The Colder War and the End of the Petrodollar

By Marin Katusa, Chief Energy Investment Strategist

The mainstream media are falling over themselves talking about Russia’s just-signed “Holy Grail” gas deal with China, which is expected to be worth more than $400 billion. But here’s what I think the real news is… and nobody’s talking about it—until now, that is. China’s President Xi Jinping has publicly stated that it’s time for a new model of security, not just for China, but for all of Asia. This new model of security, otherwise known as “the new UN,” will include Russia and Iran, but not the United States or the EU-28.

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This monumental gas deal with China does so much more for Russia than the Western media are reporting. First off, it opens up Russian oil and gas supplies to all of Asia. It’s no coincidence that Russian President Putin announced the gas deal with China at a time when the tensions with the West over Ukraine were growing. Putin has U.S. President Obama exactly where he wants him, and it’s only going to get worse for Europe and America. But before I explain why that is, let’s put this deal in terms we can understand. The specific details have not been announced, but my sources tell me that the contract will bring in over U.S. $10 billion a year of revenue to start with.

The 30 year deal states that every year, the Russians will deliver 1.3 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas to China. The total capital expenditure to build the pipeline and all other infrastructure for the project will be more than $22 billion—this will be one of the largest projects in the world. You can bet the Russians won’t take payment in US dollars for their gas. This is the beginning of the end for the petrodollar.

The Chinese and Russians are working together against the Americans, and there are many countries that would be happy to join them in dethroning the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency. This historic gas deal between Russia and China is very bad news for the petrodollar. Through this one deal, the Russians will provide about 25% of China’s current natural gas demand. In a word, this is huge. It’s also not a coincidence that Putin sealed the deal with China before the Australian, US, and Canadian liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals are completed. If you read our recent Casey Energy Report issue on LNG, you know to be wary of the hype about LNG’s “bright future.” Take note: this deal is a serious negative for the global LNG projects.

I also stated in our April 2012 newsletter:

Putin has positioned Russia to play an increasingly dominant role in the global gas scene with two general strategies: first, by building new pipelines to avoid transiting troublesome countries and to develop Russia’s ability to sell gas to Asia, and second, by jumping into the liquefied natural gas (LNG) scene with new facilities in the Far East.

Pretty bang on for a comment that was made over two years ago in print, don’t you think?

So, what’s next? Lots. Putin will continue to outsmart Obama. (Note to all Americans: the Russians make fun of you—not just for your poor choice of presidents, but also for your failed foreign policy that has led to most of the world hating America. But I digress.) You will see Russia announce a major nuclear deal with Iran, where the Russians will build, finance, and supply the uranium for many nuclear reactors. The Russians will do the same for China, and then Syria. With China signing the natural gas deal with Russia and the president of China publicly stating that it’s time to create a new security model for the Asian nations that includes Russia and Iran, it’s clear China has chosen Russia over the U.S.

We are now in the early stages of the Colder War.

The European Union will be the first victim. The EU is completely dependent on Russia for its oil and natural gas imports—over one-third of the EU-28’s supply of oil and natural gas comes from Russia. I’ve been writing for years about this, and I’m watching it come true right now: the only way out for the EU countries is to use modern North American technology to revitalize their old proven oil and gas deposits.

I call it the European Energy Renaissance, and there’s a fortune to be made from it. Our Casey Energy Report portfolio has already been doing quite well from investing in the European Energy Renaissance, but this is only the beginning. If Europe is to survive the Colder War, it has no choice but to develop its own natural resources. There are naysayers who claim that Europe cannot and will not do that, for many reasons. I say rubbish.

Of course, to make money from this European dilemma, it’s imperative to only invest in the best management teams, operating in those countries with the political will to do what it takes to survive… but if you do, you could make a fortune. Doug Casey and I plan on doing so, and so should you.

For example, two weeks ago in this missive, I discussed “The Most Anticipated Oil Well of 2014,” where if you invested, in just two weeks you could be up over 40%. Not only did I write in great detail about the company, I even interviewed the CEO because of the serious potential this high-risk junior holds. I said in that Dispatch that the quality of the recorded interview wasn’t first class, but the quality of information was. The company just put together a very high-quality, professional video showing its potential, and I include it here for all to watch.

Since my write-up, the company has announced incredible news. It’s only months away now from knowing whether or not it has made a world-class discovery. Subscribers to the Casey Energy Report are already sitting on some good, short-term profits with this story, but it keeps getting better.

