Pages

Thursday, 13 October 2011

'Occupy Wall Street', Unemployment, Gold and Silver Prices: October 2011

Uncertainty and unrest are common themes during the current economic crisis. Here we are, in 2011, a significant period in our history as far as sovereign debt and youth unemployment are concerned. The mood on the ground in countries across the globe is of frustration and anger as governments and banks meddle with the potential prosperity of generations to come. 

Active investors are considering whether they are likely to maintain reasonable returns in this turbulent economic environment. More significantly, passive investors are concerned about the security of their investments in the hands of others. Those who are out of luck in the job market are trying to resist becoming terminally discouraged, while pensioners are growing increasingly worried about their future livelihoods.

UK unemployment worsens as poor get poorer 
Published on 12 Oct 2011 by Euronews 


The remainder of this article involves a debate on the topic of precious metals and how they may react to the current state of affairs in the global economy. 

Silver is a conundrum, given its "dual personality" in the eyes of commodities investors across the globe. In the video below EndlessMountain discusses the current lack of movement in the silver market after recent falls and highlights some of the significant points we are able to observe on the 20 day chart. On his trading platform we can see the recent big high of $42 and a big low of $26, followed by a pattern of lower highs and higher lows. 

The Silver Log (10.12.2011)
Uploaded by endlessmountain on 12 Oct 2011


He reports on the some significant benchmarks in the yearly silver price that indicate the levels that need to be reached that would indicate further moves to the upside. He illustrates the initial potential break out level near the $33 mark. EndlessMountain suggest that he would expect support at this price to indicate a continuation towards $36 silver. He mentions the importance of breaking $36 with conviction in order to confirm a possible rally to circa $39. 

Lastly, he talks about the gold and silver hype on YouTube in 2008. This is interesting as current situations reflect the circumstances that spurred on the rally in gold and silver investment after their prices had fallen significantly through the bulk of 2008.

Gold 5yr Interactive Chart
Silver 5yr Interactive Chart 
GOLD AND SILVER TECHNICAL ANALYSIS 13 OCT 2011


One of the questions I would raise at this point is if and when we are likely to see further moves to the downside before momentum gathers enough for another rally. While gold and silver tend to move in the same direction, there is no guarantee that silver will take on either its “precious” or “industrial” metal persona for the remainder of 2011. Nevertheless, as many commentators note, the supply and demand fundamentals for gold and silver point to inevitable medium to long term growth.

GOLD CHART - Why I think we are going down (for now) 

Uploaded by GuildF40 on 12 Oct 2011 


In 2011, many doom and gloom theorists refer to "Occupy Wall Street" (video below) and the equivalent seen worldwide as confirmation of likely imminent increases in demand for gold and possibly silver. It is clear that the distressful scenes observed during protests in the US or in Greece indicate immense public frustration over the behaviour of governments and banks on almost every level. However, one could argue that public disorder and record unemployment figures will not be sufficient in sparking the demand for paper or physical precious metals in 2011 or even 2012.


I AM NOT MOVING - Short Film - Occupy Wall Street 
Uploaded by Bigsteelguy3 on 12 Oct 2011



Wednesday, 12 October 2011

A Lower Trading Range: Where Are We Headed? 12 October 2011

October 11, 2011 Midday Financial Report: Sidewards Range Movement for Major Indices: How will today differ?
Uploaded by IraEpsteinFutures on 11 Oct 2011
Link to Video


Gold, Silver, FTSE,Wall Street, EUR/GBP, Barclays, LLoyds, Anglo, BHP 12/10/2011 20:50

Tuesday, 11 October 2011

Update: Eurozone, UK, US, BRICs and Asia 11 October 2011

Keiser Report: Price Propaganda (E194)
Uploaded by RussiaToday on 8 Oct 2011


Bailout Backlash: 'AAA downgrade haunts Germany & France'
Uploaded by RussiaToday on 10 Oct 2011


Global economic crisis-Double Standards-10-01-2011
Uploaded by PressTVGlobalNews on 2 Oct 2011


Brazil's Roussef warns EU over too much austerity
Published on 4 Oct 2011 by Euronews


Occupy Wall Street, Too Big To Ignore (October 9, 2011)
Uploaded by RussiaToday on 9 Oct 2011


Monday, 10 October 2011

Silver, Gold, Stocks and the Eurozone: Monday 10/10/2011

Morning: As policy-makers proclaim that they have managed to avert another meltdown, the markets begin the week simmering at a modest temperature. Commodities are mostly down this morning (silver down 2% to $30.91) while the Dow, Ftse 100 and Cac are in the green for
the time being. Oil is up 0.48 % at $105.91.



