Gold breaches primary support

The Dollar price of gold breached support at $1240/ounce, signaling a primary down-trend. A long tail indicates active buyers and we can expect retracement to test the new resistance level at $1250.

Spot Gold in USD

The Dollar Index continues to test strong resistance at 95.

Dollar Index

But Chinese selling to support the Yuan has not materialized in sufficient magnitude to reverse Dollar strength. Dollar Index breakout above 95 is likely to spur selling of gold.

CNY/USD

The Australian Dollar has not weakened sufficiently to protect local gold miners, with the price of Gold in Australian Dollars falling sharply.

Gold Price in AUD

The All Ordinaries Gold Index (XGD) broke support at 4950. Expect a test of 4600.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

Downside risk to Australian gold stocks is rising.

Trade tariff impact on China & Australia

The yuan is falling as threat of a tariff war rises.

Yuan

The Shanghai Composite Index is testing its 2016 low at 2700. Breach would warn of a decline to the 2014 low at 2000.

Shanghai Composite Index

Commodity prices are plunging in anticipation of falling demand from China.

DJ-UBS Commodity Index

Chinese monthly iron ore imports are down at 83.24 mt, compared to earlier peaks of 100 mt earlier in 2017. Iron ore spot price is testing primary support $63/tonne. A Trend Index peak below zero warns of selling pressure. Breach of support is likely and would warn of a decline to $58/tonne.

Iron Ore

A falling Aussie Dollar may cushion local resources stocks from some of the impact.

Australian Dollar

But ASX 300 Metals & Mining index continues to test medium-term support at 3800. Breach of support is likely and would warn of a correction to test the rising trendline.

ASX 300 Metals & Mining

Resources stocks remain in a primary up-trend but I am bearish on the medium-term outlook.

Gold, Dollar and the Yuan

China’s Yuan fell sharply over the last 3 weeks, with the threat of US trade tariffs.

Dollar/Yuan

Risk of capital flight will force the PBOC to sell foreign reserves to support the Yuan. It took $1 trillion to stem the last fall, so expect a sizable sell-off in Chinese holdings of US Dollar assets, mainly Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities. The outflow is likely to weaken the Dollar, which is likely to strengthen Gold.

The Dollar Index encountered stubborn resistance at 95. Respect would warn of another correction.

Dollar Index

Gold found support at $1250/ounce. Respect of the primary support level would suggest another rally.

Spot Gold

The Aussie Dollar is likely to strengthen if the US Dollar falls.

AUDUSD

A stronger US Dollar is expected to be mildly bullish for Australian gold stocks, with a stronger Aussie Dollar offsetting some of the gains.

The All Ordinaries Gold Index broke through resistance at 5250, signaling a primary advance with a target of 6000. Follow-through above 5300, after the recent retracement, would strengthen the signal.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

ASX 200: China threat

A rapidly falling Chinese Yuan highlights the threat of trade tariffs to the Chinese economy.

CNY/USD

Expect another sell-off of foreign reserves by China, as in 2015 to 2016, in attempt to stabilize the Yuan and head-off a major capital exodus. The sell-off would weaken the Dollar and Chinese exports.

China Foreign Reserves

Significant monetary easing by the PBOC is also likely, to stimulate domestic demand. Driving the Debt-to-GDP ratio into the stratosphere.

The Aussie Dollar would act as a shock-absorber, following the path of the Yuan.

AUD/USD

Cushioning the blow to Australian exporters.

So far, Resources stocks are unfazed. The ASX 300 Metals & Mining index is consolidating below 4000.

ASX 200

The ASX 300 Banks index ran into stiff resistance at 8000. Expect another test of primary support at 7300 but this is not related to trade tariffs.

ASX 300 Banks Index

The ASX 200 appears unperturbed by the international turmoil, retracing calmly to test its new support level at 6150. Respect would signal another primary advance, with a target of the October 2007 high at 6750.

ASX 200

Aussie Gold breakout

The All Ordinaries Gold Index broke through resistance at 5250, signaling a primary advance with a target of 6000. I remain cautious while the Dollar-price of Gold is falling; respect of Gold support at $1250/ounce would strengthen the bull signal.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

The Aussie Dollar continues to fall, boosting local gold stocks.

AUDUSD

Despite the Dollar-price of gold heading for a test of primary support between $1240 and $1250. Trend Index peaks below zero flag selling pressure.

Spot Gold

Largely because the Dollar is strengthening, with the Dollar Index breaking through resistance at 95 to signal continuation of the recent advance.

Dollar Index

A sharp fall in China’s Yuan is unsettling global financial markets.

Dollar/Yuan

The normal response to uncertainty is a flight to safety which boosts the Dollar, Yen and Gold. But this looks like a straight arm-wrestle between the Yuan and the Dollar, with strong demand for the greenback weakening the Dollar-price of Gold.

Aussie gold stocks rally as the greenback strengthens

The Dollar Index rallied to test resistance at 95 in response to the latest Fed rate hike. Short retracement is a bullish sign.

Dollar Index

Spot Gold retreated to $1280/ounce. Penetration of the rising trendline warns of a correction to test primary support at $1250. A Trend Index peak below zero warns of strong selling pressure.