The more the tension is building in Ukraine (and it’s going to get worse), the more money we’re going to make from the Colder War. There’s nothing you can do about the current geopolitical situation, but you can position yourself and your family to benefit financially from the European Energy Renaissance.

Now You Can Take the Lead… We Make It Simple

We expect great things from this company and other companies that are exposed to the European Energy Renaissance. You can read our ongoing guidance on this and our other top energy stocks every month in the Casey Energy Report. In the current issue, for example, you’ll find an in-depth report on the coal sector, uranium, and updates on all of our portfolio companies that are poised to benefit most from the European Energy Renaissance.

There’s no risk in trying it: If you don’t like the Casey Energy Report or don’t make any money within your first three months, just cancel within that time for a full, prompt refund. Even if you miss the cutoff, you can cancel anytime for a prorated refund on the unused part of your subscription.

You don’t have to travel 300+ days a year to discover the best energy investments in the world—we do it for you. Click Here to Get Started.

The article The Colder War and the End of the Petrodollar was originally published at Casey Research

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Free trading webinar: The Insiders Guide to Growing a Small Account into a Big Account

Growing your account is not as hard as you think. And it won't take you decades to grow it if you do it the RIGHT (and safe) way. Let John Carter show you how he does it and how you can do it too.

Just click here to grab a seat to Tuesdays [June 3rd] FREE webinar

He's pulling back the cloak on how he personally grows his accounts with super low risk, and max gains and control. He'll show you........

   *   His favorite low risk strategy to grow his account

   *  What stops to use and WHEN

   *  How to control risk without being timid

   *  How to secure your financial future.

   *  And a lot more...plus he'll be taking question

Seats are limited for this 'Insider Meeting', so get your name on the list TODAY:

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See you Tuesday!
The Gold ETF Trader

How to Grow a Small Trading Account into a BIG One

He's back! Our friend and trading partner John Carter of Simpler Options is back to answer the number one question he gets at the Simpler Options phone bank...."how can I trade using a small trading account"?

As you have probably already learned [like all of us] trading fees quickly erode our trading accounts even when we have some success when using a small account. Today John shows us how to put that all behind us.

Growth is on our minds, and I'm sure it's on yours.....so watch this free video from the industries leading educator and start growing and protecting your account today.

How to Grow a Small Account into a BIG One

Here's what you'll learn from John......

   *   The difference between trading for income vs. growth and what no one else will tell you about this

   *   The # 1 job of every trader has to accomplish or look for a new job

   *   Why you don’t want to focus on being right in trading and yes this is counter intuitive

   *   Examples of my favorite trades for growing a small account

   *   Position sizing appropriately for a small account and the types of stocks and ETFs to trade

John shows us all of his trades in his real 5K account that he'll be growing right before our eyes. And John explains in detail every method he uses to make it all happen.

Watch the video here...and thank me later

See you in the markets,
The Gold ETF Trader

P.S.  please feel free to leave a comment after watching the video, we want to hear your take on what John is doing.

The Birth of a New Bull Market

By Jeff Clark, Senior Precious Metals Analyst

If I asked you why you think I’m bullish on platinum and palladium, you’d probably point to the strikes in South Africa, the world’s largest producer of platinum. Or maybe the geopolitical conflicts with Russia, the largest supplier of palladium. Maybe you’d even mention that some technical analysts say the palladium price has “broken out” of its trading range.

These are all valid points—but they’re reasons why a trader might be bullish. When the strikes end, or Russia ends its aggression, or short-term price momentum eases, they’ll sell.
And that will be a mistake.

Because underneath the headlines lies an irreparable situation with the PGM (Platinum Group Metals) market, one that will last at least several years and probably more like a decade. This market is teetering on the edge of a supply crunch, one more perilous than many investors realize. As the issues outlined below play out, prices will be forced higher—which signals that we should diversify into the “other” precious metals now.
The basic problem is that platinum and palladium supply is in a structural deficit. It won’t be resolved when the strikes end or Russia simmers down. Here are six reasons why…...

#1. Producers Won’t Meet the Cost of Production

The central issue of the striking workers in South Africa is wages. In spite of company executives offering to double wages over the next five years, workers remain on the picket line.

Regardless of the final pay package, wages will clearly be higher. And worker pay is one of the biggest costs of production. And the two largest South African producers (Anglo American and Impala), which supply 69% of the world’s platinum, are already operating at a loss.

