Mike Seery's Weekly Futures Recap - Crude Oil, Gold, Platinum, Silver, Wheat Futures and More

Trading for the week of February 13th through February 17th ended with the market indexes closing higher going into the long holiday weekend. While all three major indexes are overbought stochastic and RSI remain neutral to bullish signaling that sideways to higher prices are still possible for the near term.

Time to get the a heads up from our trading partner Michael Seery. We've asked him to give our readers a recap of the this weeks futures markets and give us some insight on where he sees these markets headed. Mike has been a senior analyst for close to 15 years and has extensive knowledge of all of the commodity and option markets.

Crude oil futures in the March contract settled last Friday in New York at 53.86 a barrel while currently trading at 53.08 down about $0.80 for the trading week still stuck in a 2 month consolidation with very little volatility which is extremely surprising in my opinion as I'm looking at a possible bullish position if prices break the 4 week high of 54.34 as the chart structure is starting to improve tremendously. Prices are trading above their 20 and 100 day moving average is telling you that short term trend is higher as a breakout is looming in my opinion as the risk/reward will be in your favor in next week's trade. OPEC continues to signal that they may cut production in 2017 and that is propping up prices, however the U.S dollar is still at 101 which continues to be a hindrance to commodity prices and crude oil & if there could be any weakness in the dollar I think you could really start to see the commodity markets accelerate to the upside. Crude prices and a false breakout in last weeks trade when prices traded at a 9 week low only to rally as the next breakout, in my opinion, will be the real one and I think it will be to the upside so keep a close eye on this market for a possible bullish position in next weeks trade.
Trend: Higher - Mixed
Chart Structure: Improving

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Gold futures in the April contract settled last Friday in New York at 1,235 an ounce while currently trading at 1,244 right near a 3 month high as I'm currently sitting on the sidelines as I'm involved in all the other precious metals as you don't want to be too overloaded on one side as that can be dangerous if things fall apart. I am certainly not recommending any type of short position as I do think prices are headed higher & if you do have a futures position on I would place my stop under the 10 day low standing at 1,217 which is about $30 away or $3,000 risk per contract plus slippage & commission. Gold prices are trading above their 20, and 100-day moving average telling you that the short term trend is higher as the next major level of resistance was hit on February 8th at 1,246, and if that is broken, I think prices will head back up to the 1,300 level where prices were trading right when Trump was elected. Volatility in gold is relatively low despite the fact of all the worldwide turmoil as money flows continue to go into the S&P 500 which hit another all time high in yesterday's trade, however, gold prices are not selling off, and that is a good sign in my opinion as there is demand for precious metals and equities at present.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Improving

Platinum futures in the April contract settled last Friday in New York at $1,011 an ounce while currently trading at $1,014 up about $3 for the week as I've been recommending a bullish position around the $1,008 level & if you took that trade the 10 day low has been raised to 990 as the chart structure will not improve for another 9 days, so you're going to have to accept the monetary risk at this point. Platinum prices are still trading above their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend is higher as I've also recommended bullish positions in silver & copper and I do think gold prices will continue to grind higher. However, I'm not recommending a position in that market. The next major level of resistance is the February 9th high around $1,032 & if that is broken I think prices could head towards $1,100 and expand volatility as that is what we really need at this time across the board as this is not typical of the commodity markets to go this long without some type of craziness happening. The U.S dollar is still around 101 as that is keeping volatility low and a lid on prices here in the short term, but I do believe that demand is coming back for these commodities and that the bullish trends are developing.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Solid

Silver futures in the March contract are currently trading at 18.03 an ounce after settling last Friday in New York at 17.93 up about $0.10 in an extremely low volatile trading manner which is shocking in my opinion as I've been recommending a bullish position around an average price of 17.00 and if you took that trade continue to place your stop loss under the 10 day low which now has been raised to 17.54 as the chart structure is excellent. Silver prices are trading above their 20 and 100 day moving average is telling you that the short term trend is higher with the next major level of resistance around the recent high of 18.20 as I will be rolling over into the May contract in today's trade as expiration is coming upon us. At present am also recommending a bullish position in platinum & copper as I do think the precious metals look cheap, but we do need some volatility to enter this market as this trade is putting me to sleep despite the fact that prices continue to move higher. The main problem with the commodities at current time is the fact that the U.S dollar is at 101 and is relentless and will not selloff, but eventually, if we do get some weakness prices could accelerate to the upside and that is what I'm waiting for so remain bullish & place the proper stop loss. Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Excellent

