11 May 2012 12:16 AM PDT Wholesale market gold prices touched their lowest level since the first week of January Friday, hitting $1,574 an ounce before recovering some ground, while stocks and commodities fell and US Treasury bonds gained. |
| JPMorgan's Whale of a Trading Loss Tale Posted: 10 May 2012 11:45 PM PDT In technical terms, there is little in the way of chart support for gold until the $1,527 level is touched and such an excursion could take place in short order. |
| Morning Outlook from the Trade Desk - Everyday - One Long Thread Posted: 10 May 2012 11:42 PM PDT I've decided it's best to consolidate all daily posting's into one long thread. My blunders will now appear in an orderly fashion ;) Morning Outlook from the Trade Desk 05/11/12 Broke the Cardinal rule of a trader yesterday and acted on misunderstood info. Had the info been as I understood, the trade would have been right. Even grizzly traders require mea copas now and then. At least it was not a loss, just took profit way too early. The big news however was JP Chases announcement of a $2 billion, I suspect it will be more, loss on a hedge that went wrong. My modest experience would suggest a hedge is to mitigate loss, not cause it. Turns out they can afford it, but it is still uncertain if there will be collateral damage. The " boys" don't seem to have learned their lessons from 2008. Sounds like compliance jobs will be the next growth sector. This announcement created worry and the stock markets reacted accordingly. Add slower China growth and the metals again moved lower. |
| Gold ‘Will Go To $3,000 Per Ounce’ – Rosenberg Posted: 10 May 2012 11:30 PM PDT Gold fell after shares in Asia were hit by JPMorgan's massive $2 billion loss, political turmoil in the euro zone and also by weak economic data from China. The JP Morgan loss could lead to sharper sell offs in markets which could lead to further gold weakness. |
| Drawing Lessons from the Gold-Dollar Relationship in 2008 & 2009 Posted: 10 May 2012 11:12 PM PDT Gold futures are now up only 1.8% for 2012, having sold off about 11% from the peak in February. Lower activity by traders and lower net-long speculative positions suggest gold is not a crowded trade. |
| Global Super-Bugs Herald Age of Silver Posted: 10 May 2012 10:33 PM PDT Global Super-Bugs Herald Age of Silver Written by Jeff Nielson Wednesday, 09 May 2012 12:00 For several years I have been touting silver's unique anti-microbial properties. Out of the nearly infinite list of technological/industrial applications for silver, it always seemed inevitable to me that this one use would ultimately become our single greatest need for the Metal of the Moon. That suspicion/fear could, in turn, be traced back to a single threat which has loomed in an ever larger, ever more-menacing manner: Super-Bugs. This is the colloquial name given to the bacterial monsters we have created through the reckless, excessive, and simply idiotic manner in which our species has over-used its single most-important medicine: antibiotics. This is not a new issue, and so most readers are already familiar with the path that led us to what the World Health Organization is now openly labeling as the world's "post-antibiotic era". For those not already suitably terrified by the ominous meaning of those words, read this quote from WHO Director-General Margaret Chan: "Things as common as strep throat or a child's scratched knee could once again kill." This is not hyperbole, as Chan's warning has already gone from mere theory to actual fact. A chilling article in Bloomberg identifies two terrifying features of this newest and most-deadly Super-Bug. First of all it is completely invulnerable to any/all antibiotics in existence. That alone places it in an almost unique category of killers. However it gets much worse. The Super-Bug is described as "highly sexed". Translation: it can (does) merge itself with virtually any bacteria – including the most common species on our planet – and instantly transform those previously treatable bacteria into Mutant Super-Bugs, themselves. E. coli bacteria, cholera bacteria, even the (benign) microbes in our soil can all be transformed into Super-Bug killers. Bacteria which already outnumber our species by billions-to-one can (will?) become legions of nearly invulnerable killers. Fortunately, while our collective idiocy has now permanently robbed our species of its most potent protection from this potentially deadly menace, our ingenuity has provided us with a means to mitigate this medical catastrophe: silver anti-microbial technology. While the relentless over-use of antibiotics has ruined their effectiveness, other scientists have been systematically designing silver-based applications to protect us from these killers. It is important for readers to understand that