Once the strike settles, costs will rise further. Throw in ongoing problems with electric power supply, high regulations, and past labor agreements, and there is virtually no chance costs will come down. This dilemma means that platinum prices would need to move higher for production to be maintained anywhere near “normal” levels. Morgan Stanley predicts it will take at least four years for that to occur. And if the price of the metal doesn’t rise? Companies will have no choice but to curtail production, making the supply crunch worse.

#2. Inventories Are Near the Bottom of the Barrel 

 

One reason platinum price moves have been muted during the work stoppage is because there have been adequate stockpiles. But those are getting low. Impala, the world’s second-largest platinum producer, said the company is now supplying customers from its inventories. In March, Switzerland’s platinum imports from strike-hit South Africa plummeted to their lowest level in five and a half years, according to the Swiss customs bureau.

Since producers can’t currently meet demand, some customers are now obtaining metal from other sources, including buying it in the open market. As inventories decline, supply from producing companies will need to make up the shortfall—and they’ll have little ability to do that.

#3. The Strikes Will Make Recovery Difficult and Prolonged

Companies are already strategizing how to deal with the fallout from the worst work stoppage since the end of apartheid in 1994…

• Amplats said it might sell its struggling Rustenburg operations. Even if it finds a buyer, the new operator will inherit the same problems.

• Impala said that even if the strike ends soon, its operations will remain closed until at least the second half of the year.

• Some companies have announced they may shut down individual shafts. This causes a future problem because some of these mines are a couple of miles deep and would require a lot of money to bring back online—which they may balk at doing with costs already so high.

• It’s not being advertised, but a worker settlement will almost certainly result in layoffs since some form of restructuring will be required. This could trigger renewed strikes and set in motion a vicious cycle that further degrades production and makes labor issues insurmountable.

#4. Russian Palladium Is Already in a Supply Crunch

When it comes to palladium, Russia matters more than South Africa, since it provides 42% of global supply. Remember: palladium demand is expected to rise more than platinum, due to new auto emissions control regulations in Asia.

But Russia’s mines are also in trouble…

• Ore grades at Russia’s major mines, including the Norilsk mines, are reported to be in decline.

• New mines will take as long as 10 years to come online. It could take a decade for Russian production to rebound—if Russia even has the resources to do it. This stands in stark contrast to global demand for palladium, which has grown 35.8% since 2004.

• Russia’s aboveground stockpile of palladium appears to have dwindled to near extinction. The precise amount of the country’s reserves is a state secret, but analysts estimate stockpiles were 27-30 million ounces in 1990.

Take a look at reserve sales today:

Many analysts believe that since palladium reserve sales have shrunk, Russia has sold almost all its inventory. As unofficial confirmation, the government announced last week that it is now purchasing palladium from local producers. This paints a sobering picture for the world’s largest supplier of palladium—and is very bullish for the metal’s price.

#5. Demand for Auto Catalysts Cannot Be Met

The greatest use of PGMs is in auto catalysts, which help reduce pollution. Platinum has long been the primary metal used for this purpose and has no widely used substitute—except palladium.

But that market is already upside down.

Palladium is cheaper than platinum, but replacing platinum with palladium requires some retooling and, on a large scale, would worsen the supply deficit. As for platinum (which does work better than palladium in higher-temperature diesel engines), auto parts manufacturers are expected to use more of it than is mined this year, for the third straight year. Some investors may shy away from PGMs because they believe demand will decline if the economy enters a recession. That could happen, but tighter emissions controls and increasing car sales in Asia could negate the effects of declining sales in weakening Western economies.

For example, China is now the world’s top auto-producing country. According to IHS Global, auto sales in China are projected to grow 5% annually over the next three years. PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasts that sales of automobiles and light trucks in China will double by 2019. That will take a lot of catalytic converters. This trend largely applies to other Asian countries as well. It’s important to think globally when considering demand.

The key, however, is that supply is likely to fall much further than demand.

#6. Investment Demand Has Erupted

Investment demand for platinum rose 9.1% last year. The increase comes largely from the new South African ETF, NewPlat. At the end of April, all platinum ETFs held nearly 89,000 ounces—a huge amount when you consider it was zero as recently as 2007.

Palladium investment fell 84% last year—but demand is up sharply year-to-date due to the launch of two South African palladium ETFs, pushing global palladium holdings to record levels. And like platinum, there was no investment demand for palladium seven years ago.