Gold and Silver News October 10, 2011 06:47 AM
Uploaded by GoldMikeMaloney on 10 Oct 2011


Evening: The majority of popular markets remain in the green after Monday trading as short term sentiment remains robust. Major indices continued to rally throughout the day as Europe's leaders pledged to ensure a timely resolution of the Eurozone debt crisis. The Dax showed the most gains today in the region of 3%. The majority of UK banks closed up today with Barclays Plc, RBS and Standard Chartered Plc seeing gains in excess of 4%. Both gold and silver were lifted by approximately 1% and 3%  respectively, while the oil price remains near the $105 mark.


Bad news for the UK Pound and global economy, better news for the US Dollar. 


We are seeing a repeat of 2008 as investors continue to purchase US Dollars and bonds. This has resulted in a temporary thinning out of support for gold (and silver). The popular media is once again tugging at the emotions of the public as far as these precious metals are concerned. During the widespread sell-off of global stocks and commodities, the media was far from supporting gold as a hedge against economic turmoil. In fact they asserted that gold may no longer be a good investment, even near the $1,500 mark.


Now the media is back on top form, with newspapers asserting the importance of gold for anyone looking to protect their wealth. Why the sudden change of heart? I would not be surprised if we see gold anywhere between $1800 and $2000 by year end. However, my fear is that this would be a  premature upside movement that prevents a more solid base from being built in the global physical market.


I believe that it would be better for long term gold and silver investors if we where to see modest increases in price as we approach the year end, with prices near say $1,700 and $35 respectively. This would allow both amateur and experienced bullion investors to make further acquisitions which would support healthier growth into 2012 and beyond. While seeing $2,000 gold and $50 silver by 31 December 2011 would be good for my own portfolio, I believe this would cause cracks to appear further down the line.


Lower gold and silver prices in the near term would reduce the barrier to entry into this market for many smaller bullion investors. At today's prices these metals are certainly a lot more affordable than they were one month ago. It would be a shame if more people worldwide are excluded from upward movements as a result of short term upswings that serve to deter the average Joe from buying gold or silver bullion coins.


A bit of Fun with Max Keiser: 99% to Bankers: We've Got the Guillotine!
Uploaded by RussiaToday on 10 Oct 2011





Sunday, 9 October 2011

Who Truly Holds the Power?

SILVER UPDATE: FALL EDITION GOLD $2,000 OR MORE BY CHRISTMAS?
Uploaded by 2012goodlife on 3 Oct 2011

Growth, Inflation, Interest Rates and Property Prices in the UK: 09/10/11

The mood I am getting from the media this weekend is by no means sanguine. I thought I would start on the issue of China and its effect on the global economy. There is constant mention of the fact that China’s economy may not be as stable as economists and commentators had thought. The past decade has seen annual growth in the region of 10%. Despite what appears to be good management of the economy, there is doubt surrounding how effective the Chinese government will be in the years going forward. 

Developments stand vacant throughout China

The Chinese introduced a hefty credit stimulus package into their banking system in 2008, which certainly did not help with rising inflation. As with many Western governments, it is yet to be seen how the Chinese will deal with inflationary pressure in the years to come. Around 60% of the Chinese GDP can be attributed to the construction sector, which received much of the capital that was injected into the economy. 

With endless buildings being constructed in towns that are yet to be occupied, I am reminded about Dubai and the 25% - 50% plus falls that were seen in property prices a few years back as demand for property fell. This does not bode well for development demand in China over the years to come. I say this because much of this development has been forward thinking, providing room for a lag in growth in the shorter term. This brings the global economy into play, as overall demand dwindles as we move towards 2012.

The big question is whether Western efforts to prevent the likely double dip will be in vain. The West remains to be China’s biggest customer, which poses much risk to China in the event of further stagnation over here. Europe and America are less likely to prop up Chinese industry as demand for goods declines. It can be seen here how having interlinked economies poses a threat to global demand across many sectors. And property is by no means the asset class of choice for many individuals and/or investors after a decade of healthy growth.

The consensus I am getting from the internet is that many people are reverting to a more aggressive approach to managing debt. As people save up to tackle their household debt there will be further reduction in consumption, stifling economies in the short to medium term. Whether or not house prices will take a further hit is yet to be seen. However, I would expect a price correction in one form or another. This may take the form of prolonged stagnant growth, or more immediate devaluations that rebalance the market.