these silver-based applications are preventative in nature, rather than being treatments for bacterial infections which have already taken root. In other words, silver protects us from bacteria through the creation of silver-based coatings or ionic compounds which can be blended into various (inorganic) substances. Thus we can create anti-bacterial clothing, anti-bacterial upholstery, anti-bacterial plastic and stainless steel surfaces, etc., etc. Why hasn't science focused on this approach sooner, rather than its complete over-reliance on antibiotics? Taking the treatment vs. prevention dynamic to an extreme, it's obviously cheaper and more efficient to treat individual pockets of infection with drugs than to create an entire "anti-bacterial world" around us. However, antibiotics are neither cheaper nor more efficient when they simply cease to function, bringing us back to silver. Given the significant increase in the price of silver over the past decade, many readers may erroneously view the creation of a (partial) "silver shield" around us as prohibitively expensive. The mistake in such reasoning is that it doesn't take into account the extraordinary potency of silver in this - and many other - industrial applications. Silver is only a tiny component in these products, as literally microscopic amounts are sufficient to convey this anti-bacterial protection, less than 1/1,000th part silver (by weight). The other important distinction between antibiotics and silver-based anti-microbial products is that they fight bacteria in entirely different manners. Antibiotics essentially poison each individual bacteria cell. The substance is ingested by the bacteria, and takes time to kill each and every cell. This basic trait of antibiotics is enormously important, since it explains how and why bacteria have (relatively quickly) been able to develop resistance/immunity to these drugs one-by-one. With each of the practically infinite number of bacteria killed by antibiotics (historically) taking time to die, this gives (gave) every one of those cells the opportunity to mutate/evolve protection from these individual antibiotics. As a simple function of the Law of Averages, it is only a matter of time until a "lottery winner" emerges which can resist a particular drug – and then reproduce, spreading that resistance. Conversely, it would actually be more technically accurate to refer to our Silver Shield as a silver "sword", given how silver eradicates bacteria. Unlike the less-efficient antibiotics, silver-based products kill on contact – instantaneously. This is of huge significance as it means it is impossible for the bacteria to evolve to protect themselves against silver as they have done with antibiotics, because there is no time to adapt to the silver. Instead, the only possible means of bacteria ever developing (any) protection to these silver-based anti-microbial products would be spontaneous mutation – little different than human beings suddenly being born with three eyes, or tails. Thus creating a partial "silver shield" in the world around us is not some Fool's Mission, where we inevitably use up this protection and are left with a lot of obsolete, wasted investment. Rather, we have every reason to view this as a permanent tool in our now vastly more difficult battle to protect ourselves from these tiny invaders. Having established the practicality of this technology in general terms, it's now time to look at more specific applications, and how we allocate the limited, finite amount of silver which can be dedicated to such an important function. As with many of our economic decisions in capitalist economies, much of this allocation will be determined by supply/demand and ability to pay. How much is it worth to people to increase their child's chances of survival by purchasing a crib with an anti-bacterial coating? How about anti-bacterial infant's clothing? Anti-bacterial carpeting in the nursery? Anti-bacterial flooring in the kitchen and/or bathroom? Anti-bacterial toys? Anti-bacterial plates and utensils? Anti-bacterial diapers? And what happens when people dare to venture outside their homes in our "post-antibiotic world"? The potential legal liability alone from people acquiring these Super-Bugs in public places/facilities is going to create a gigantic incentive to "go silver". Hospitals, medical clinics, and all related facilities have already been rapidly incorporating this silver-based technology into more and more aspects of their design and equipment. With the emergence of this ultimate Super-Bug that process can only increase/accelerate. Then there is our transportation system. From our airports to our public transit systems there will be enormous and increasing public pressure to "go silver" as more and more people die from this