Growing investment demand adds to the deficit of these metals.

The Birth of a 10 Year Bull Market

 

Add it all up and the message is clear: by any reasonable measure, the supply problems for the PGM market cannot be fixed in the foreseeable future. We have a rare opportunity to invest in metals that are at the beginning of a potential 10-year bull run. Platinum and palladium prices may drop when the strikes end, but if so, that will be a buying opportunity. This market is so tenuous, however, that an announcement of employees returning to work may be too little, too late. We thus wouldn’t wait to start building a position in PGMs.

GFMS, a reputable independent precious metals consultancy, predicts the palladium price will hit $930 by year-end and that platinum will go as high as $1,700. But that will just be the beginning; the forces outlined above could easily push prices to double over the next few years.

At that point, stranded supplies might start coming back online—but not until after major, sustained price increases make it possible.

The RIGHT Way to Invest

In my newsletter, BIG GOLD, we cover the best ways to invest in the metals themselves (funds and bullion), but for the added leverage of investing in a profitable platinum/palladium producer, I have to hand the baton over to Louis James, editor of Casey International Speculator.

You see, most PGM stocks are not worth holding, so you have to be very diligent in making the right picks. Remember, the dire problems of the PGM miners are one reason we’re so bullish on these metals. However, Louis has found one company in a very strong position to benefit from rising prices—and its assets are not located in either South Africa or Russia.

It’s the only platinum mining stock we recommend, and you can get its name, our full analysis, and our specific buy guidance with a risk free trial subscription to Casey International Speculator today.
If you give it a try today, you’ll get three investments for the price of one: Your Casey International Speculator subscription comes with a free subscription to BIG GOLD, where you’ll find two additional ideas on how to invest in the PGMs.

If you’re not 100% satisfied with our newsletters, simply cancel during the 3 month trial period for a full refund—but whatever you do, make sure you don’t miss out on the next 10 year bull market.  

Click here to get started right now.

The article The Birth of a New Bull Market was originally published at Casey Research

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Gold Prediction using Statistics & Technical Analysis

Here is my gold prediction (silver and gold mining stocks, should be the same) looking forward 24 months.
Since the top in gold in 2011 gold has been selling off. Depending on how you analyze the market, this 3 year sell off could be seen as consolidation within a major cyclical bull market or that it’s in a bear market. But know this, either way, the outlook is bullish, and all gold has to do is find a bottom here and rally above the $1400 per ounce level. This would kick start a major feeding frenzy of gold buying.

Gold bear market in the past have on average corrected 33% and lasted a total of 550 days. So if we look at the stats of the current pullback in gold it has dropped 38% and about 700 days long. Time for a bottom and bull market? It sure seems like it.

You can see my recent report on the U.S. Dollar and Gold Forecast.
 

Gold Prediction Technical Outlook:

Gold remains in a down trend, but looks to be starting a possible stage 1 basing pattern. Technical analysis is pointing to strength as the MACD moving higher, relative strength, and the down trendline show price and momentum being bullish.

A few weeks ago the chart completed a Golden Cross. This is not shown on the chart, but it is when the 50 SMA crosses above the 200 SMA. Investors tend to look at this as a major long term buy signal, although I do not use it for any of my analysis or timing of the market.

If historical data, statistics, and technical analysis prove to be correct we can expect gold to rise. My gold prediction is for price to reach $2300 - $2500 per ounce within 24 months.

Gold Prediction Conclusion:

The average gold bull market last roughly 450 days and posts a gain of 95%. So with the current correction which is beyond these levels already, expect price to firm up this year and complete the stage 1 base. Note that until gold breaks out of its Stage 1 Basing pattern, I will remain bearish/neutral on the metal. There is a huge opportunities else where unfolding.

Chris Vermeulen

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Why the Market Should Pay More Attention to Sports and Poker

Did your coach ever tell you not to signal before you made a move, or do you know why it’s so important to have a good poker face if you’re trying to bluff? It’s because it’s pretty hard to trick a person that can see what you’re going to do next. What does this have to do with trading the markets for consistent profit?


The market signals before just about every move it makes.


So, why doesn’t this make the market incredibly easy to predict? It’s because most traders don’t know the market’s “tell.” That’s why you learn to watch your opponent’s position in sports, or to watch your opponent’s pulse and face in poker. If you don’t know that a nervous twitch means your neighbor is trying to bluff you with his pair of twos, then how do you know he doesn’t have the cards? On the other hand, if you know his “tell”, you can anticipate his bluff even if the rest of the table thinks he’s got a strong hand. Doc Severson spent a lot of time (and a lot more money) looking for those signs in the market, but as James Bond remarks in Casino Royale, “It was worth it to discover his tell.”