Wheat futures in the March contract settled last Friday in Chicago at 4.52 bushel while currently trading at 4.47 down about 5 cents experiencing a wild trading session in Thursday's trade selling off around 20 cents from the session high as this market is all based on weather conditions in the Great Plains section of the United States at present. I have been recommending a bullish position from the 4.40 level and if you took that trade, the stop loss has been raised to 4.27 as the chart structure is now outstanding therefore lowering monetary risk as we will be rolling over into the May contract as expiration is upon us. Wheat prices are still trading above their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend is higher as record temperatures are reaching the Midwestern part of the United States on this long holiday weekend as we are closed on Monday as we will reopen on Tuesday morning due to the Presidents' Day holiday. The main concern about the wheat is the fact that it is still February and 65° is way too warm as we could still have a cold snap that could adversely affect the quality of the wheat and that's why you're seeing prices somewhat propped up here in recent days so continue to place proper stop loss while always maintaining the risk of 2% of your account balance on any given trade.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Excellent

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Mike Seery's Weekly Futures Recap - Crude Oil, Platinum, Silver, US Dollar, Coffee and More

Trading for the week of February 6th through February 10th ended with the S&P 500 closing higher. Posting a new record high as it renews the long term rally. The high range close sets the stage for a steady to higher opening when Monday's session begins trading. Of course that means it is time for a heads up from our trading partner Michael Seery. We've asked him to give our readers a recap of the this weeks futures markets and give us some insight on where he sees these markets headed. Mike has been a senior analyst for close to 15 years and has extensive knowledge of all of the commodity and option markets.

Crude oil futures in the March contract settled last Friday at 53.83 a barrel while currently trading at 53.70 basically unchanged as I'm looking for a breakout above 54.34 for a bullish position to the upside as prices have gone nowhere over the last 2 months. Oil in Wednesday's trade hit a 9 week low creating a false breakout to the downside before rallying & finished higher on the trading session as prices have now traded up for the last 3 consecutive days so keep a close eye on this market as I still think higher prices are ahead. OPEC continues to hint that they might cut production in 2017 as they would like to see prices between $65/$75 a barrel and I think they will use their power to enhance prices as we are still trading above the 20 & 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend is higher. The chart structure will start to improve later next week as a breakout is looming in my opinion as we are just not going to trade sideways forever as the commodity markets still look bullish in my opinion. If prices do break the 54.40 level, I think we could retest the double top around $56. However, we need some fresh fundamental news to push prices higher as the dollar remains stubbornly high.
Trend: Mixed
Chart Structure: Improving

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Platinum futures in the April contract settled last Friday in New York at $1,006 an ounce while currently trading at the same price as I am now recommending a bullish position from around the 1,008 level and if you take this trade place your stop loss under $988 as the chart structure is outstanding. Platinum prices are down $16 in early trade this Friday morning so take advantage of the price dip as prices are still trading above their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend remains to the upside. At present I'm also recommending bullish positions in silver and in the copper market as the precious metals, in general, continue to move higher, however, early strength from U.S dollar has put pressure on platinum, but the risk/reward is now in your favor which is what trading is all about. The next major level of resistance is yesterday’s high of $1,032 which were levels that we have not seen since the month of October and if that is broken you would have to think that the bullish trend would continue so play this to the upside while risking 2% of your account balance on any given trade.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Excellent