Spot Gold

Fortunately for Australian gold stocks, the Aussie Dollar broke primary support at 75, warning of a decline to 69/70 US cents. The Trend Index peak below zero warns of strong selling pressure.

AUDUSD

The weaker Aussie Dollar boosted local gold stocks, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index breaking through resistance at 5100. Follow-through above 5250 would confirm another advance but expect retracement to first test the new support level.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

Gold benefits from Dollar weakness

The Dollar Index encountered resistance at 95 and is now retracing to find support. Support above 91 would be bullish, while breach of 91 would see another test of primary support at 88.50.

Dollar Index

10-Year US Treasury yields are likely to face stubborn resistance at 3.0 percent until threats to the European Union emanating from Italy’s new populist government are resolved. Breakout above 3.0 percent would signal the end of the 3 decades-long secular bull market in bonds — and increase selling pressure on gold.

10-Year Treasury Yield

Spot Gold, benefiting from the weaker Dollar, respected its rising trendline. Recovery above $1300/ounce would suggest another rally, while crossover of the Trend Index above zero would strengthen the signal.

Spot Gold

Australia’s All Ordinaries Gold Index continues its struggle with resistance at 5100, while the Aussie Dollar holds above support at 75 US cents. Penetration of the rising trendline at 4950 would warn of a correction to test primary support at 4600. Breakout above 5100 remains more likely, with a rising trend Index indicating moderate buying pressure.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

The Australian Dollar met resistance at its descending trendline, around 76.75 US cents. Expect another test of primary support at 75. If a Trend Index peak forms below zero, that would warn of strong selling pressure. Breach of primary support at 75 would signal a decline to 69/70 US cents — and strong demand for Australian gold stocks.

AUDUSD

Gold benefits from Dollar weakness

The Dollar Index encountered resistance at 95 and is now retracing to find support. Support above 91 would be bullish, while breach of 91 would see another test of primary support at 88.50.

Dollar Index

10-Year US Treasury yields are likely to face stubborn resistance at 3.0 percent until threats to the European Union emanating from Italy’s new populist government are resolved. Breakout above 3.0 percent would signal the end of the 3 decades-long secular bull market in bonds — and increase selling pressure on gold.

10-Year Treasury Yield

Spot Gold, benefiting from the weaker Dollar, respected its rising trendline. Recovery above $1300/ounce would suggest another rally, while crossover of the Trend Index above zero would strengthen the signal.

Spot Gold

Australia’s All Ordinaries Gold Index continues its struggle with resistance at 5100, while the Aussie Dollar holds above support at 75 US cents. Penetration of the rising trendline at 4950 would warn of a correction to test primary support at 4600. Breakout above 5100 remains more likely, with a rising trend Index indicating moderate buying pressure.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

The Australian Dollar met resistance at its descending trendline, around 76.75 US cents. Expect another test of primary support at 75. If a Trend Index peak forms below zero, that would warn of strong selling pressure. Breach of primary support at 75 would signal a decline to 69/70 US cents — and strong demand for Australian gold stocks.

AUDUSD

Falling bond yields fail to tame Gold bears

10-Year Treasury yields retreated below 3.0 percent after threatening a bond bear market for the past week.

10-Year Treasury Yield

Breakout above 3.0 percent would complete a large double bottom reversal in the secular down-trend.

10-Year Treasury Yield

Rising bond yields would be expected to weaken demand for gold as the opportunity cost of holding precious metals increases.

The other major influence on gold prices, the Dollar, continues to strengthen. A strong Dollar would weaken the Dollar-price of gold.

The Dollar Index is rallying to test resistance at 95. Penetration of the long-term descending trendline in April suggests that a bottom is forming. Bullish divergence on the Trend Index indicates buying pressure.

Dollar Index

Spot Gold retraced to test the new resistance level at $1300/ounce — the former support level. The declining Trend Index indicates selling pressure and respect of the descending trendline would warn of a test of primary support at $1250/ounce.

Spot Gold

Australian gold stocks fared better, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index finding support at 4950 and the rising Trend Index signaling buying pressure. Respect of the long-term trendline would confirm another primary advance.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

The reason is not hard to find. The Australian Dollar is at a watershed, testing primary support at 75 US cents as the greenback rallies. A Trend Index peak below zero would warn of strong selling pressure. And breach of primary support would signal a decline to 69/70 US cents.

AUDUSD

Offering a potential bull market for Aussie gold stocks.

Gold stocks retreat

The Dollar rally continues, with the Dollar Index heading for a test of resistance at 95. Penetration of the long-term descending trendline suggests that a bottom is forming. Bullish divergence on the Trend Index indicates buying pressure.

Dollar Index

But rising crude prices still threaten to weaken the Dollar.

WTI Light Crude

Spot Gold broke support at $1300, warning of a test of primary support at $1250/ounce as the Dollar strengthens. The declining Trend Index indicates selling pressure.

Spot Gold

A weakening Australian Dollar continues to test support at 75 US cents as the greenback rallies. Breach would offer a long-term target of 69/70 US cents.

AUDUSD

The weaker Aussie Dollar offered some respite for local gold stocks but the All Ordinaries Gold Index is retracing to test its new support level at 4950/5000. Respect of the rising trendline would confirm a fresh advance and long-term target of 6000.

All Ordinaries Gold Index