Blog posts tagged with 'copper'

With a downside breakout in the dollar index overnight to the lowest level since April 12th, a portion of the bear camp should be discouraged.

However, gold has clearly established a pattern of lower highs and remains within the lower quarter of the range of the last 30 days in a fashion that favors the bear camp.

Furthermore, gold ETF holdings yesterday declined by a VERY significant 193,328 ounces for a 0.2% daily decline, with silver ETF holdings declining by 4.3 million ounces in the last two days...[MORE]

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With the gold and silver markets spiking higher following the Fed policy decision and press conference, the bulls showed some control as the trade was able to discount disappointment over another delay in cutting rates and instead embraced relief that the Fed was not in a mode to consider rate hikes!

However, given a significant jump in ISM Manufacturing prices-paid earlier this week that should be seen as a sign that inflation lives on in various sectors of the economy.

Unfortunately for the bull camp, we think that "dovish spin" will have a short shelf life, especially if today's US unit labor costs report matches expectations of a gain of 3.2% compared to last month's gain of 0.4%...[MORE]

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The deck is stacked against the bull camps in gold and silver today, with an upside breakout in the dollar, signs of higher treasury yields, fear of a hawkish Federal Reserve statement, and a lack of support from Chinese and European buyers overnight due to the May Day holiday.

However, the gold market should derive some underpin from World Gold Council projections of continued brisk global central bank purchases, and signs of positive gold demand from India and China.

It should also be noted that Indian gold demand increased by 8% during the January through March timeframe with gold jewelry demand in India increasing by 4% and amounting to a significant percentage of total world gold demand...[MORE]

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While the net spec and fund long in gold (adjusted for the $30 rally into Friday's high) suggest the market is heavily overbought, we suspect technical signals will take a backseat to classic flight to quality headline news flow.

However, with the post-COT report rally, the net spec and fund long in gold is likely the longest in two years, and therefore any sign of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas could result in a massive correction.

Gold positioning in the Commitments of Traders for the week ending April 23rd showed Managed Money traders net bought 3,296 contracts and are now net long 176,157 contracts...[MORE]

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Once again noted strength in gold and silver prices appears to be taking place in a vacuum, with little change in US interest rates, the dollar, and energy prices overnight.

However, the bull camp is likely benefiting from a surprise jump in Chinese first-quarter gold consumption which increased by 5.9% from year-ago levels.

Apparently, mainland China's March gold imports through Hong Kong increased by 40% from February giving credence to news earlier this month that Chinese investors were seeking to hold gold to avoid weakness in the domestic currency...[MORE]

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With the gold market over the last 72 hours settling within a range bound by $2350 and $2300, it is possible that some form of value has been found ahead of what is likely to be a key fork in the road for prices.

Fortunately for the bull camp, the dollar is showing signs of tracking lower this morning as the aggressive liquidation this week has clearly rocked the bull camp back on its heels.

While the February to April rallies in gold and silver were not fueled by definitive inflows to ETF holdings, both gold and silver holdings continue to decline in a sign that small investors have not been enticed by the second half of April setback...[MORE]

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In retrospect, the gold trade was unsure of the primary source of the massive April upside extension of the historic gold rally which began early last October.

While the trade remains vulnerable to additional stop-loss selling today from very large net spec and fund positioning, further extraction of war premium is also expected with the gold futures and options positioning (adjusted into the recent highs) likely at three year highs!

However, Bloomberg overnight carried a story suggesting a large portion of the gold rally was sparked by aggressive buying at the Shanghai futures exchange...[MORE]

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The capitulation in gold and silver extended overnight with what we think is mostly stop-loss selling from the massive net long built up from the $425 gold rally off the February low and the $7.50 rally in July silver.

However, ongoing liquidation of flight to quality longs from lower ME angst is certainly adding to the washout while typical outside market influences of the dollar and treasury yields have not been a noted influence and are unlikely to be a key impact today.

In retrospect, there was apparently more flight to quality longs in off the potential for a widespread Middle East war than expected and that should be remembered if conflict returns...[MORE]

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The vibe in the Middle East seems to suggest that the "tit-for-tat" fighting between Israel and Iran will pause has obviously punctured bullish sentiment in gold and silver. Therefore, the focus of gold and silver is likely to shift back to action in the dollar and US treasury yields.

While silver ETF holdings continue to decline very rapidly, gold ETF holdings declines are less significant. Last week gold ETF holdings declined by 478,713 ounces, while silver ETF holdings declined by 22.8 million!

Even though we suspect the Chinese central bank will continue to add to reserves (following 17 straight months of purchases) we suspect lower prices will have only a marginal impact on the size of Chinese Central Bank purchases...[MORE]

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