Buy Yen on Debt Debacle? | WSJ

Ian Talley at WSJ reports:

In, “The Curious Case of the Yen: A Safe Haven Currency without Inflows” (see p.142) the IMF studied 11 shocks between the August 1990 U.S. savings and loan crisis and the August 2011 U.S. debt ceiling confrontation that pushed the volatility index 10 percentage points higher than its previous 60-day average. “The yen has tended to appreciate on average during these episodes, against the U.S. dollar, the euro and in nominal and real effective terms,” the IMF found.

Read more at Buy Yen on Debt Debacle? – Real Time Economics – WSJ.

Gold finds safe haven support

Softening of gold prices from the “stronger” dollar is being offset by demand for gold as a safe haven from the looming euro-zone crisis. Respect of support at 1750 would indicate another test of $1900; confirmed if spot recovers above $1830.  The pattern remains bullish at present, but breakout below $1750 would warn of a double top and correction to $1500/$1600* (depending on whether you take the base as $1700 or $1750).

Spot Gold

* Target calculation: 1900 + (1900 – 1750 ) = 2050 and 1750 – (1900 – 1750 ) = 1600

Gold miners such as AMEX Gold Bugs Index ($HUI) continue to test support after their recent breakout. Failure of support at 600 would warn of a bull trap and weaker spot prices.

Amex Gold Bugs Index

* Target calculation: 600 + ( 600 – 500 ) = 700