latest-and-greatest Super-Bug. Along with the legal liability issues and simple peer-pressure, we could see much/most/all of our transportation system "go silver" in the foreseeable future. How about the world of entertainment? Living in a post-antibiotic world with Super-Bug killers all around us, would people be more likely to go to a movie theater which advertised anti-bacterial upholstery in its seating, or one without such a feature? How about our sports stadiums? How much silver would it take to upholster the 50,000 (or 100,000) seats in just one of these stadiums? Note that part of the reason we got to this Super-Bug crisis in the first place was because of the countless thousands of "anti-bacterial products" – derived from antibiotics – which flooded into our marketplace, despite the fact that many of those products were never effective to begin with. "Anti-bacterial" became nothing more than a multi-billion dollar marketing gimmick. Thus with a threat which is now real, and a product which is effective, the market for silver-based anti-bacterial products is literally nearly infinite. Those not previously familiar with the silver market will likely be unaware that silver is virtually irreplaceable in numerous important, hi-tech applications of the 21st century economy. Solar panels, hybrid cars, and computers are just a few of the products which will be competing with producers of anti-bacterial products for limited supplies. Indeed, global stockpiles of silver are at their lowest level in at least 500 years (already), and investors are currently purchasing silver in record quantities to protect themselves from the reckless currency debasement of Western governments (and their bankers). It is only a matter of time until continued suppression of the price of silver by the banking cabal leads to the total collapse of remaining inventories. That in turn can only lead to an explosion in price which will make silver's previous 800% gain pale in comparison. I have warned/explained to readers on many occasions how this artificial interference in the silver market must result in those dynamics taking place. With the emergence of an ultimate Super-Bug now a reality, this inventory collapse/price explosion must occur sooner rather than later. While millions of people all around the world will suddenly be filled with apprehension at learning they are now living in a "post-antibiotic world", for the bankers of JP Morgan (sitting on the largest "short" position in silver in the history of the world) I suspect that they will be dreading the "cure" much more than the "disease". http://www.bullionbullscanada.com/si...-age-of-silver |
| Posted: 10 May 2012 10:27 PM PDT
from blogs.wsj.com: Gold bugs, take note: The precious metal may be losing its status as a safe-haven investment. Gold prices have tumbled below $1600 in recent days, busting out of the $1600 to $1700 range the metal had been stuck in for much of 2012. Market participants love to point to the similarities between asset classes this year and last, especially as markets recently have been getting whipsawed off of European headlines. The one key difference , though, is gold. Prices kept going up last year as stocks and commodities tumbled when investors were fretting about the European debt crisis. But now, gold is starting to lose its appeal. "Gold is now behaving like a risky asset," says Julian Jessop, chief global economist at Capital Economics. "This can be seen in the unusually high positive correlation between daily changes in the prices of gold and European equities." He points out how gold has typically had a "negative correlation" during periods of turmoil (in other words, it goes up when most other things are going down). So what gives this time around? Keep on reading @ blogs.wsj.com |
| SilverFuturist: Silver & JPMorgan Tanking Posted: 10 May 2012 10:12 PM PDT When silver rallies JPM has it's best earnings ever. When silver crashes so does JPM. 2008 silver went from $21 to $8 and JPM needed a bailout. When silver touched $50 in 2011 JPM had its best earnings ever. Silver is falling, so is JPM right now. from silverfuturist: ~TVR |
| Bullion Takes It On the Chin – What’s Next? Posted: 10 May 2012 10:05 PM PDT There was a strong reaction to the elevated debt crisis in Europe, with commodities and equities being indiscriminately sold. Gold fell 3% this week, losing its safe haven status as the dollar grew stronger and the 10-year government note headed lower. |
| If This Happens, It Will Signal A Collapse Posted: 10 May 2012 09:01 PM PDT