The overall effect of slowing demand should cause property prices to decline as sentiment worsens and people are less willing to take on debt to make acquisitions. In fact, recent data shows that Brits have the highest debt to disposable income ratio in the world. Many consumers will have to tighten their belts in order to plan ahead and manage their exposure to debt. 

UK National House Prices: 2002 - 2011
During the bulk of 2008 and part of 2009, the UK experienced falls in house prices of circa 10% in most cases as seen in the graph above. Since then average house price growth has been negligible, with near 2006 levels being seen at present. Inflation in the UK is on the up and has breached 5%, raising concerns over its trajectory.

Inflation has the effect of eroding peoples’ disposable income and is likely to have a negative effect on real house price growth for some time to come. Inflation and rising unemployment, coupled with high indebtedness and fears of the “double dip recession”, have only served to hamper sentiment in the property market and will continue to create further downward pressure on prices.

On the flipside, it remains possible for short term growth to be in line with credit expansion. However, this cannot continue indefinitely as the market calls for correction. Fortunately for homeowners in more metropolitan areas in the UK, there still remains a supply shortage in relation to projected population growth. While we have seen improved data in the construction sector for the year, supply will remain tight as a result of a growing population.

One important point to note here is the movement of students and professionals from the EU into the UK as a result of instability in the Eurozone. Many university cities are experiencing growing numbers of applicants from the UK and abroad. London in particular receives the bulk of working immigrants as job prospects dwindle in their home countries. This raises rents in the areas concerned which will have the effect of pushing rental yields up, which in turn supports property prices. While this may work in a low interest rate environment, it is yet to be seen how the market evolves as rates rise.

While there is much debate about the direction of the UK property market, there is better consensus among commentators on the US market as we see continued vulnerability in this sector.

IMF advisor says we face a Worldwide Banking Meltdown: 05/10/11 
Uploaded by nsotd4 on 5 Oct 2011

Former Bank of England Economist says we face no growth 10 years: 04/10/2011
Uploaded by nsotd4 on 4 Oct 2011

UK housing market in crisis with Housing Minister Grant Shapps
Published on 30 Aug 2011 by itnnews

UK Housing Market: A Safe Investment? 
Uploaded by CranfieldSoM on 29 Oct 2010 


London and UK property markets - where is safe?Uploaded by cantosTV on 28 Jul 2008
Here Liam Bailey at Knight Frank discusses the dynamics of the London market going forward from 2008. He also covers issues of supply and demand in the UK and London as well as mainstream, prime and super prime markets.


Relevant Video Links:
Bloomberg: Decline in U.K. House Prices to Accelerate 03/10/2011
Gardner Says U.K. House Prices May Move `Slightly Lower' 29/09/2011

Saturday, 8 October 2011

Gold and Silver Prices Close Down: Friday 7/10/2011

We have reached the weekend after some ups and downs this week with gold and silver spot markets closing down on Friday 7 October 2011, at spot $1638 and $31.16 respectively. 

Gold is down from its circa $1920 highs in August and September and ready for another run come year end or even through to Summer 2012. If not, seeing the $2000s by the end of 2012 is certainly achievable provided no one floods the market with bullion or any new minefields are reported. 

Gold price manipulation cannot continue after a correction that allows investors to grow a larger base. This will provide buyers at this stage to at least take a punt with a few gold coins instead of wiring an extra £1000 into your ISA account.
Gold 2+ Month Chart
Silver 2+ Month Chart
Murky waters persist after a large sell off in silver, down from its recent high of $44.25 on the 22 August 2011 or even $49.83 on 25 April 2011. While the current price in the early $30s for an ounce sounds risk free, I am uncertain of silver's vulnerability in the current economic climate. My concern is whether industrial and manufacturing demand will remain stable in the short term. 
Silver 5 Year Chart
Investment demand appears to be steady in the UK retail bullion market, with popular items of stock with delivery delays of 2 weeks or more. By watching certain Youtube commentators I am able to make an assessment of whether stock is in demand in other countries. There does not appear to be a shortage of bullion for sale, however there are certainly indications that demand is growing in the US, UK, China, Russia, India, Brazil and so on. I refer to the demand from the population and retail buyers as well as demand from governments across the spectrum. 

