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

Aussie Gold stocks continue strong run

The Dollar rally is slowing, with the Dollar Index running into resistance at 93, ahead of the anticipated 95. Penetration of the descending trendline suggests that a bottom is forming. Bullish divergence on the Trend Index indicates buying pressure. Retracement that respects the new support level at 91 would be a bullish sign. Breach of 88.50 is unlikely but would warn of another primary decline.

Dollar Index

Rising crude prices weaken Dollar demand.

WTI Light Crude

Spot Gold continues to test support at $1300. The declining Trend Index indicates selling pressure and a peak below zero would warn of another test of primary support at $1250/ounce.

Spot Gold

Australian gold stocks continue their strong run. Retracement of the All Ordinaries Gold Index that respects the new support level at 5000/5100 would confirm a fresh advance and long-term target of 6000.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

A weakening Aussie Dollar, testing support at 75 US cents, is driving local gold prices. Breach of support would offer a long-term target of 69/70 US cents.

AUDUSD

Aussie gold stocks breakout

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

Dollar Index

But rising crude prices weaken Dollar demand.

WTI Light Crude

Despite the Dollar rally, Spot Gold found support at $1300, with a long tail indicating buying pressure. Recovery of the Trend Index above zero would confirm.

Spot Gold

But Australian gold stocks are running ahead. Breakout of the All Ordinaries Gold Index above resistance at 5000/5100 signals a fresh advance with a long-term target of 6000.

All Ordinaries Gold Index

Helped by a weakening Aussie Dollar, testing support at 75 US cents. Breach of support would offer a long-term target of $0.69/$0.70.

AUDUSD

How QE reversal will impact on financial markets

The Federal Reserve last year announced plans to shrink its balance sheet which had grown to $4.5 trillion under the quantitative easing (QE) program.

According to its June 2017 Normalization Plan, the Fed will scale back reinvestment at the rate of $10 billion per month and step this up every 3 months by a further $10 billion per month until it reaches a total of $50 billion per month in 2019. That means that $100 billion will be withheld in the first year and $200 billion each year thereafter.

How will this impact on financial markets? Here are a few clues.

First, from the Nikkei Asian Review on January 11:

The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note shot to a 10-month high of 2.59% in London, before retreating later in the day and ending roughly unchanged in New York. Yields rise when bonds are sold.

The selling was sparked by reports that China may halt or slow down its purchases of U.S. Treasury holdings. China has the world’s largest foreign exchange reserves — holding $3.1 trillion, about 40% of which is in U.S. government notes, according to Brad Setser, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Chinese officials, as expected, denied the reports. But they would have to be pondering what to do with more than a trillion dollars of US Treasuries during a bond bear market.

Treasury yields are rising, with the 10-year yield breaking through resistance at 2.60%, signaling a primary up-trend.

On the quarterly chart, 10-year yields have broken clear of the long-term trend channel drawn at 2 standard deviations, warning of reversal of the three-decade-long secular trend. But final confirmation will only come from a breakout above 3.0%, completing a large double-bottom.

Withdrawal or a slow-down of US Treasury purchases by foreign buyers (let’s not call them investors – they have other motives) would cause the Dollar to weaken. The Dollar Index recently broke support at 91, signaling another primary decline.

The falling Dollar has created a bull market for gold which is likely to continue while interest rates are low.

US equities are likely to benefit from the falling Dollar. Domestic manufacturers can compete more effectively in both local and export markets, while the weaker Dollar will boost offshore earnings of multinationals.

The S&P 500 is headed for a test of its long-term target at 3000*.

Target: 1500 x 2 = 3000

Emerging market borrowers may also benefit from lower domestic servicing costs on Dollar-denominated loans.

Bridgewater CEO Ray Dalio at Davos:

We are in this Goldilocks period right now. Inflation isn’t a problem. Growth is good, everything is pretty good with a big jolt of stimulation coming from changes in tax laws…

If there is a downside, it is likely to be higher US inflation as employment surges and commodity prices rise. Which would force the Fed to raise interest rates faster than the market expects.