Silver futures in the March contract settled last Friday in New York at 17.48 an ounce while currently trading at 17.77 up around $0.30 for the trading week continuing its nonvolatile bullish momentum as I've been recommending a bullish position over the last month with an average price around the 17 level and if you took the trade place your stop loss at 10 day low which now stands at 17.10 as that will improve on Tuesday at 17.26, therefore, lowering monetary risk. The next major level of resistance is Wednesday's high around 17.87 & if that is broken, I think prices will head to the $18 range as I'm also recommending a bullish position in copper which is up about 1000 points this Friday afternoon as I remain bullish the entire precious metal sector. Silver prices are now trading above their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend is higher as I still think prices are going to retest the $19 level that's where silver was trading right when Trump was elected, as the commodity markets are looking strong despite the fact that the U.S dollar remains firm so continue to play this to the upside.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Solid - Improving

The U.S dollar in the March contract settled last Friday at 99.84 while currently trading at 100.81 up about 100 points for the trading week as I've been recommending a bearish position from around the 99.85 level & if you took the trade continue to place your stop loss above the 10 day high which was touched earlier in the trading session at 101.01 on a closing basis only. The dollar is trading higher for the 7th consecutive trading session with very low volatility as we are hanging in there by the skin of our teeth as I'm also recommending a bullish Euro currency as the commodity markets are higher across the board today despite the strength in the dollar. Prices are trading above its 20 and 100 day moving average telling you the short term trend is higher, but I will continue to place the proper stop and if we are stopped out then look at other markets that are beginning to trend as the trends are coming back mostly to the upside.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Excellent

Coffee futures in the March contract settled last Friday in New York at 148.70 a pound while currently trading at 147.90 basically unchanged for the week as I was recommending a bullish position last week getting stopped out taking the loss and moving on as the chart structure was excellent at the time. However, prices continue to drift lower. Coffee prices are trading right at their 20-day but still below their 100-day moving average which stands around 152 as I am still bullish coffee prices over the longer term, but when prices hit a 2 week low its time to move on & look at other trends that are beginning. At the current time, coffee is mixed to sideways. However, that doesn't mean we won't be involved relatively soon once again so keep a close eye on this market as this is a sleeping giant which is the largest commodity contract in the world as the risk is always higher in coffee than any other market. Growing conditions in the country of Brazil are currently ideal as certain dry pockets received substantial rain over the last week sending prices lower as its a long growing season and things can change on a dime as I remain bullish the entire commodity sector.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Excellent

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Mike Seery's Weekly Futures Recap - Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Gold, Silver & US Dollar

Trading for the week of January 30th through February 3rd ended with the market indexes closing in their higher ranges. Does that mean that we are sure the markets continue higher from here? No, but of course that means it is time for a heads up from our trading partner Michael Seery. We've asked him to give our readers a recap of the this weeks futures markets and give us some insight on where he sees these markets headed. Mike has been a senior analyst for close to 15 years and has extensive knowledge of all of the commodity and option markets.

Crude oil in the March contract settled last Friday in New York at 53.17 a barrel while currently trading at 53.60 up slightly for the trading week as prices have been stuck in a $2 range for the last 3 trading weeks as I've been sitting on the sidelines waiting for the trend to develop which I think might be to the upside. Oil prices are right at their 20 day but above their 100 day moving average as the chart structure is excellent at the current time as the United States released the monthly unemployment report which stated 227,000 new jobs were added which is a bullish indicator towards crude oil as there could be more demand with more people employed. The U.S dollar is still hovering around 100 which is still a longer term bearish fundamental indicator, but it seems to me that many of the commodities have already reflected that in their price so keep a close eye on this market to the upside as a 4 week high could be at hand next week. OPEC is hinting that they could possibly cut production once again in 2017 as it seems to me that they want prices back up into the $65/$75 level as that will take time, but I do think with growth coming back into the United States that is bullish stocks and commodities longer term.
Trend: Mixed
Chart Structure: Excellent

