Analysis Topic: Commodity Markets - Metals, Softs & Oils

The analysis published under this topic are as follows.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

China Cracks Down on Gold Exchanges / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2011

By: Eric_McWhinnie

Governments hate competition. Due to record breaking gold prices this year, more unauthorized gold exchanges have been created to capitalize on gold fever. However, China regulators are not happy about the competition.

A joint statement issued by People’s Bank of China, the Ministry of Public Security and other regulators recently announced, “No local authority, institution or individual is allowed to set up gold exchanges.” In essence, gold exchanges in China, except for two in Shanghai are to be banned. The joint statement also explained that the Shanghai Gold Exchange and the Shanghai Futures Exchange are sufficient enough to meet domestic investor demand for spot gold and futures trading.

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Gold Might Have Already Hit Rock Bottom / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2011

By: Przemyslaw_Radomski

If you’re looking for a post-Christmas read, take a look at a book called “The Great Stagnation” by Tyler Cowen of George Mason University whose theme is laid out in its subtitle: “How America ate all the low-hanging fruit of modern history, got sick and will (eventually) feel better.”

The interesting aspect of this book is Prof Cowen’s explanation on how the US got into its predicament.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Oil Crisis In 2012 / Commodities / Crude Oil

By: Andrew_McKillop

Will we have a massive oil crisis in 2012 ? If it happened, what would it do to the struggling global economy ?

One other question is easier to answer: can we compare this almost certain coming crisis with the Hunt for the Quark, snark or Higgs boson ? Defenders of the claim the Higgs boson exists only have their research budgets and scientific kudos to worry about, but defenders of the present de facto claim that global oil supply is secure "because of high oil prices" face a much more complex challenge.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Why Buy Gold Now, Forecast $4,500 / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2012

By: UnpuncturedCycle

On the economic front we see that for the month of October personal income had gained 0.4% while spending had increased 0.1%. For November, economists polled by MarketWatch had expected personal income to gain 0.2%, and for spending to also rise 0.2%. Meanwhile, there was no growth in November for the price index for personal consumption expenditures, though this inflation gauge is up 2.5% from the prior year. The core inflation reading, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, rose 0.1% in November, matching economists' expectations. Compared with the prior year, core inflation is up 1.7%. The personal-saving rate declined to 3.5% in November from 3.6% in October, and down considerably from the 7.1% rates we saw during the summer. Finally we see that credit card debt increased considerably during the month of October.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Gold Tilts Towards a Short-term Move Up / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2011

By: Przemyslaw_Radomski

Why anyone would rather stuff their Christmas stockings with fiat currency than with physical gold is beyond understanding. To us “dash for cash” seems rash.

There has certainly been very little Christmas cheer for gold bulls recently. The beating is tough, but it’s not the first time we’ve experienced it, nor is it likely to be the last in a secular bull market that has still has years to run. Gold takes four steps forward and then three back. We just have to stay in the game.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Gold Christmas Week Rally Spied as ECB Member Sees "No Reason" Not to Use Q.E. / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2011

By: Adrian_Ash

WHOLESALE PRICES to buy gold were little changed in London on Friday, ending the short pre-Christmas session at $1607 per ounce, some 0.6% higher against the Dollar from last week's finish.

Silver prices also held flat, moving in a tight range below $29.50 per ounce and recording a London Fix almost 1.9% down for the week at midday.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Riders On The Gold and Silver Storm / Commodities / Gold & Silver Stocks

By: Jeb_Handwerger

Those of us who are buyers and believers in the long term continuing secular rise in resource equities are going through a time of testing. The marketplace will present participants with years such as 2011.

We reiterate our guiding principles at precisely these times that tests our basic mission statement. First and foremost is the avoidance of margin. Mining stocks are characteristically volatile and subject to turbulent corrections.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Long-Term Uranium Stock Prospects Supports Rising Trend / Commodities / Uranium

By: The_Energy_Report

At the beginning of 2011, analysts everywhere championed a "renaissance" of nuclear power. The Japanese tsunami and subsequent Fukishima nuclear accident in March challenged market sentiment; spot prices and stocks alike suffered setbacks. The Energy Report has been there for the entire wild ride, interviewing industry experts, sharing sector news and scouting out the best companies for any market. Read on for a retrospective of expert commentary on this still-promising sector.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Gold and Silver 2012 Bullish and Bearish Arguments / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2012

By: Willem_Weytjens

After the sharp drop in precious metals recently, many people (including me) wonder what will happen next with Gold & Silver (& other PM’s).

To be honest, I don’t know where gold will be in 1 week or a 1 month from now. However, there are some facts that are compelling, which can help us in our decision-taking process.

In this article, I will describe both the Bullish & Bearish arguments for Gold, Silver and PM Stocks.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

What's Up with Gold Mining Stocks? / Commodities / Gold & Silver Stocks

By: Ron_Hera

Claims that the gold bull market has ended are incorrect. One of the main causes of recently lower precious metals prices is the fact that the U.S. dollar has strengthened against the Euro. Since the U.S. dollar is the world reserve currency, a stronger dollar lowers the U.S. dollar prices of global commodities. Also, financial flights to safety, e.g., out of the Euro or European sovereign bonds, temporarily increase demand for U.S. dollars and U.S. Treasuries, strengthening the U.S. dollar against other currencies and lowering U.S. Treasury yields.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Gold Flat in Thin Holiday Trade as Euro Stocks Rally / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2011

By: Adrian_Ash

THE PRICE OF spot gold bullion was little changed Thursday morning in London, easing back from $1610 per ounce after yesterday's sharp spike and pullback in what dealers again called "thin" trade ahead of Christmas.