Gold responds to crude strength and Dollar support

The Dollar Index is testing primary support between 92 and 93. Breach of support would offer a long-term target between 83 and 84* — a bullish sign for gold.

Dollar Index

*Target: 93 – ( 103 – 93 ) = 83

Crude continues to test resistance at $50/barrel. Respect would indicate another test of the lower trend channel, around $40/barrel, continuing the primary down-trend. Follow-through above $50 would suggest that a bottom has formed and the next correction is likely to be higher than the last low at $42.

Nymex Light Crude

Gold retraced to test support at $1250/ounce — in line with crude strength and Dollar support. Respect of support is more likely and would indicate another test of $1300. Reversal below $1250 is unlikely but would warn of another test of primary support at $1200.

Spot Gold

Silver also retraced and is likely to test primary support at $15.50. Rising Twiggs Trend Index suggests that another test of resistance at $17 remains likely. Breakout above $17 would be bullish for gold.

Spot Silver

Gold rallies as Crude rises and Dollar falls

The Dollar Index is testing primary support between 92 and 93; bullish for gold. Breach of support would offer a long-term target between 83 and 84*.

Dollar Index

*Target: 93 – ( 103 – 93 ) = 83

Crude rallied strongly this week, with Nymex light crude testing its upper trend channel at $50/barrel. Respect would indicate another test of the lower trend channel, around $40/barrel, continuing the primary down-trend. Follow-through above $50 would suggest that a bottom has formed and the next correction is unlikely to reach the last low of $42.

Nymex Light Crude

Gold followed through above $1260 after a brief retracement, indicating another test of $1300. Reversal below $1250 is unlikely but would be a bearish sign, warning of another test of primary support.

Spot Gold

The accompanying rally in Silver is testing the descending trendline at $17/ounce. Penetration would suggest that a bottom is forming and the primary down-trend is near an end; a bullish sign for gold.

Spot Silver

Gold: There’s life in the old girl yet

The Dollar Index is in a primary down-trend. Breach of support at 95.50 signals another decline. The long-term target is the 2016 low between 92 and 93.

Dollar Index

A weakening Dollar and geo-political uncertainty should fuel demand for gold, but gold and silver have both been testing support in recent weeks rather than advancing strongly as expected.

The best explanation I have for this is falling crude oil prices. The long-term chart below shows gold and crude oil prices adjusted for inflation (CPI). Whenever there is a strong surge in crude oil prices, gold tends to follow. Rising crude prices and higher consequent inflation reduce confidence in the Dollar and major oil producers tend to buy more gold with their newfound surplus, as a store of value.

Gold & Crude Oil prices adjusted for inflation

The opposite occurs if oil prices fall and those same oil producers are forced to sell gold reserves in order to fund an unexpected deficit.

At present crude prices are undergoing a bear market rally, having recovered above resistance at $45/barrel, but the primary trend is down. Gold has followed suit, recovering above support at $1215/ounce. Penetration of the declining trendline suggests a test of resistance at $1250.

Spot Gold

But crude prices remain weak and (gold) respect of $1250 would indicate another test of primary support at $1200.

Gold tests resolve

The Dollar Index is in a primary down-trend. Short-term support is unlikely to hold. The long-term target is the 2016 low between 92 and 93.

Dollar Index

Silver often acts as a lead indicator gold. Testing primary support at $15.50/15.60 per ounce, breach would warn of a primary down-trend.

Silver

I have been bullish on gold since the election of Donald Trump as president. My comment last week was:

“Let me put it this way: recovery of gold above $1250 would not be a surprise. And would test resistance at $1300….”

Gold is trending lower, breach of $1215 warning of a test of primary support at $1200.

From a fundamental viewpoint, I can find no strong argument to support a lower gold price:

So I remain bullish on the long-term outlook for gold. But a peak below zero on Twiggs Trend Index warns of weakness. Breach of primary support at $1200 would mean that all bets are off.

Spot Gold