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Natural gas futures in the March contract settled last Friday in New York at 3.35 while currently trading at 3.06 down about 30 points for the trading week as I have been sitting on the sidelines in this market as it has remained choppy over the last several months. If you take a look at the daily chart there is a price gap which occurred on November 18th between 3.02/3.06 and I do think that will be filled with the possibility of retesting the contract low around 2.80, but at that level, you have to start thinking prices are getting cheap. Warmer weather in the Midwestern part of the United States is the main culprit for lower prices as the city of Chicago did not receive any snow in the month of January which is remarkable in my opinion coupled with above average temperatures, therefore, increasing supplies. Natural gas prices are still trading below their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the short-term trend is lower. However, I'm advising clients to avoid this market at present and look at other markets that are beginning to trend with a better risk/reward scenario.
Trend: Lower
Chart Structure: Improving

Gold futures in the April contract settled last Friday in New York at 1,191 an ounce while currently trading at 1,213 up over $20 for the trading week right near a 10 week high as I've been sitting on the sidelines in this commodity recommending bullish positions in silver and copper. Gold prices are still trading above their 20 day but below their 100 day moving average as the trend is mixed to higher in my opinion as the U.S dollar is still hovering right around the 100 level as I'm also recommending a short position in that currency at present. The monthly unemployment number was released this morning adding about 227,000 new jobs having very little impact on gold prices in today's trade. The next major level of resistance is yesterday's high around 1,227 and if that is broken, I think we could go back to around the 1,300 level right where we were before the Trump election as there is still room to run to the upside. I want to wait for better chart structure as the 10 day low is too far away at present coupled with the fact that I am already recommending two other precious metals as they all follow one another up or down, so you don't want to be too top-heavy.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Improving

Silver futures in the March contract settled last Friday in New York at 17.14 an ounce while currently trading at 17.50 up about $0.35 for the trading week as I have been recommending a bullish position originally from around 16.76 and now have added on 2 separate occasions as I remain bullish the precious metals and especially silver prices. If you took the original trade continue to place your stop loss under the 10 day low which stands at 16.63 as the chart structure is not very solid at present due to the run up in prices, however, it will improve but it will take 4 more trading sessions. Silver prices are now trading above their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend is higher as I'm also recommending a bullish position in copper which is down 500 points today & has been stuck in the mud over the last 3 weeks. At the current time I'm also recommending a bearish U.S dollar position and if that trade works out, you would have to think that would benefit silver prices as I still think historically speaking silver is very cheap and still has exceptional demand.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Improving - Poor

The U.S dollar in the March contract settled last Friday at 100.52 while currently trading at 99.85 down about 75 points for the trading week as I am now recommending a bearish position from around 99.85 & if you took that trade continue to place your stop loss above the 10 day high which stands at 101.01 risking around $1,200 per contract plus slippage and commission. The chart structure will not improve for another 6 days, so you're going to have to accept the monetary risk as prices are still trading below their 20 day but right at their 100 day moving average right near major support in my opinion. The United States released its monthly unemployment number adding 227,000 new jobs having very little impact on the currency market this afternoon as prices are still right near a 6 week low, so I will continue to place the proper stop loss while risking 2% of the account balance on any given trade. Volatility in the dollar is relatively high as we are having large price swings on a daily basis so make sure place the proper amount of contracts, therefore, managing risk properly.
Trend: Lower - Mixed
Chart Structure: Excellent

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Why the “Bond King” Is Having Flashbacks of the 2008 Financial Crisis

By Justin Spittler

As you probably know, Great Britain stunned the world by voting to leave the European Union on June 23. The “Brexit,” as folks are calling it, triggered a selloff that wiped $3 trillion from global stocks in two days. The announcement also shook the currency market. The pound sterling plunged 8% the day after the news broke. It was one of the British currency’s worst days ever. The U.S. dollar, euro, and Japanese yen experienced huge moves too.

It’s now been two weeks since the historic event and panic is still in the air. Investors around the world have piled into government bonds, which are widely considered safe assets. Yesterday, the yield on the 10 year U.S. Treasury hit a fresh all time low. Yields on British, Irish, German, and Japanese 10 year bonds also hit record lows. A bond’s yield falls when its price rises. Investors have loaded up on gold too. The price of gold has shot up 8% since June 23.
 
