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Arab Spring and Oil Prices

Crude oil prices hit a four-month high this week on the back of rising tensions in the Middle East and North Africa and the unfortunate murder of the U.S. ambassador to Libya. Added impetus on the upside was given to oil by the announcement of more money printing (QE3) by the Federal Reserve which said it would launch an open-ended  commitment to purchase $40 billion of mortgage-backed securities monthly.

The global benchmark for oil, Brent crude oil, jumped to about $117 a barrel. It maintained its roughly $18 premium to U.S.-based WTI crude oil which was trading at $100 a barrel on a couple days ago. Non-futures investors can easily participate in the oil market through the use of exchange traded funds. The ETF which tracks Brent crude oil futures is the United States Brent Oil Fund (NYSE: BNO) and the ETF which tracks WTI crude oil futures is the United States Oil Fund (NYSE: USO).

The real story behind the story in the oil market, however, is the ongoing Arab Spring which is sweeping throughout the Middle East and North Africa, pushing aside some regimes and threatening others. The countries whose governments, such as Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states, feel threatened by popular uprisings are where investors should put their focus.

Saudi Arabia in particular is key because it accounts for more three-quarters of the world’s spare oil production capacity. So it is very important to note that the kingdom is no longer a price ‘dove’ in OPEC as it has been for decades. It has joined Iran, Venezuela and others in being a price ‘hawk’.

The reason behind the change in attitude is simple…Arab Spring.

Like its neighbors in the Gulf region, Saudi Arabia has gone on a public spending spree to appease its restless citizens. It has sharply increased outlays on subsidies for items like food, fuel and housing in an attempt to appease its citizens. In 2011, the kingdom raised its domestic spending by $129 billion – the equivalent of more than half its oil revenues.

Much of this increased spending will go toward upgrading the country’s infrastructure. Take electricity, for example. Saudi Arabia has revealed plans to spend more than $100 billion dollars on power plants and distribution networks by 2020. The kingdom has also set a goal to electrify 500,000 new homes that are being built in an attempt to mollify political unrest among its population of 27 million people.

This spending spree led the International Monetary Fund and other analysts to estimate that the kingdom and other Gulf countries need oil to be selling between $80 and $85 a barrel in order for the governments to balance their budgets. This is up, in Saudi Arabia’s case, from a mere $25 a barrel a few short years ago!

Unfortunately for oil consumers, this trend looks set to continue in years ahead. According to the Institute of International Finance, by 2015 the Saudi government will only be able to balance its budget if oil prices are at $115 a barrel if current spending trends remain in place.

So in effect, with the Arab Spring forcing governments to spend more on their citizens, it has put a floor under the price of oil. OPEC will do everything in its power to keep the price above the budget breakeven points for governments in the Gulf region.

Keep up to speed on the oil and precious metals markets with my free newsletter: www.GoldAndOilGuy.com

Chris Vermeulen

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Gold Standard To Be Reinstated Through The Back Door

For the first time in over 30 years, talk of a return to the gold standard has become part of mainstream politics in the United States. Part of the official Republican policy adopted it at the recent Republican Convention and called for the commission to look at reestablishing the link between gold and the U.S. dollar. No doubt that plank was added to soothe supporters of Texas Congressman Ron Paul.

However, gold bugs holding gold bullion or even those holding gold ETFs such as the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE: GLD) shouldn’t hold their breath in anticipation of the gold standard returning. There was a similar commission – the Gold Commission – set up in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan. After a lot of ‘commissioning’, the decision was made to go with the status quo of using fiat Federal Reserve dollars.

Any commission set up under the current president would likely come to the same conclusion. There are simply too many practical obstacles to return to a full-fledged gold standard. Even pro-gold advocates including the World Gold Council and the Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee (GATA) don’t see a gold standard returning.

The key problem would be at what price of gold would the United States peg its currency. Great Britain returned to the gold standard in 1925, after going off it in 1914, at the 1914 peg price. This was a mistake made by Winston Churchill (he called it the biggest he ever made) since it basically ignored the vast inflation in the British pound in those intervening years. The result was a vast overvaluation of the pound and deflation and high unemployment soon followed.

What price would a new Gold Commission set as the “correct” price of the U.S. dollar versus gold? $1,000? $2,000? $5,000? The answer is that there is no “correct” price. Whatever price is set will eventually be tested by the financial markets and fail much as the pegged currencies system failed. So there will be no return to the gold standard.