Learn the Market’s Tell
 

After years of study and testing (he was an engineer, after all), Doc Severson found a way to see the market “signal” before it makes a move. He used it to position himself before the 2013 S&P rally, and he is seeing the market signal another big move now. He’s already preparing his positions for this move, and he wants to show you how to anticipate them as well.


How to Predict the Next Big Move for Yourself (Free Video)

 

Weekly Gold and Silver Market Recap - Stops and Trading Numbers

We've asked our trading partner Michael Seery to give our readers a weekly recap of the gold and silver futures market. He has been Senior Analyst for close to 15 years and has extensive knowledge of all of the commodity and option markets......


Gold futures in the June contract settled last Friday at 1,309 while going out today around 1,290 down by about $20 for the trading week as the Ukrainian situation has stalled sending gold prices back down into the recent trading range. Gold futures are trading below their 20 but right at their 100 day moving average as prices have been consolidating in the last 5 weeks trading in a $30 range as I’ve been sitting on the sidelines waiting for a better chart pattern to develop but if you are looking to get into this market on the long side I would buy at today’s prices placing my stop at the 10 day low of 1,365 risking around $2,500 per contract and if you’re looking to get short this market I would sell at today’s price while putting my stop loss at 1,310 risking around $2,000 as the chart structure is relatively tight at the current time. Gold prices rallied from 1,180 all the way up near $1,400 an ounce 2 months ago so this is basically the 50% retracement and I think you will see a consolidation for quite some time so keep a close eye on this chart as it appears to me that a breakout is looming.
TREND: MIXED
CHART STRUCTURE: EXCELLENT

Is it Time to Admit That Gold Peaked in 2011?

Silver futures in New York continued their bearish trend this week settling last Friday at 19.55 finishing lower by about $.45 for the trading week as I still think there’s a possibility that a spike bottom occurred in last Fridays trade as $19 has been very difficult to break on the downside. Silver futures have come all the way from slightly above $22 in late February all the way down to today’s level and from $35 in 2013 so this is been a bear market for well over 1 year as there seems to be a lack of interest, however eventually silver will turn around and join the rest of commodities higher but at this point there’s just very little interest. Silver futures are trading below their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the trend is lower and as I’ve talked about many times before if you have deep pockets and you’re a longer-term investor I think prices down at these levels are relatively cheap and if prices went lower I would continue to dollar cost average as there is real demand for silver.
TREND: LOWER
CHART STRUCTURE: EXCELLENT

Here's our Critical Line in the Sand for Silver

When Do You Add To Your Winning Trade? This has always been a very interesting question because it can create a situation of going from rags to riches or from riches to rags in a very short amount of time. Many times I see traders abuse pyramiding or adding to positions with utter lack of any type of money management system in place and letting it ride which usually ends up in a complete wipeout of capital and sometimes even worse.

Commodity prices can move very quickly with large gains or loses like we experienced in the 2008 crash of stock and commodity prices, so you always have to use stops and not fall in love or marry a position. In my opinion the answer to this question is add only once to the trade if that position has made you at least 2%-3% of your account balance while still having stop losses on all positions that equal 2% loss at a maximum risk. Remember your stop loses will be different on both positions because of the fact that you entered those trades at a different date and price.

There are many different theories about how long does a meaningful consolidation have to last before you enter a trade on the breakout to the up or downside? In my opinion I always want to see a consolidation that lasts at least 8 or more weeks before I would consider entering. The reason that I want a longer consolidation is to try and avoid a bunch of false breakouts such as a 10 or 15 day consolidations which happen all the time, so I am trying to put the odds in my favor by trading the breakout of at least 8 weeks or more and the longer such as a 11 or 13 week consolidation the better. At this present time cocoa is in a major consolidation.

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Is it Time to Admit That Gold Peaked in 2011?

By Jeff Clark, Senior Precious Metals Analyst

Have you seen this “real price of gold” chart that’s been making waves? Among other things, it purports to show the gold price adjusted for inflation over the past 223 years. Notice the 1980 vs. 2011 levels.