There was clearly considerable support at the lower levels for these precious metals, with buyers jumping back in during the week ending 30 September 2011. Recent margin hikes have only contributed to the recent sell off, putting downward pressure on prices. In addition, the flight to liquidity has resulted in further profit taking across the board as investors and big funds review their positions. The Forex markets have seen much volatility as a result of the flow of capital and the changes in investment strategies across the globe.
Gold 5 Year Chart
Over the weekend many gold and silver investors worldwide will be contemplating spending more of their disposable income on both metals. The big attraction is the disparity between the physical value of gold and silver and the paper/ futures contracts. The recent fall in the gold price is refueling the engine, allowing physical holdings on a global scale to grow steadily.  While short term corrections in price will occur, the overall trend is up.

I am less worried about my recent losses than I am about an appropriate storage system for my own holdings. 

Friday, 7 October 2011

Gold, Silver and QE3: 7 October 2011


I thought I would start this post off with a bit of Max Keiser, just in case any of you are up for a bit of fun. Here Max and Stacy Herbert begin by discussing how loose money supply has become and the growing concern for the amount of gold investors actually own.

There is also mention of Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, the dwindling power of the state and "Occupy Wall Street" as the situation on the ground plays out. Lastly, they discuss gold/silver market manipulation in conjunction with derivative and paper markets.

He interviews Satyajit Das, the author of "Extreme Money". They discuss the growing complexity of money, trading and how trading risk has evolved since the 70's. They also cover issues such as the history of debt, interest rate policy, money and power. 

Keiser Report: Debts & Slavery (E193)
Uploaded by RussiaToday on 6 Oct 2011


Relevant Video Links:
FTSE 100 volatile after bank downgrade - IG Index Update 07/10/11
Morning Market Alert for 07/10/11
The Commodities Report 07/10/2011
Lower Oil Prices Can Mean Higher Profit 7/10/2011



CME Group Sees Increased Activity - LBMA Precious Metals Conference 2011
Uploaded by KitcoNews on 18 Sep 2011


 Mass Greek fury as EU cooks up more bad debt bailouts
Uploaded by RussiaToday on 6 Oct 2011

In Greece there is growing unrest as the population resist further debt-pushing and austerity measures. The pain is already being felt as unemployment rises, especially for school-leavers and students. There is certainly much more to be said about the situation over in Greece, however this video is worth more than a thousand words. 

Thursday, 6 October 2011

Early October 2011: Reflections and Projections

A lot has been happening in the markets over the past few weeks and months. The recent highs across the board were reversed as the bulls ran out of steam. Gold was by no means outside the reach of the bears, despite its safe-haven status and what seemed to be a run towards the early $2000s. A widespread flight to liquidity put the dollar back into the spotlight as a short term hedge. This had a significant impact on the price of silver and large corrections were seen. 


Market corrections are inevitable, as with any investment. These haircuts are natural and provide the opportunity to prepare strategies and make further acquisitions. Importantly, as the leading commentators note, it is likely that further highs will be hit in the years to come. 


Relevant Video Links:
UFXMarkets *Weekly FX Oil & Currency Trading News* 2-October-2011

Keiser Report: Deutschmark & Drachma Revival? (E192)

Uploaded by RussiaToday on 4 Oct 2011

Gold, Silver & Platinum Precious Metals Market Report. 10/5/2011
Uploaded by barnone11967 on 5 Oct 2011

GOLD AND SILVER WEEKLY TECHNICAL UPDATE AND TREND 4/10/2011
Uploaded by  on 4 Oct 2011

GOLD AND SILVER WEEKLY TECHNICAL UPDATE AND TREND 30/09/2011


Uploaded by chiefsworldupdates on 1 Oct 2011

 23 September 2011  27 September 2011


Gold and Silver's Dramatic Plunge - Is the Selling Over??

Uploaded by goldenticker on 25 Sep 2011

Follow up on the physical silver sentiment and inventory, silver prices 
Uploaded by  on 25 Sep 2011



SILVER COIN BUYING BOOM IN CHINA CCTV News 
Uploaded by  on 29 Apr 2011

My Own Situation

I bought a bunch of gold and silver Britannia coins a while back from a precious metals dealer based in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter.  Most of the gains I made on my investment where lost due to the recent pull back in gold from its high in the late $1800's to today's spot trading price in the $1600's. Below are the relevant one year charts showing the highs and the dips that followed.
Gold 1yr Chart
Silver 1 yr Chart
The same and even worse can be said for the fall in the traded price of silver with a near 50% drop from its highs only weeks ago. However, individual bullion coins have retained much of their value in relation to their paper/ traded counterpart.