This shouldn’t surprise you if you’ve been reading the Dispatch. Regular readers know gold is the ultimate safe haven asset. It’s preserved wealth through every sort of financial crisis because it’s unlike any other asset. It’s durable, easily divisible, and easy to carry. Its value doesn’t depend on “confidence” in any government. In other words, it’s real money. After its Brexit fueled rally, gold is up 29% on the year. It’s at its highest price since March 2014. Yet, this rally is showing no signs of slowing down.

The SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD) just had one of its best days ever..…
On Tuesday, investors put $1.3 billion into the fund, which tracks the price of gold. According to Investor's Business Daily, it was the fund’s third best day ever. It was also the fund’s best day since stocks crashed on August 8, 2011. Investors have now plowed $15.26 billion into GLD this year. That’s the most of any of the 1,931 ETFs tracked by global analytics and research firm XTF.

In London, the panic has gotten so bad that several fund managers stopped their funds from trading..…
The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday:

Henderson Global Investors, Columbia Threadneedle and Canada Life are the latest fund managers to stop investors pulling their money out against a backdrop of political and economic uncertainty following Britain’s vote to leave the European Union. The fresh moves by fund companies to suspend redemptions Wednesday came after Standard Life Investments, Aviva Investors and M&G Investments suspended trading on U.K. property funds earlier this week. This means that half of the 10 largest U.K. property fund managers have suspended trading temporarily.

In other words, these managers have trapped their investors’ money to keep their funds from collapsing.

"Bond King" Bill Gross says something very similar happened just before the 2008 financial crisis..…
Gross is one of the world’s most well-known investors. He founded Pacific Investment Management Company (PIMCO) in 1971. Under his watch, PIMCO grew into the world’s biggest bond fund. Today, he runs his own bond fund at Janus Capital. Like us, Gross is worried about what’s happening in London right now. Bloomberg Business reported yesterday:

“It’s reminiscent of Bear Stearns’ subprime funds before the Lehman debacle,” Bill Gross, a fund manager at Janus Capital Group, said on Bloomberg TV. “The system doesn’t allow liquidity to flow into the proper places. If these property funds are just one indication, perhaps there will be others to follow. I think it’s something to worry about.”

The collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008 helped set the global financial crisis in motion. The S&P 500 went on to plunge 57% in two years. And the U.S. economy entered its worst downturn since the Great Depression.

Government officials are scrambling to contain the crisis..…
Last week, the Bank of England (BoE) pumped £3.1 billion into Britain’s banking system. It pledged to inject as much as £250 billion to stabilize its financial system. And on Tuesday this week, the BoE announced more “stimulus” measures. It eased special capital requirements for Britain’s banks. Specifically, the BoE lowered how much money banks need to hold as a “buffer.” The move increases the lending capacity of U.K. banks by as much as £150 billion. Economists at the BoE believe more borrowing and spending will stimulate the economy. As we’ve shown you many times, this won’t work. Casey Research founder Doug Casey explains:

It’s part of the Keynesian view, in which spending and consumption drive the economy. This isn’t just wrong, it’s the exact opposite of what’s true. It’s production and saving that drive an economy. You have to save to build capital, and capital is necessary for…everything. What these people are doing is destructive of civilization itself.

Still, this won’t be the last stimulus measure that the BoE rolls out..…
Last Tuesday, we said the BoE would likely cut interest rates. Two days later, Mark Carney, who heads the BoE, said the central bank needs to cut rates soon. The Wall Street Journal reported:

Mr. Carney said it was his personal view that the central bank would need to cut its key interest rate, currently 0.5%, “over the summer,” adding that an initial assessment of the economic damage caused by the vote to leave the EU would be made at the Monetary Policy Committee’s July meeting, and a “full assessment,” alongside new forecasts for growth and inflation, would take place in August. That suggests he favors an August move, while leaving the door open to an earlier decision.

According to The Telegraph, the BoE could cut rates much sooner than August. That’s because the financial markets have “priced in” a 78% chance that the BoE will cut rates next week. But there’s a problem. The BoE’s key rate is currently 0.50%. In other words, it doesn’t have much room to cut rates. To stimulate the economy, the BoE will likely have to launch quantitative easing (QE), which is just another term for “money printing.”