But that does not mean there will not be a ‘back-door’ gold standard. The move to such as a system is already underway as central banks all over the world are rebuilding their stockpiles of gold. After two decades of heavy selling, central banks became net buyers of gold in 2010 and the momentum has built since. Gold will likely end up being used as ‘good’ collateral by global central banks, as opposed to the shaky collateral sovereign bonds are turning into.

Central bank purchases, led by the emerging markets, are on track this year to hit a record high according to the World Gold Council. China alone in 2011 bought around 490 tons of gold. Other countries including Russia, Turkey and South Korea have added gold to their official holdings in recent months. This buying showed up as central bank purchases in the second quarter of 2012 were more than double the level reported a year earlier at 157.5 metric tons. If the buying continues at current levels, central banks gold purchases would total around 500 tons this year, easily surpassing last year’s 458 tons.

The bottom line for investors from the global central banks’ buying of gold? The gold standard is working its way back into the international monetary system through the back door. This should, in the long-term, put a floor under gold and help maintain it on its steady upward path.

Just last week we started to see gold bullion, silver bullion and gold miner share prices start to breakout to the upside of a 12 month consolidation pattern. This could be the start of the next major rally in precious metals as future uncertainty fears continue to rise. The large bullish technical pattern we see on the gold chart points to much higher prices over the coming 24 months. But keep in mind this is a monthly chart and it could still take months to truly breakout to new highs and start another rally.

Gold Bullion Trading

If you would like to get my weekly analysis on precious metals
and the board market join my free newsletter at www.TheGoldAndOilGuy.com

Chris Vermeulen

 

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Equities Fight to Hold Up While EU & US Data Give Mixed Signals

Investors and traders just can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to economic news. For example Tuesday in the United States we saw strong ISM manufacturing numbers which surprised the market. The numbers were way above expectations and it triggered a feeding frenzy in US based investments like stocks and the green back.

The following session Italy reported terrible PMI and unemployment rate numbers which took most of the wind out the European and US stocks. One day the data is great, next day it’s bad…

The strong numbers in the US have everyone including myself thinking that this week’s jobless claims (unemployment rate) will be down. If this is the case then we will see stocks jump along with the dollar, much like what we saw trader do last Tuesday which is what Jim Cramer says best – BUY BUY BUY.

Normally we do not see the dollar index rally along with stocks but if EU continues to show signs of weakness then it is very likely the dollar and equities inverse relationship could decouple. Reason being investors around the globe will focus their money on the more stable US investments like the dollar and US stocks.

You can learn how to trade economic news with my free Economic Indicator Trading Tool: http://www.thetechnicaltraders.com/economic-indicators.pdf    

 

The Dollar is Trading at a Major Tipping Point – Weekly Chart

The dollar index is something that I watch very closely on a daily basis. Focusing on the weekly and 8 hour charts I look for support and resistance levels along with price patterns.

As you can see from the weekly dollar chart below, a large bull flag has formed. This pattern typically means higher prices and in this case the price target is between the 86 and 88 level.

 

There are few wild cards to toss into the game on what will unfold next:

  1. Currency manipulation seems to be strong and if the US wants a low dollar value then it’s likely it will stay low. This bodes well for stocks and commodities.
  2. Depending on what happens and how things unfold in Euro-land the dollar/stock relationship could decouple meaning they could start to rise together. If we get neutral economic data out of the EU and positive data out of the US it will likely boost the value of stocks and the dollar. But strong negative data out of the EU will more than likely just sent the dollar higher and spooking investors and triggering a selloff in stock prices.

Dollar Index Investing

 

Dollar Index 4 Hour Chart

I find the dollar index to be a great trading tool in helping me time short term reversals in the equities market.

Taking a look at the 8 hour chart below you can see recurring bullish falling wedge patterns. The most recent brake out was this week and I anticipate the 79.50+ levels to be reached in the near term. If the dollar does continue to move higher then I expect sideways to lower stock prices for a couple more sessions.

That being said, the mixed economic data between the US and EU is going to cause this scenario to be unpredictable. Depending on the jobless claims this week stocks could actually rally while the dollar moves higher. Unfortunately, this week’s mixed data does not provide any trading opportunities that I feel comfortable making.

Dollar Index Trading

 

Mid-Week Market Conclusion:

In short, I feel a higher dollar is likely to happen. As for stock prices, well they are more of a wild card at this time but my analysis slightly favors higher prices.

To quickly touch on precious metals, they are likely to be under pressure for a few sessions simply because of the rising dollar.

I hope my analysis helps paint a picture of what to expect in the coming days.

Happy Trading,
Chris Vermeulen
www.GoldAndOilGuy.com – ETF Trading Analysis & Alerts

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Tuesday’s Market Video Game Plan for Metals, Oil & SP500

Hey Trader’s!