For interest sake and only by chance, I had recently transferred some savings over from South Africa as I needed cash for rent etc. The exchange rate moved in my favour by almost 15%. This diversified my portfolio, allowing me to cover my losses in gold/ silver. 
ZAR/GBP 6 months Chart
Those with Euros should perhaps start looking for safer currencies and/or use some of them to buy a few gold bullion coins. The same applies for US Dollars, as they are unlikely to remain at today’s levels for many more years.

Wednesday, 5 October 2011

Property: London's Gold


Property, London’s gold. You can smell it. The features are timeless and high demand drives the value of this tangible asset class. The world’s wealthiest have forever weaved their way in and out of the prime London housing market. One might say that it is understandable how anyone would want to own a property in a city and country with such depth of history and culture. One has to love the beautiful Victorian and Georgian properties in tree-lined streets, almost statue-like and stern in their grandeur. This sentiment is not shared across the board as certain commentators assert their concern over imbalances in the housing market.

2012 Olympics to Boost London Property Market: Liz Peace
Uploaded by NAREIT1 on 27 Sep 2011

Consensus appears to be mixed as far as the medium term outlook goes. The majority of estate agents are optimistic about property in London, expecting positive nominal growth over the next two to three years. This sentiment is confirmed by data produced by many economists working privately and for the government. The picture for real growth however, may not be so attractive. 

Higher rates of appreciation are expected in the prime London housing market with multi-million pound properties experiencing sustained demand. This is attributed to constant, if not improved income growth within the buyer profile for these properties. This is not to forget the major fact that prime London property is considered to be a safe haven asset. As a result, many wealthy individuals from around the globe have been buying up stock and paying a premium for it.

High levels of growth in the prime London market have caused a trickle down effect for years whereby sellers of central London property are holding out for higher prices in the hope that local and foreign investors will pay a premium for this "safe-haven asset". Sellers of property in neighbouring areas would also hold out for longer. This has had the effect of continuously pushing prices up throughout London, especially in areas of relative desirability. Many areas of the UK have faced a buyers market for some time now in contrast to London which predominantly remains a sellers market for the time being.

5 years in 1 minute: One Hyde Park: The Residences at Mandarin Oriental, London Upoaded by onehydepark on 4 Mar 2011
One Hyde Park pushes the boundaries of the London prime market, showing that demand is prevalent even in the face of apartments costing circa £6,000 per sq ft. 

I find myself increasingly wary of the prevalent trends. It seems that investors are treating property in London as if it were gold. I am not sure for how long this can be supported as interest rates will not remain so low forever. Inflation in the UK has been on the rise and there is growing concern that people's spending power is dwindling rapidly. This is not good news, especially in a zero-growth environment.


Interest rate rises in the near future are thought to cause loan default rates that may be similar to those seen 2-3 years ago. This will preclude house price growth and may cause UK house prices to revert to their previous recessionary lows or worse. This would cause yields on rental income to increase as values decline. Many market participators are arguing that rising yields will prop up demand causing values to rise again and revert back to some sort of balance. I am skeptical of whether there will be sufficient interest from home-buyers and/or investors, to keep values afloat at that point. 

As an investor it may be wise to revise your buying criteria in order to safeguard against the uncertainty. I would certainly not rush into anything, especially as it seems that buyers and sellers in London are becoming increasingly greedy and bullish about the property market. This is in an environment where half of the UK housing market is still in the doldrums, the pound is weakening and most of the world is retreating to cash and gold and out of illiquid assets.

GREED AND THE UK PROPERTY MARKET BY LEONARD WELLS UK 2011 
Uploaded by  on 30 Jan 2011


The short term dip in gold and silver prices is only likely to build the foundations for a more balanced upward movement in these metals in the near to medium term. By investigating the commentary online, enough to make an informed decision, it appears that property prices are certainly not out of the danger zone. As far as London prices are concerned, I am by no means pessimistic about any eventualities in the immediate term. However, I am wary of the fact that a peak has been reached whereby even any short term gains made will be shadowed by stagnant growth in years to come.

Inflation will also have a large part to play in the years ahead, especially if interest rates remain at their current lows. If no precautions are taken, or there is no correction in the near term there may be more severe corrections as the bubble bursts further down the line. If creating debt by printing money is supposed to support the economy, then why would it just mount up with no real positive economic impact? The Federal Reserve Bank and the Bank of England will do what they can for now, propping up the US, the Eurozone and the array of globally interlinked economies until what may become an even more critical point in the not so distant future.



Relevant Video Links:
Bloomberg: Decline in U.K. House Prices to Accelerate 03/10/2011
Gardner Says U.K. House Prices May Move `Slightly Lower' 29/09/2011