Gold Rallies Sharply on Bernanke's Dovish Stance, Bargain Hunting, Short Covering, Safe-Haven Demand

Gold futures prices ended the U.S. day session with sharp gains Tuesday and pushed well above the key $1,600.00 level. The yellow metal was boosted in part by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke assuaging market place fears that the U.S. central bank could exit its very easy-money ways sooner rather than later. Safe-haven buying was also seen in gold Tuesday, amid fresh concerns about the sovereign debt crisis in the European Union. Short covering and bargain hunting were also featured in both gold and silver, following last week’s strong selling pressure. April Comex gold last traded up $29.80 at $1,616.40 an ounce. Spot gold was last quoted up $23.10 at $1,617.25.  May Comex silver last traded up $0.383 at $29.43 an ounce.

After seeing modest early price gains, gold futures prices took a dip at mid-morning Tuesday when some stronger-than-expected U.S. economic data was released. U.S. home sales rose sharply in January, while the consumer confidence index rose in February. The latest Richmond Fed business survey also showed an upbeat reading. Bernanke’s prepared text for delivery to the U.S. Senate was also released at the same time the U.S. economic data came out. It took gold traders and investors a bit to digest Bernanke’s remarks, but the gold market did start to rally sharply in the aftermath of his comments. While Bernanke's remarks were pretty much what the market place expected, they were nonetheless dovish on U.S. monetary policy, and what the precious metals market bulls wanted to hear from the Fed chief. He said the benefits of a very accommodative monetary policy outweigh the potential risks of such, helping calm worries the U.S. central bank could end its quantitative easing of monetary policy sooner rather than later. In questioning from senators, Bernanke also hinted the Fed may not have to sell off all its asset purchases over a period of time and may just keep them until they expire. That was a bit of bullish surprise for the raw commodity and stock markets, as there was some worry that the Fed selling off those assets, even over time, could put some downside pressure on many markets.

The European Union and its sovereign debt problems are back on the front burner of the market place after a few months’ hiatus. Italian elections that just concluded and failed to show a clear winner indicated voters ostensibly rebuked present government austerity measures meant to repair Italy’s damaged economic and financial structure. It also suggests political instability in Italy in the coming months. The Italian vote left the market place wondering when the next shoe will fall in the EU debt crisis that remains a serious matter in the world market place. Flight-to-safety buying of U.S. Treasuries, German bunds, gold and the U.S. dollar all quickly came back into vogue. Risk assets such as world stock markets and many commodity markets, and the Euro currency, were pressured on the Italian vote news. Other than the safe-haven German bunds, European bond yields were on the rise as fears of an EU debt contagion are again surfacing. There are Italian government debt auctions Tuesday and Wednesday that will be very closely scrutinized by the market place.

The U.S. government’s likely inability to agree on a taxing and spending plan by the March 1 sequestration deadline has added to a nervous and uncertain atmosphere in the world market place this week.

In Asia, the Japanese stock market fell as the yen rallied on safe-haven investor demand due to the resurfacing of the EU debt crisis. The yen had been on a steady decline for the past four months, but made an abrupt about-face on Monday afternoon.

The U.S. dollar index was higher again Tuesday and hit a fresh six-month high. The U.S. dollar bulls have gained upside technical momentum recently to suggest the dollar index has put in a market bottom and can continue to trend higher in the near term. Meantime, Nymex crude oil futures prices were lower Tuesday and hit a fresh two-month low. The crude oil bears have gained fresh downside near-term technical momentum recently. These two key “outside markets” were in a bearish posture for the precious metals Tuesday, but traders and investors chose to buy the recent dip in gold prices anyway.

The London P.M. gold fixing is $1,590.50 versus the previous London P.M. fixing of $1,586.25.
Technically, April gold futures prices closed nearer the session high Tuesday. Recent serious chart damage is starting to be repaired but the bulls have more heavy lifting to do in the near term to suggest a price uptrend can be sustained. Gold prices are still in a six-week-old downtrend on the daily bar chart. The gold bulls’ next upside near-term price breakout objective is to produce a close above solid technical resistance at $1,650.00. Bears' next near-term downside breakout price objective is closing prices below solid technical support at the February low of $1,554.40. First resistance is seen at Tuesday’s high of $1,619.70 and then at the January low of $1,627.90. First support is seen at $1,600.00 and then at $1,590.00. Wyckoff’s Market Rating: 4.0

May silver futures prices closed near the session high Tuesday and saw more short covering and bargain hunting following recent strong selling pressure. Serious near-term technical damage has been inflicted in silver recently. May silver bears have the near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a six-week-old downtrend on the daily bar chart. Bulls’ next upside price breakout objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $30.00 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at the February low of $28.315. First resistance is seen at Tuesday’s high of $29.495 and then at $29.67. Next support is seen at $29.00 and then at this week’s low of $28.60. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.5.

