Tag: Copper

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Gold, TIPS and inflation

The Dollar Index rally to test resistance at 81.00/81.50 appears to be faltering. Respect of resistance would confirm the primary down-trend. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero earlier indicated a trend change; a peak below zero would strengthen the signal.

US Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 81 – ( 84 – 81 ) = 78

Spot Gold continues to test resistance at $1800 per ounce*. A 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero would signal a primary up-trend, while breakout above $1800 would confirm.

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1650 + ( 1650 – 1500 ) = 1800

Rising gold prices indicate increased inflation expectations. The spread between 10-year Treasury yields and the equivalent TIPS (Treasury Inflation Protected Securities) yield also spiked up after the latest QE announcement but then retreated. The inflation effect of quantitative easing by the Fed is likely to be muted by deflationary pressures from private debt contraction — and a slow-down in government debt expansion after November (no matter who wins the election) — working in the opposite direction. I believe the Fed goal is to manufacture a soft landing rather than to generate inflation, which would go against their mandate.

10-Year Treasury Yield v. 10-Year TIPS Yield

Commodities: The RJ/CRB Commodities index has been delisted by ICE Futures US (formerly NYBOT). For details click here.

The equivalent DJ-UBS Commodity Index is testing resistance at 150/155. Respect would warn of another test of primary support at 125, but also that inflation expectations remain muted.

DJ-UBS Commodity Index

Brent Crude is correcting despite the rise in inflation expectations, reflecting slowing economic activity rather than improved security. Follow-through below $108 per barrel would indicate a correction to $100, while reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would suggest a primary down-trend.

ICE Brent Crude Afternoon Markers

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Dollar bounce, gold and copper retrace

The Dollar Index is retracing to test resistance at 81.00/81.50. Respect would confirm the primary down-trend, as indicated by 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero.

US Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 81 – ( 84 – 81 ) = 78

Spot Gold is retracing below resistance at $1800 per ounce*. A 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero would signal a primary up-trend. Breakout above $1800 would confirm, indicating rising inflation expectations in response to QE3.

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1650 + ( 1650 – 1500 ) = 1800

Copper is also retracing. Respect of 8000 would be a bullish sign. Again, a 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero would indicate a primary up-trend. Breakout above 8600 would confirm, indicating that global economic activity is reviving. Failure of support at 8000 would suggest the opposite.

Copper

Brent Crude is falling after breaking support at $112 per barrel. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum below zero warns of a primary down-trend. The fall, despite increased inflation expectations, reflects slowing economic activity rather than increased security. Syria and Iran remain concerns in the Middle East. Test of support at $100 would warn of another down-turn.

ICE Brent Crude Afternoon Markers

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The China-driven commodities super-cycle debate: Nomura edition

Nomura: We have performed a detailed analysis of metal intensity of GDP for steel, copper and aluminium in the following pages, which we believe clearly outlines our view that China’s economy is not large enough (in GDP terms) to support a continuation of the rapid growth in metal consumption seen in 2000-11.

Our conclusions are based on an analysis of China’s metal intensity of GDP rather than metal consumption per capita, and reflect a simple premise that while a country’s population size may be an important indicator of a country’s potential demand for industrial metals (per capita), the ability to meet potential demand is determined by the quantity of metal consumed in relation to the size of economic output (ie, GDP, not GDP per capita). Hence, in our view, metal intensity of GDP is a more important variable to monitor than per capita metal consumption.

Zarathustra: The reason is that, according to Nomura, the per-capita analysis ignores the composition of China’s GDP growth. China’s investment driven growth is very metal intensive.

via The China-driven commodities super-cycle debate: Nomura edition.

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Stronger dollar, weaker commodities: gold, copper and crude

The US Dollar is in a primary up-trend, the Dollar Index having broken resistance between 81 and 82. Retracement is likely to test the new support level; respect of 81 would confirm a healthy up-trend. Respect of the zero line by 63-day Twiggs Money Flow would likewise strengthen the signal.

US Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 82 + ( 82 – 78 ) = 86

Spot gold is also testing a new support level — this time on the daily chart — after breaking resistance at $1600/ounce. Penetration of the declining trendline suggests that the down-trend is weakening, but 63-day Twiggs Momentum remains firmly below zero. Follow-through above $1640 would strengthen the bull signal — as would recovery of Momentum above zero — but failure of $1600 would re-test $1540.

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1550 – ( 1800 – 1550 ) = 1300

Other commodities have reacted negatively to the stronger dollar, suggesting that gold will continue its downward path. Copper is in a clear down-trend, headed for a test of the 2011 low at 6800.

Copper Grade A

Brent crude broke its mid-2011 low at $100/barrel, offering a long-term target of $75*.

ICE Brent Afternoon Markers

* Target calculation: 100 – ( 125 – 100 ) = 75

Nymex WTI Light Crude is similarly headed for a test of long-term support at $75/barrel.

Nymex WTI Light Crude

CRB Commodities Index is similarly headed for a test of support at 250. The peak below zero on 63-day Twiggs Momentum warns of a strong primary down-trend. First, expect retracement to test resistance at 295; respect would confirm the down-trend.