The next few trading sessions should be interesting with precious metals on the verge of a rally which should get the attention of traders and investors once again. If we can get investors to start looking at gold and silver again instead of high dividend paying stocks we will see gold hit $1800 an silver $37.

The SP500 has been pulling back and looks about ready to bounce going into the afternoon.

I recorded my morning analysis explaining what to expect in the market this week and the key support and resistance levels.

Watch Video Analysis: http://www.thetechnicaltraders.com/ETF-trading-videos/

Chris Vermeulen

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Precious Metals – Silver, Gold, Gold Miner Stocks On The Rise?

The past couple months investors have been focusing on the equities market. And rightly so with stocks running higher and higher. Unfortunately most money managers and hedge funds are under performing or negative for the first quarter simply because of the way prices have advanced. New money has not been able to get involved unless some serious trading rules have been bent/broken (buying into an overbought market and chasing prices higher). This type of market is when aggressive/novice traders make a killing cause they cannot do anything wrong, but 9 times out of 10 that money is given back once the market starts trading sideways or reverses.

While everyone is currently focusing on stocks, its important to research areas of the market which are out of favor. The sector I like at the moment is precious metals. Gold and silver have been under pressure for several months falling out of the spot light which they once held for so long. After reviewing the charts it looks as though gold, silver and gold miner stocks are set to move higher for a few weeks or longer.

Below are the charts of gold and silver charts. Each candle stick is 4 hours allowing us to look back 1-2 months while still being able to see all the intraday price action (pivot highs, pivot lows, volume spikes and price patterns).

The 4 hour chart is one time frame most traders overlook but from my experience I find it to be the best one for spotting day trades, momentum trades and swing trades which pack a powerful and quick punch.

As you can see below with the annotated charts gold, silver and gold miner stocks are setting up for higher prices over the next 2-3 weeks. That being said we may see a couple days of weakness first before they start moving up again.

4 Hour Momentum Chart of Gold:

 

4 Hour Momentum Chart of Silver:

 

Daily Chart of Gold Miner Stocks:

Gold miner stocks have been under performing precious metals for over a year already. Looking at the daily chart we are starting to see signs that gold miner stocks could move up sharply at the trade down at support, oversold and with price/volume action signaling a possible bottom.

 

Daily Chart of US Dollar Index:

The US Dollar index has formed a possible large Head & Shoulders pattern meaning the dollar could fall sharply any day. The size of this chart pattern indicates that if the dollar breaks down below its support neckline the we should expect the dollar to fall for 2-3 weeks before finding support.
Keep in mind that a falling dollar typically means higher stock and commodity prices. If this senario plays out then we should see the market top late April which falls inline with the saying “Sell In May and Go Away”.

 

 

Precious Metals Conclusion:

Looking forward 2-3 weeks precious metals seem to be setting up for higher prices as we go into earning season and May. Overall the market is close to a top so it could be a bumpy ride as the market works on forming a top in April.

Chris Vermeulen
www.GoldAndOilGuy.com

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Monday Pre-Market Video Analysis on What is About To Happen

Here is my video analysis on what to expect this week in silver, gold, oil and the SP500.

Watch Video Now: http://www.thetechnicaltraders.com/ETF-trading-videos/

Also if you have not signed up for Stocks, Futures and Options Magazine which is Free, you should do so now. They have had some great educational articles recently and if you want to master the market you must understand futures prices and how they are inter-connected. Get this Free Magazine Now
Chris Vermeulen
Founder of www.TheGoldAndOilGuy.com

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The Dead Cat (SP500) Did Bounce Just As We Expected!

Friday Technical Take Blog Post:
We are seeing stocks, oil and the dollar move up nicely today.

Stocks are pushing deep into a resistance level with very light volume… not a bullish sign. This is why we took profits yesterday with our SSO trade once we reached our dead cat bounce target of 2.5%. With it being Friday volume should only get lighter as the say progresses. I am starting to look at buying SDS as risk is low in my opinion but I’m going to let the morning play out first and re analyze in the afternoon.

Pre-Dead Cat Bounce Warning:

The rising market has sent the volatility index tumbling lower and this just goes to show why you must manage position and use protective stops. I know many of you were angry that I said to take partial profits and that we got stopped out yesterday on the VXX trade for a net gain of 2.9% in three days. Maybe one day emotional traders will see that you must trade with the market and adjust your trade outlook while in the trade. The market does not stop and wait for you to see the light, rather it will just steam roll you and never look back.

So with that being said I am starting to really like the VXX again for another buy signal. With any luck it could keep dropping for most of the session and we could go long this afternoon.