from kingworldnews.com: With global investors concerned about key markets, today King World News interviewed legendary Jim Sinclair's colleague and fellow trader, Dan Norcini. Norcini told KWN that a decisive break below the 1.8% level on the US Ten-Year Note would signal that a tsunami of deflation could engulf the globe. Norcini said this could trigger "a collapse in tax revenue" and budget deficits would "blow out of control." Here is how Norcini described the precarious situation: "If we see the yield on the US 10-Year Note break below the 1.8% level, what it's to signal to bond traders around the world is that we have a deflationary wave coming. I think the reason the 1.8% level has been a floor so far is because most traders are convinced the Bernanke-led Fed will not allow deflation to occur." Dan Norcini continues: Keep on reading @ kingworldnews.com |
| Posted: 10 May 2012 08:57 PM PDT Plenty of not-so-important stories to deflect your attention to huge problems we are facing. There are the alleged forced haircuts given by Mitt Romney in his youth, and gay marriage is, also, in the news delivered by the mainstream media. from usawatchdog: There are much bigger stories folks should be paying attention to. Let's start with the Fukushima Diiachi nuclear power plant in Japan that is still not under control. It is far from over, and at least one U.S. Senator from Oregon is sounding the alarm. Ron Wyden is not only asking the Obama administration to get involved but the entire global community. If this blows up again, there would be 85 times more radiation than Chernobyl. This could cause extreme sickness and millions of deaths worldwide. The USA is directly downwind from Japan. Europe is the other big story you are not hearing much about. Economist Nouriel Roubini says the EU and the euro is finished when the crisis hits Spain and Italy. He is giving a 2 to 3 year time horizon. If the Eurozone breaks up, as he predicts, there is no way the U.S. is not sucked under. And let's not forget the elections in France and Greece that are not favoring the austerity and the banker bailouts. This is really a bank solvency problem, not just a sovereign debt crisis. David Stockman, director of the Office Management and Budget under the Reagan Administration, says we are in "The last innings of a very bad ball game." That sounds like a lot less than 2 to 3 years before all heck breaks loose to me. Nigel Farage, a Member of the European Parliament, predicts there will be an attempt to install a "dictator" in Europe. Farage says just look how the elected Prime Ministers in Italy and Greece were replaced with bankers. Farage says the EU is "headed for the rocks," and the EU leaders are in denial. Is there any wonder why China's gold imports have surged 6 fold in the first quarter? Not Treasuries, not euros, not dollars, but gold imports to China up 6 fold! That should tell you something. Warren Buffett, Charlie Munger and Bill Gates are all talking down gold recently, but gold has blown away Berkshire Hathaway and Microsoft in the last 10 years. Greg Hunter's USAWatchdog.com delivers analysis of all these stories and more in the Weekly News Wrap-Up. ~TVR |
| Posted: 10 May 2012 08:56 PM PDT A group of house republicans are calling for the department of justice to appoint an independent counsel to investigate possible criminal wrongdoing surrounding the collapse of MF Global. We'll speak to the man who's been touted the face of MF Global's customers he's been in DC this week lobbying lawmakers to support this latest effort. James Koutoulas joins us in studio. from capitalaccount: And from Lehman Brothers, to Bernie Madoff, to MF Global, is bankruptcy law stacked against customers trying to get their money back? And does the law enable financial institutions to commit fraud and come out unscathed. Regulators and prosecutors are reportedly investigating this 1.6 billion dollars shortfall of customer money from MF Global — money that went missing in the firm's bankruptcy. This is money that should never have been touched, and progress has been limited on this front. Very limited. As for Jon Corzine, the former MF Global CEO, CEO of Goldman Sachs, Obama bundler, governor of New Jersey and former US Senator, he has reportedly yet to have been questioned by prosecutors. This, in and of itself, says a mouthful. So what's happening now? Will their be any resolution? Well, a Republican member of the House Financial Services Committee, Michael Grimm, along with a group of republican lawmakers, has signed onto a letter asking the Justice Department to appoint an independent counsel to take over investigation of criminal wrongdoing surrounding the collapse of MF Global. Here, this week, lobbying lawmakers in support of this letter is James Koutoulas, President & Co-Founder of the Commodity Customer Coalition. He is working pro bono on behalf of MF Global customers trying to get their money back. He's also CEO of the hedge fund Typhon Capital Management. ~TVR |
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