May N.Y. copper closed up 235 points at 358.45 cents Tuesday. Prices closed nearer the session high on short covering after hitting a fresh three-month low early on. Serious near-term chart damage was inflicted last week. Copper bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. Copper bulls' next upside breakout objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 365.00 cents. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at 350.00 cents. First resistance is seen at 360.00 cents and then at 362.50 cents. First support is seen at 355.00 cents and then at Tuesday’s low of 353.35 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.0.

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A Quick Glance at News (20/12/2012)

Talks to avoid a U.S. fiscal crisis stalled on Wednesday as President Barack Obama accused opponents of holding a personal grudge against him while the top Republican negotiator called the president "irrational."

The Bank of Japan delivered its third dose of monetary stimulus in four months on Thursday in a prelude to more aggressive action next year, as it faces intensifying pressure from the country's next leader for stronger efforts to beat deflation.

The yen languished near 20-month lows against its U.S. peer on Thursday, but trading was choppy in thin conditions with yen bears possibly suffering a case of cold feet as the Bank of Japan's policy decision loomed.

The Bank of Japan has already shown its readiness to keep an ultra loose monetary policy but stressing its resolve to ease "unlimitedly" would make a difference, a senior Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) official said on Thursday.

Asian shares retreated from near 17-month highs on Thursday and commodities fell as negotiations to avert a U.S. fiscal crunch turned to personal taunts, putting at risk a timely solution as well as the health of the world's largest economy

U.S. stocks sold off late in the day to close at session lows on Wednesday as talks to avert a year-end fiscal crisis turned sour, even as investors still expect a deal.

Asia’s benchmark equities index has risen about 14 percent this year as central banks from the U.S., Europe, Japan and China took action to spur economic growth

The gauge traded at 14.7 times average estimated earnings compared with 13.8 for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and 12.8 times for the Stoxx Europe 600 Index, according to data compiled by Bloomberg

Australia’s government said it’s unlikely to deliver a pledged budget surplus this fiscal year as weaker growth and a strong local currency curb tax receipts, a setback for Prime Minister Julia Gillard before an election due in late-2013.

Oil fell from the highest level in two months in New York on speculation its four-day gain was exaggerated as budget negotiations faltered in the U.S., threatening the economy of the world’s biggest crude user.

Australian stocks advanced on Thursday, building on highs not seen since July 2011. The S&P/ASX 200 index edged up 0.1% to 4621.50, with most sectors trading higher.

Where next for the Australian dollar?

SYDNEY (Market Watch) — The Australian dollar has survived a drop in commodity prices and lower interest rates this year, but will the world’s fifth-most-traded currency head lower in the new year? 

The “aussie”— which accounts for around 7% of global foreign-exchange trade — presently trades well over the $1.05 mark, near where it started the year. 

Relatively high domestic interest rates, a triple-A credit rating and an outperforming economy have laid the foundations for the currency’s strength over the last few years, after it started 2009 at around 70 U.S. cents.

It stumbled mid-year to as low as 96 U.S. cents, when a drop in commodity prices raised questions about the future strength of Australian exports, and downward pressure on interest rates eroded some of its yield advantage against rivals. 

Since then, however, iron-ore prices are off their worst levels, thanks to signs that China’s economy is stabilizing, and while interest rates are still well above levels found in many other developed world economies. But analysts say these issues alone don’t fully explain the recent revival in the Australian currency’s fortunes. 

“The simplest answer is that some other factor matters more, and the likely candidate is the risk-on/risk-off dynamic,” HSBC currency strategists said in a recent research note.

“Even a cursory glance at the evidence suggests a strong and consistent relationship between the Australian dollar-U.S. dollar pair and the performance of the U.S. equity market, in turn a reliable proxy for the wider risk-on/risk-off phenomenon,” the strategists said. 