 

Crude oil is moving nicely in our favor today up another 2% on our 2x leveraged ETF’s. I am keeping my stop at breakeven for now as but that may change by the end of the day if we break the $109 level which is unlikely. Where to put your stops for any trade is always a tough call. It varies on the time frame, overall market condition and the size of your position so don’t think it’s just as simple s using the previous pivot high or low. That being said, those are good places for them if you have the timing correct or if the market co-operates with you…

 

*One key thing to point out today, the dollar bounced off support which is what I warned about last night and again this morning in pre-market. The strong bounce in the dollar has not caused any selling in oil or stocks this morning. I think that is based on the strong jobs report this morning. More jobs means businesses should be getting stronger and the more gas/oil will be consumed. But if the dollar keeps on moving higher and breaks above this key resistance level in the next few trading sessions then it will likely cause selling in stocks. Oil may hold up because demand will still be there.

Let’s see how the morning and lunch unfolds and regroup.

Chris Vermeulen – Free Trade Ideas – www.GoldAndOilGuy.com

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Volatility Bounces Bottom Awaiting Bad News or Selling to Strike!

Over the past 5 months we have seen volatility steadily decline as stocks and commodities rise in value. The 65% drop in the volatility index is now trading at a level which has triggered many selloffs in the stock market over the years as investors become more and more comfortable and greedy with rising stock prices.

Looking at the market from a HERD mentality and seeing everyone run to buy more stocks for their portfolio has me on edge. We could see a strong wave of fear/selling hit the S&P 500 Index over the next two weeks catching the masses with their hand in the cookie jar . . . again.

If you don’t know what the volatility index (VIX) is, then think of it as the fear index. It tells us how fearful/uncertain investors are or how complacent they are with rising stock prices. Additionally a rising VIX also demonstrates how certain the herd is that higher prices should continue.

The chart below shows this fear index on top with the SP500 index below and the correlation between the two underlying assets. Just remember the phrase “When the VIX is low it’s time to GO, When the VIX is high it’s time to BUY”.

Additionally the Volatility Index prices in fear for the next 30 days so do not be looking at this for big picture analysis. Fear happens very quickly and turns on a dime so it should only be used for short term trading, generally 3-15 days.

Volatility Index and SP500 Correlation & Forecast Daily Chart:

VIX Volatility Index Trading

 

Global Issues Continue To Grow But What Will Spark Global Fear?

Everyone has to admit the stock market has been on fire since the October lows of last year with the S&P 500 Index trading up over 26%. It has been a great run, but is it about to end? Where should investors focus on putting their money? Dividend stocks, bonds, gold, or just sit in cash for the time being??

I may be able to help you figure that out.

Below is a chart of the Volatility index and the gold exchange traded fund which tracks the price of gold bullion. Notice how when fear is just starting to ramp up gold tends to be a neutral or a little weak but not long after investors start selling their shares of securities we see money flow into the shiny yellow safe haven.

Gold & Fear Go Hand-In-Hand: Daily Chart

Looking at the relationship between investor fear/uncertainty and gold you will notice scared money has a tendency to move out of stocks and into safe havens.

Gold Trading Newsletter

Trading Conclusion Looking Forward 3 months…

In short, I feel the financial markets overall (stocks, commodities, and currencies) are going to start seeing a rise in volatility meaning larger daily swings which inherently increased overall downside risk to portfolios and all open positions.

To give you a really basic example of how risk increases, look at the daily potential risk the SP500 can have during different VIX price levels:

Volatility index under 20.00 Low Risk: Expect up to 1% price gaps at 9:30am ET, and up to 5% corrections from a previous high.

Volatility index between 20 – 30 Medium Risk: Expect up to 2% price gaps at 9:30am ET, and up to 15% corrections from recent market tops or bottoms.

Volatility index over 30 High Risk: Expect 3+% price gaps at 9:30am ET, and possibly another 5-15% correction from the previous VIX reading at Medium Risk

Note on price gaps: If you don’t know what I am talking about a price gap is simply the difference between the previous day’s close at 4:00pm ET and the opening price at 9:30am ET.

To continue on my market outlook, I feel the stock market will trade sideways or possibly grind higher for the next 1-2 weeks, during this time volatility should trade flat or slightly higher because it is already trading at a historically low level. It is just a matter of time before some bad news hits the market or sellers start to apply pressure and either of these will send the fear index higher.

I hope you found this info useful and if you would like to get these reports free every week delivered to your inbox be sure to join my FREE NEWSLETTER HERE: www.GoldAndOilGuy.com

Chris Vermeulen