Category: General

Is The Yield Curve Really Flattening?

Posted on by The INO.com Team

There is a lot of talk now about a flattening of the yield curve.  This talk has been among the most intense right here at the website you are reading at this moment.  A flattening curve is commonly viewed as bad for gold, and according to Mark Hulbert, is an indicator of a coming recession.

But is the curve really flattening or is this all hype based on Janet Yellen's press conference comments?  Here is a chart the likes of which we have been using in NFTRH for many months now, the 30 year vs. the 5 year yield.

30.5

Here we should lend some perspective.  Okay Beuller, I ask you what is different this time from the last flattening? Continue reading "Is The Yield Curve Really Flattening?" →

Get Out Of Gold Stocks -- Right Now

Posted on by admin

Few investments are driven by psychology and fear as much as gold. Concerns about ruinous inflation, global tensions or economic instability can send investors out of stocks and right into the seemingly safe harbor of gold.

Is the fear trade back on? A double-digit rebound in gold prices since the year began has led some investors to wonder if gold is poised for a great 2014 after a dismal slump in 2013 when gold prices fell more than $400 an ounce. Junior gold miners have fared even better: The Market Vectors Junior Gold Miner ETF (NYSE: GDXJ) is up roughly 35% in the past three months.

Much of the impetus for an upward move in gold prices was the building tensions in Ukraine, which led to concerns about potential military escalation. It's now apparent that financial sanctions, and not a deepening of a war posture, will characterize the hardening Russia/European Union relationship, and the risk factor is slowly receding. Continue reading "Get Out Of Gold Stocks -- Right Now" →

Obama Gives Putin A Billion Dollars!

Posted on by The INO.com Team

A friend sent this to me over the weekend, I thought you might find the premise interesting.

Adam

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The Ukraine buys almost all its energy (natural gas) from Russia. Revenues from natural gas sales are a primary source of income for Russia.

Because of the recent disagreement between the Ukraine and Russia, Russia is raising the price of the natural gas it sells to the Ukraine.

The Ukraine is almost broke and can't afford the increase in the natural gas price because it would be forced into bankruptcy.

Obama just announced the United States is giving the Ukraine $1 billion to assist in paying for the higher priced natural gas it buys from Russia. Continue reading "Obama Gives Putin A Billion Dollars!" →

Chart of The Week - Euro Futures

Posted on by The INO.com Team

Each Week Longleaftrading.com will be providing us a chart of the week as analyzed by a member of their team. We hope that you enjoy and learn from this new feature.

This week’s focus turns to the June 2014 Euro currency futures, where recent weak March PMI results leads to a downward path of least resistance. The recent sell off has been supported by ongoing talk that the US might be closer to raising interest rates than previously thought, giving lift to the US Dollar.

We have seen a sharp retracement from the recent swing high of 139.66 posted on March 13, 2014. Last Wednesday and Thursday, we saw two sharp sell offs on increased volume, which would confirm a bearish sentiment for this week. Following the two day sell off, Friday saw a consolidation within Thursday’s range, and we open this week looking for a bearish continuation.

Continue reading "Chart of The Week - Euro Futures" →

ZIRP Up Next?

Posted on by admin

Everyone expects Janet Yellen to be a rolling over, inflationist stooge just like they did Ben Bernanke.  Bernanke came on board after Alan Greenspan had taken the Fed Funds rate up to around 5% if I remember correctly.  Inflationists and gold bugs thought they had it in the bag when 'Helicopter Ben' assumed control.

Indeed, Bernanke did what he was supposed to do (per the 'Helicopter 'Ben' script) as systemic stresses began to gather in 2007, addressing that pesky Funds rate, culminating in December, 2008's official ZIRP (zero interest rate policy).  Here again is the chart showing the S&P 500's 'Hump #3' attended by this most beneficial monetary policy.

spx.irx

As noted again and again, the much trumpeted 'taper' of QE is not only not a negative for the economy, we have made a strong case that its mechanics are actually a positive, in the near term at least.  But putting ZIRP on the table would be a whole different ball of wax. Continue reading "ZIRP Up Next?" →