28 September 2010

Is the Gold Rally Strictly a US Dollar Phenomenon?



One sometimes hears that 'gold is only rallying in US dollars.'

One can always point out that since the US dollar is still the world's reserve currency, it affects everything and everyone that hold it in their reserves or their assets on deposit. A good part of the recent crisis in Europe was caused by the severe deterioration in dollar denominated financial assets held on deposit in commercial banks by private customers, who started to demand their money, in dollars. This precipitated a dollar squeeze and a liquidity crisis.

There is clearly a safe haven trade in gold denominated in US dollars.


But the US dollar is not alone, not the only fiat currency in a bit of a crisis. Since one picture is worth a thousand words, here is the price of gold over the last five years in six of the world's major currencies of the developed nations. Granted, the price of gold may be different in select currencies. One has to make their own investment decisions to suit their own particular circumstances.

But there is an obvious message in these charts for those who care to listen.


The twenty year charts are more impressive, because they almost uniformly show the long bear market coming to an end, with a remarkable bull market in gold bullion underway. Something has clearly changed, something obviously has occurred that is the mark of a sea-change in the structure of the major global currencies, starting slowly at first and then gaining momentum with the most recent financial crisis.


Charts Courtesy of Galmarley via my friend Nick at Sharelynx.

27 September 2010

SP 500 and NDX December Futures


AAPL is driving the NDX and CAT is the bulk of the Dow Industrial rally. When stock markets become this narrowly driven on thin volumes it is generally a sign of window dressing, or tape painting, and a decline to come since the foundations are not based on sound investment but mere speculation and price manipulation. This week is the end of month and quarter for the hedge funds.




Gold Daily Chart - Bullion Pauses for Option Expiration


Relatively modest attempt to take gold and silver down for October option expiration. Physical bullion buying is gaining resilience against paper market antics.





Net Asset Value of Certain Precious Metal Funds and Trusts