European stock markets reversed Wednesday's drop to trade near two-week highs.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

What Are ECB Actions and Utility Stocks Saying About Gold? / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2011

By: Eric_McWhinnie

Despite calls for the death of the gold bull market, the precious metal managed to climb $21 higher on Tuesday to settle above the $1,600 psychological level. The U.S. dollar declined as the euro sustained a move above $1.30. While many expect today’s European Central Bank loan offering to add some form of stability to the euro zone, investors are still remaining cautious.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Gold, Silver and Dollar on the Verge of a Big Move / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2011

By: Chris_Vermeulen

The past few months have been tough for those holding precious metals stocks, PM futures contracts or physical bullion. With silver is trading down 41%, precious metals stocks down 30% and gold 15%. It has people scratching their head.

The question everyone keeps asking is when can I buy gold and silver?

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Paper and Physical Gold Price Divergence, COMEX On The March To Irrelevance / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2011

By: Jim_Willie_CB

Divergence between paper gold and physical gold price is happening, the process begun. Actual physical shortages have kept the price up. The naked shorting of futures has kept the paper price down. The fraud cases and lawsuits, with no hint of prosecution, provide the levered force to create much wider divergence, as traders and entire firms depart the tainted crime scene that is the COMEX. Trust has vanished along with private accounts. At the center of the backdrop for the divergence, apart from the criminal events, is the economic deterioration and asset market downdraft. It leads to margin calls, loan payment obligations, fading investor confidence, negative sentiment, and a desire to avoid loss. Hence the huge liquidity concerns, selling of good assets that command a strong price, and central bank encouragement of gold sales even with lease. These forces conspire to push down the gold futures price from the discovery process, called the paper gold price. These forces, although real, are exaggerated by the Syndicate to explain all. On the other side is the desperation among central bankers to cover debt securities up for sale or rollover funding. They resort to utter hyper inflation by monetizing the many types of government bonds. They are obligated to aid their banker cohorts, and thus purchase truckloads of badly impaired sovereign bonds and other collateralized bonds. Over time these sovereign bonds have proved toxic.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Gold "Does Not Offer Comfort in Liquidity Crunch", European Banks "Could Not Refuse" ECB's "Free Money" Offer / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2011

By: Ben_Traynor

U.S. DOLLAR gold bullion prices dropped to $1609 an ounce Wednesday lunchtime in London – 1.9% down from the high for the week so far, set less than three hours earlier.

Stocks and commodities also traded lower following an announcement by the European Central Bank about its latest liquidity operation.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Gold Outlook 2012 – Positive Fundamentals Remain and Crucial Diversification / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2012

By: GoldCore

• Introduction – Gold in 2011
• Money Creating Central Banks May Push Gold to New Nominal Record in 2012 
• Central Banks Will Continue To Be Net Buyers of Gold
• China Foreign Exchange Diversification Should Support Demand

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Russian Oil Rig Disaster Reveals Growing Problem in Supply Access / Commodities / Crude Oil

By: Money_Morning

Dr. Kent Moors writes: Earlier this week, an oil platform sank off the Russian Pacific coast in frigid, stormy waters.

The Kolskaya had been stationed off far northeastern Russia, and capsized when engineers were moving the jack-up rig from ongoing drilling projects in the Sea of Okhotsk to the western coast of Sakhalin Island. Accounts from the 14 survivors mention waves in excess of 20 feet.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Where Have All the Gold Bulls Gone? / Commodities / Gold and Silver 2011

By: Jason_Hamlin

Another correction has fallen upon precious metals and sentiment has turned extremely bearish in the past month. Mark Hulbert has reported that gold bugs are throwing in the towel, with his Hulbert Gold Newsletter Sentiment Index (HGNSI) hitting a record low of just 0.3%. This reading means that the average gold timer is essentially keeping all of his gold-oriented portfolio out of the market.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

How to Profit from Peak Oil, Investor Opportunities of a Lifetime / Commodities / Oil Companies

By: The_Energy_Report

With resource stocks extraordinarily cheap, 321energy.com Founder Bob Moriarty calls them "an opportunity of a lifetime," in this exclusive interview with The Energy Report. However, investors need to steer clear of the dangers of derivatives. Moriarty explains how the hypothecation hobgoblins associated with these instruments can sneak up on investors and zero out accounts in a flash.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Investing vs. Speculating in Gold and Silver Stocks / Commodities / Gold & Silver Stocks

By: Jordan_Roy_Byrne

One thing that is intriguing about the precious metals sector is the vast composition of the companies in the sector. The entire equity sector can be divided in so many forms and ways. We can divide the gold and silver stocks, the producers and non producers, the explorers and the developers, the royalty companies and non-royalty companies as well as those making money and those not making money. To make money in this sector one really needs to have a plan and know what they are doing. Specifically, one needs to define an investment and a speculation.