From 2009, the Australian dollar’s rate against the U.S. currency has shown a more than 75% correlation with moves in the S&P 500 according to HSBC’s research. 

Fed matters

Risk-on/risk-off trading in the last few years has in itself largely resulted from massive central-bank liquidity injections into financial markets, where the sheer weight of money has created its own trading force. Money has found a home in many assets, pushing prices up. 

One of the banks leading the way in quantitative easing has been the Federal Reserve, which has had something of a knock-on effect on the U.S. dollar’s performance against rivals such as the aussie.

After their initial push following the 2008 global financial crisis, the central banks again ramped up policy-support measures and liquidity in the latter part of this year, with the Fed recently pledging billions more a month to support the U.S. economy, giving fresh legs to the Australian dollar. 

The Australian dollar “is still being influenced by global factors,” said Alvin Pontoh, currency strategist at TD Securities, who has an end-2013 target of $1.03 for the aussie. 

Pontoh believes the Fed is likely to extend quantitative easing at least to the end of next year, and the European Central Bank will also likely cut interest rates further.

Gold drops on stalemate in U.S. budget talks

Precious-Gold dropped on Tuesday trading on renewed worries regarding the so-called U.S. fiscal cliff as officials did not reach a solution yet, thereby threatening both U.S. and global recovery.

The shiny metal slipped for a third straight session to trade around $1704.66 an ounce, where it found support at $1701.66, which represents the Simple Moving Average (SMA) 100 level on the daily charts, after it fell from a high of $1717.35.

The trading range for today is expected among the key support at $1690.00 and the key resistance now at $1730.00.

Still, the main director of market sentiment is the U.S. fiscal cliff; it threatens the world`s biggest economy of falling back into recession if $607 billion of tax hikes and spending cuts start in January.

Yesterday, House of Republicans suggested a $2.2 trillion deficit-cutting plan, yet White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer replied that it “does not meet the test of balance.”

With the sluggish progress seen in U.S. budget talks the tensions are heightening and weigh on shares and commodities.

Gold is now moving with the U.S dollar as they both face downside pressure of the little progress in the budget negotiations.

The dollar index plummeted today to record a low of 79.80 after opening today`s trading at 79.89.

On the other hand, the euro is resuming its upside direction to six-week high versus the greenback after Greece said yesterday it would spend 10 billion euros to buy-back bonds via a modified Dutch auction.

Euro area finance ministers expressed their confidence that Greece will handle a successful bond buyback on Dec. 7, lifitng up expectations the debt crisis is abating.

Later in the day, European Union finance ministers will meet in Brussels to continue their pursuit to ease the three-year-old debt crisis.

Crude oil for January`s delivery inched down to $88.68 per barrel compared with the day`s opening level of $88.90.

Among other precious metals, silver retreated to $33.28 from the day`s opening of $33.32, platinum ticked down to $1592.75 from $1594.25, and palladium inched up to $678.60 from $678.40.

Gold and Silver Miners Show Strength as Futures Decline

On Tuesday, gold (NYSEARCA:GLD) futures for February delivery, the most active contract, dropped $25.30 to settle at $1,695.80 per ounce, while silver (NYSEARCA:SLV) fell 95 cents to close at $32.78.

Both precious metals declined as political rhetoric over the fiscal continues to dominate headlines. In an interview on Bloomberg Television, President Barack Obama said, “We have the potential of getting a deal done.”

 However, he also added, “We’re going to have to see the rates on the top 2 percent go up, and we’re not going to be able to get a deal without it.” The statement shows that both sides of the aisle still have some work to do before reaching an agreement.

Some analysts believe that a failure to prevent the fiscal cliff will send gold prices lower, as everything in the market will selloff in the short-term. However, long-term bullish trends like ultra-low interest rates still remain in place for precious metals. Australia’s central bank cut interest rates by 0.25 percent to 3.0 percent on Tuesday, matching the lowest level on record since 2009.

In afternoon trading, the SPDR Gold Trust (NYSEARCA:GLD) fell about 1.0 percent, while the iShares Silver Trust (NYSEARCA:SLV) declined 2.0 percent. Gold miners (NYSEARCA:GDX) performed better, with Barrick Gold (NYSE:ABX) and Goldcorp (NYSE:GG) both jumping more than 1.0 percent. First Majestic Silver (NYSE:AG) and Silver Wheaton (NYSE:SLW) also climbed higher.