The chart makes it seem that on an inflation-adjusted basis, gold has matched its 1980 peak in 2011, or nearly so. A mainstream analyst who still thinks of gold as a “barbarous relic,” a government official who doesn’t want people to think of gold as money, or an Internet blogger looking for some attention might try to convince you that this proves that the gold bull market is over, arguing that the 2011 peak of $1,921 is the equivalent of the 1970s mania peak of $850 in January of 1980.

The logic is flawed, however; even if it were true that gold has matched its 1980 peak in inflation-adjusted prices, it would not prove that the top is in this time. This is not the 1970s, the global economy is under very different pressures, and there’s no rational basis at all for saying the top this time has to be at the same or similar level as last time.

That’s even if it were true that gold has matched its 1980 peak—but it hasn’t.

Inflation-Adjusted Gold Has NOT Matched Its 1980 Peak

 

First, if you go by official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic numbers, $850 in 1980 is equivalent to $2,320 in 2011, when gold hit its peak thus far in the current cycle. (It’s $2,403 in 2013 dollars, as is said to be used in the chart.)

We don’t know what data the authors of the chart used, nor their inflation adjustment method, so it’s hard to say what the problem is, but at the very least, we can say the chart is very misleading.

But there’s more. As you probably know, the government has made numerous changes to the way it calculates inflation—the Consumer Price Index (CPI)—since 1980. So, even the BLS number we’ve given grossly underestimates the real difference between the 2011 and 1980 peaks.

For a more apples to apples comparison, we should adjust for inflation using the government’s 1980 formula. And for that, whom better to ask than John Williams of Shadow Government Statistics (AKA Shadow Stats), the world’s leading expert on phony US government statistics?

I asked John to apply the CPI formula from January 1980 to the $1,921 gold price in 2011, to give us a more accurate inflation adjusted picture. Here’s what his data show.

Using the 1980 formula, the monthly average price of gold for January 1980 would be the equivalent of $8,598.80 today. The actual peak—$850 on January 21, 1980—isn’t shown in the chart, but it would equate to a whopping $10,823.70 today.

The Shadow Stats chart paints a completely different picture than the first chart. The current CPI formula grossly dilutes just how much inflation has occurred over the past 34 years. It’s so misleading that investment decisions based on it—like whether to buy or sell gold—could wreak havoc on a portfolio.

This could easily be the end of the discussion, but there are many more reasons to believe that the gold price has not peaked for the current bull cycle…...

Percentage Rise Has Been Much Smaller

 

Inflation adjusted numbers are not the only measure that matters. The percentage climb during the 1970s bull market was dramatically greater than what we experienced from 2001 to 2011. Here’s a comparison of the percentage gain during both periods.

From the 1970 low to the January 1980 peak, gold rose 2,346%. It climbed only 535% from the 2001 low to the September 2011 high—nowhere near mimicking that prior bull market.

Silver Scantly Participated in the 2011 Run-Up

 

After 31 years of trading, silver has yet to even reach its nominal price from 1980. It surged to $48.70 in 2011—but it hit $50 in January 1980.

On an inflation-adjusted basis, using the same data from John Williams, silver would need to hit $568 to match its 1980 equivalent.

The fact that silver has lagged this much—when its greater volatility would normally move its price by a greater percentage than gold—further shows that 2011 was not the equivalent of 1980.

No Bubble Characteristics in 2011

 

I’ll get some arguments from the mainstream on this one. “Of course gold was in a bubble in 2011—look at the chart!”

Yes, gold had a nice run-up that year. It rose 38.6% from January 1 to the September 6 peak. Anyone holding gold at that time was very happy. But that’s not a bubble. One of the major characteristics of a bubble is that prices go parabolic.

And that’s exactly what we saw in 1979-1980:

• In the 12 months leading up to its January 21, 1980 peak, gold surged an incredible 270%.

• In contrast, the year leading up to the September 6, 2011 peak, the price climbed 48%—very nice, but hardly parabolic, and less than a fifth of the 1970s runaway move.

No Global Phenomenon in 1980 (Next Time It Will Be)

 

In the 1970s, the “mania” was mostly a North American phenomenon. China and most of Asia didn’t participate. When inflation grips the world from all the money printing governments almost everywhere have engaged in, there will be a much greater demand for gold than in 1980.

When that day comes, there will be severe consequences for those who don’t have enough bullion. Not only will the price relentlessly move higher, but finding physical gold to buy may become very difficult.

Comparable Price Moves? So What?