CRB Commodities Index

* Target calculation: 290 – ( 330 – 290 ) = 250

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Commodities find resistance

Copper broke resistance at $8600/tonne; follow-through would signal continuation of the primary up-trend and point towards economic recovery. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum holding above zero strengthens the signal.

Copper Grade A

* Target calculation: 8000 + ( 8000 – 7200 ) = 8800

Brent Crude found resistance at $126/barrel — again while the dollar tests support. Breakout would offer a long-term target of $150*. Reversal below $115 is unlikely, but would warn of trend weakness.

ICE Brent Crude Afternoon Markers

* Target calculation: 125 + ( 125 – 100 ) = 150

The broader CRB Commodities Index is testing resistance at 325. Breakout would signal a primary advance to $350*, while recovery of  63-Day Twiggs Momentum above zero would strengthen the signal.

CRB Commodities Index

* Target calculation: 325 + ( 325 – 300 ) = 350

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Commodities: Copper and crude rise for different reasons

Copper continues in a primary up-trend, driven by speculative demand with a weakening dollar and anticipation of a US recovery. Retracement that respects support at 8000 on the weekly chart would strengthen the signal.

Grade A Copper


Brent Crude broke resistance at $115/barrel for altogether different reasons. Further disruption of supplies from Nigeria and heightened tensions as the US increases pressure on Iran raise concerns about future supply. Expect retracement to test the new support level; respect would confirm a new primary up-trend.

Brent Crude

* Target calculation: 115 + ( 115 – 100 ) = 130

The broader CRB Commodities Index has breached its declining trendline, but proceeds at a slower pace. Breakout above 325 would signal the start of a primary up-trend, with an initial target of 350*. Recovery of 63-day Twiggs Momentum above zero would strengthen the bull signal.

CRB Commodities Index

* Target calculation: 325 + ( 325 – 300 ) = 350

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Gold & Commodities: Copper breakout as dollar weakens

The US Dollar Index has retraced to test medium-term support at 79.50. Respect would confirm a strong primary up-trend, while failure would suggest trend weakness. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum above zero still indicates a primary up-trend, but breach of the rising trendline warns that the up-trend is slowing. A weakening dollar is likely to cause stronger commodity prices.

Dollar Index

* Target calculation: 80 + ( 80 – 75 ) = 85

The weekly chart shows spot gold testing its descending trendline. Respect would indicate another test of primary support at $1500/ounce, while breakout would suggest that a bottom is forming. Reversal of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below zero would complete an iceberg pattern, warning of a primary down-trend. The bull-trend of the last few years was driven by quantitative easing (QE1 and QE2) from the Fed. We are unlikely to see another bull-trend without QE3.

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1600 – ( 1800 – 1600 ) = 1400

Copper broke through resistance at $8000/tonne, completing a higher trough and signaling a primary up-trend. Recovery of 63-day Twiggs Momentum above zero would strengthen the signal. The primary up-trend in this bellwether commodity suggests an economic recovery is under way.

Copper A Grade

* Target calculation: 8000 + ( 8000 – 7200 ) = 8800

The broader CRB Commodities Index, however, lags behind. Breach of the descending trendline indicates a base is forming, but only recovery above 325 would signal a primary up-trend. Cross-over of 63-day Twiggs Momentum above zero would strengthen the bull signal.

CRB Commodities Index


Brent crude is also forming a base, after breaching its descending trendline. Breakout above 115 would signal the start of a primary up-trend.

Brent Crude Afternoon Markers

* Target calculation: 115 + ( 115 – 105 ) = 125

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Commodities and crude

The CRB Commodities Index remains in a primary down-trend. Respect of the descending trendline, with reversal below 315, would warn of another decline. Breakout above the descending trendline is less likely, but would indicate that the down-trend is weakening. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum penetrated its descending trendline but remains below zero, suggesting that the down-trend has slowed but not reversed.

CRB Commodities Index

* Target calculation: 295 – ( 325 – 295 ) = 265

Copper rallied to test its descending trendline at $8000/tonne. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum deep below zero indicates a strong primary down-trend. Breakout above $8000 would indicate that the down-trend is weakening, while respect of the descending trendline would warn of a decline to 6000*.

Copper Grade A

* Target calculation: 7000 – ( 8000 – 7000 ) = 6000

Brent Crude broke out above its trend channel, indicating that it is forming a base above $100/barrel. 63-Day Twiggs Momentum recovered above zero to confirm the breakout. Expect retracement to test primary support at $100, but respect is now likely and would suggest a primary up-trend.

Brent Crude Afternoon Markers

* Target calculation: 5600 – ( 6600 – 5600 ) = 5100

Nymex WTI crude is rising sharply, closing the divergence from Brent crude. News of the Seaway pipeline reversal that will relieve congestion at the Cushing, Oklahoma hub sent crude futures soaring. Expect a short retracement followed by an advance to $115.

Nymex WTI Crude

Conclusion: Commodities remain in a primary down-trend caused by the strengthening dollar. Brent crude is forming a bottom, but rising crude prices are likely to dash hopes of an early economic recovery. Falling commodity prices should cause sympathetic weakening of the Australian Dollar and Canadian Loonie.

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