The BoE won’t fix Britain’s economy by cutting rates or printing money..…
According to MarketWatch, central banks have cut rates more than 650 times since Lehman Brothers collapsed in September 2008. They have also “printed” more than $12 trillion over the same period. And yet, the global economy is barely growing. The U.S., Europe, Japan, and China—the world’s four biggest economies—are all growing at their slowest rates in decades. There’s no reason to think these easy money policies will work this time. It’s much more likely that central bankers will destroy the currencies they’re supposed to defend. Doug Casey explains:

In a desperate attempt to stave off a day of financial reckoning during the 2008 financial crisis, global central banks began printing trillions of new currency units. The printing continues to this day. And it’s not just the Federal Reserve that’s doing it: it’s just the leader of the pack. The U.S., Japan, Europe, China…all major central banks are participating in the biggest increase in global monetary units in history. These reckless policies have produced not just billions, but trillions in malinvestment that will inevitably be liquidated. This will lead us to an economic disaster that will in many ways dwarf the Great Depression of 1929–1946. Paper currencies will fall apart, as they have many times throughout history.

If you do one thing to protect yourself from reckless governments, own gold. As we mentioned above, gold is real money—it’s the only currency that doesn’t depend on a government or central bank doing the right thing. For other ways to safeguard your wealth, watch this free presentation. We encourage you watch this video even if you don’t have a dime in the stock market. That’s because the coming crisis will hit you no matter where you keep your money. The good news is that you can protect your money if you make the right moves soon. You could even turn this threat into an opportunity to make a lot of money. Watch this short video to learn how.

REMINDER: Doug Casey will be in Las Vegas next week..…
Doug will be at FreedomFest 2016: Freedom Rising, an annual festival where free minds meet to talk, strategize, socialize, and celebrate liberty. Doug will be giving several speeches, and he’ll also receive an award for his new novel, Speculator. He’ll join a star-studded lineup of speakers that includes Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson, Senator Rand Paul, and Agora founder Bill Bonner. FreedomFest takes place July 13–16 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. To learn more, visit www.freedomfest.com. Enter the code SALEM to get $100 off the ticket price.

Chart of the Day

Silver just set a new two year high. As you can see from today's chart, silver has soared 45% this year. On Monday, it topped $20 for the first time since August 2014. Longtime readers know that silver is gold’s more volatile cousin. Like gold, silver is real money. But unlike gold, it’s an industrial metal. It goes into everything from solar panels to batteries. Because of this, it's more volatile, and more sensitive to an economic slowdown than gold is.

So, if you’re nervous about the economy or financial system, the first thing you should do is own gold. We encourage most folks to hold 10% to 15% of their wealth in gold. Once you own enough gold, consider adding silver to your portfolio. It could see even bigger gains than gold in the years to come.

The article Why the “Bond King” Is Having Flashbacks of the 2008 Financial Crisis was originally published at caseyresearch.com.

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Mike Seery's Weekly Futures Recap - Crude Oil, Gold and U.S. Dollar

It's been a crazy end to the week with the results from the Brexit vote in and that means it is time for a heads up from our trading partner Michael Seery. We've asked him to give our readers a recap of the this weeks futures markets and give us some insight on where he sees these markets headed. Mike has been a senior analyst for close to 15 years and has extensive knowledge of all of the commodity and option markets. 

Crude oil futures in the August contract settled last Friday in New York at 48.56 a barrel while currently trading at 47.71 down about $1 for the trading week while selling off $2.50 this Friday afternoon. The U.S dollar is up over 200 points putting pressure on oil and the commodity sector as a whole. Crude oil prices are trading below their 20 day but still above their 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend is mixed as I’m currently sitting on the sidelines looking for a possible short entry in next week’s trade. Crude prices are retesting last week’s low as a possible top has been created as the Brexit situation is spooking many different markets including stock markets around the world as demand could start to wane over the next several months. The commodity markets do not like uncertainty and no one really knows how this Brexit situation will develop, but I always look at risk/reward scenarios as I do think prices may have topped out in the short term so be patient and wait for the entry criteria to come about. If a short position is initiated the risk is around $1,700 which is too much in my opinion so are going to have to be patient and wait for the chart structure to improve so keep a close eye on this market.
Trend: Mixed
Chart Structure: Improving