 

The argument we started with is really the clincher. It doesn’t matter how today’s gold prices compare to those from prior bull markets; what matters are the factors likely to impact the price today. Are there reasons to own gold in the current environment—or not?

First, a comparison: Apple shares surged 112% in 2007. After such a run up, surely investors should’ve dumped it, right? Well, those who did likely regretted it, since it ended that year at $180 and trades over $590 today. In fact, even though it had already risen dramatically and in spite of it crashing with the market in 2008, there were plenty of solid reasons to buy the stock then, not the least of which was the introduction of the iPhone that year.

So should we sell gold because it rose 535% in a decade? As with the Apple example above, that’s not the right question.

There are, in fact, several more relevant questions for gold today:

• What will happen with the unprecedented amount of money that’s been printed around the world since 2008?

• Why are economies still sluggish after the biggest monetary experiment in history?

• Global debt and “unfunded mandates” are at never-before-seen levels; how can this conceivably be paid off?

• Interest rates are at historically low levels—what happens when they start to rise?

• Regardless of your political affiliation, do you trust that government leaders have the ability and willingness to do what’s necessary to restore the economy to health?

If these issues were absent, maybe we’d change our position on precious metals. But until the word “healthy” can honestly be used to describe the fiscal, monetary, and economic state of our global civilization, gold should be held as an essential wealth-protection asset.

Today’s volatile world is exactly the kind of circumstance gold is best for.

The message here is clear, my friends. Regardless of the measure, gold has not matched its 1980 peak. And the reasons to own it have not faded. Indeed, they have grown. Continue to accumulate.

Learn about the best ways to invest in gold—how and when to buy it, where to store it for maximum safety, and how to find the best gold stocks—in the free 2014 Gold Investor’s Guide.

The article Time to Admit That Gold Peaked in 2011? was originally published at Casey Research

Check out our Advanced Study on Trading the Opening Gap in Crude Oil CL

Weekly Gold and Silver Market Recap - Stops and Trading Numbers

Today our trading partner Michael Seery gives our readers a weekly recap of the gold and silver futures market. He has been a senior analyst for close to 15 years and has extensive knowledge of all of the commodity and option markets.....

Fed Proof Your Portfolio

Gold prices had a volatile trading week basically finishing unchanged to settle around 1,298 in the June contract after having a tremendous reversal selling off down to 1,272 when the monthly unemployment number was released adding 280,000 jobs which is bullish the economy and bearish gold but then turned on a dime with the Ukrainian problems escalating sending gold finishing up $14 this Friday right near session highs as prices have been consolidating in recent weeks. I’ve been sitting on the sidelines in the gold market for quite some time as this market remains choppy and it might be bottoming at the current price levels as gold rallied $200 to start the year but now has given back over $100 so were at about the 50% retracement so if your bullish gold I would buy a futures contract at today’s price while placing my stop at the 10 day low which is also the 10 week low of 1,268 an ounce risking around $3,000 per contract. I’ve lived through many of these political escalations including one last August with Syria and they always seem to fizzle away so we will see if today’s rally will do the same but sit on the sidelines and see what develops. The one thing gold does have going for it is trading above its 20 and 100 day moving average which is telling you that the trend might be turning higher as prices could be bottoming out.
TREND: MIXED
CHART STRUCTURE: EXCELLENT

Why Are So Many Boomers Working Longer?

Silver futures are trading below their 20 and 100 day moving average as volatility has come back into this market in the last week as prices reversed sharply off of yesterday’s contract lows of 18.66 to go out this Friday afternoon at 19.47 an ounce and if you been reading any of my previous blogs for months I’ve been talking about the possibility of silver bottoming at the $19 level and if you have deep pockets and you’re a longer-term investor I’m recommending that you buy silver as I think prices are cheap. I am bullish silver not because of the Ukrainian problems but because of the fact that the commodity markets are in a bullish trend and silver will catch up eventually as this is a highly inflationary commodity with a lot of demand as silver is used in smart phones unlike gold which really has no purpose except for a flight to quality and jewelry. Prices reversed today because of the Ukrainian situation seems to be escalating and it sent prices sharply higher but the true breakout in this market is at 20.40 that’s where I really would be recommending to get long and if you are in a futures contract already I would be adding to my position if prices break that level as a spike bottom may have occurred in yesterday’s price action.
TREND: MIXED
CHART STRUCTURE: EXCELLENT

Here's our Critical Line in the Sand for Silver


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