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Gold futures in the August contract settled last Friday in New York at 1,295 an ounce while currently trading at 1,319 up about $25 for the trading week while skyrocketing this afternoon by $55 all due to the Brexit situation which is pouring money back into the precious metals. At present, I'm sitting on the sidelines in the gold market as the chart structure never met my criteria to enter into a bullish position. However, I am recommending a bullish position in the silver market which is also up about $.50 today as I do think the precious metals are headed higher. Gold prices are trading above their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that short term trend is higher. The commodity markets, in general, are very weak as all of the interest is back into the precious metals which is used as a flight to quality despite the fact that the U.S dollar was up over 200 points this afternoon. Gold prices are trading at a 2 year high as I do think this trend will continue as stock markets around the world are sharply lower as interest in gold certainly has come back like it was in 2011 when prices traded as high as $1,900 an ounce. Negative interest rates around the world continue to support the gold market and that situation is not going to change as the United States Federal Reserve certainly will not be raising rates in 2016 in my opinion.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Poor

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The U.S dollar is sharply higher this Friday afternoon trading at 95.53 up 200 points reacting sharply to the Brexit situation as the UK has exited the EU sending the dollar up 300 points over the last 2 trading sessions. At present, I’m sitting on the sidelines in this market as the chart structure is terrible as I’m advising clients to avoid this market currently as volatility is extremely high, but in my opinion, it certainly does look like the U.S dollar has bottomed in the short term. The dollar is affecting many commodities to the downside as nobody wants to hold money in Europe at this point as a flight to quality is taking place. I think that’s going to stay for several more weeks until the dust settles so look at other markets that are beginning to trend with better chart structure as the 10 day low is $3,000 away which does not meet my criteria to enter into a new bullish position. The U.S dollar is trading above its 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend is higher so do not sell this market as that would be counter trend trading which is very dangerous over the course of time in my opinion.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Poor

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Precious Metals Take Center Stage....Let's Follow the Yellow Brick Road

By Jeff Thomas

For over a hundred years, it’s been theorised that author L. Frank Baum wrote his 1900 book, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, as a fanciful way to explain the economic situation at the time and that the Yellow Brick Road was a reference to the path created by gold ownership. Whether or not the theory is correct, for many people today, “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” might serve as a mantra for alleviating economic woes.

What will happen is that one day, gold will suddenly be up $100 per ounce, then the next day, $200 per ounce. At first the pundits will be claiming that it’s an anomaly, but as it continues rising, a point will be reached when the average person says to himself, “This seems to be a trend. I’d better buy some gold.” 

Unfortunately, once the trend is underway, the price that day will have no bearing on whether gold is available. Your local coin shop may be sold out. If you go online, the mints may say that demand is exceeding supply. Large entities will be buying all they can get and the smaller buyers will be way down on the order list, unlikely to take delivery of even a single ounce.

These Are the Good Old Days

Gold has experienced a four year bear market and only recently has begun to rise again. But is it in reality a barbarous relic? Not by a long shot. For over 5,000 years, whenever people have experienced erratic economic periods, they’ve bought gold in order to stabilise their economic position. This has particularly been true whenever fiat currencies have been on the rise and were in danger of hyper-inflating, as in recent years. Most currencies are in decline against the U.S. dollar—a currency which, itself, is very much in danger of collapse in the not-too-distant future.

In the ’70s, I was buying gold in London, as it rose from $35. It reached a high of $850 in January, 1980, then crashed. When gold dropped below $400, I began buying Krugerrands. Sounds like a bargain, and yet, word on the street was that gold was headed further south. But I was buying long. I was not playing the market; I was building my economic insurance policy. I wasn’t too fussed over price fluctuations, as my gold holdings were meant to cover me if my other investments proved to be a mistake.

At present, gold is well above the high of 1989, but, if we adjust for inflation, we see that gold is actually a bargain at present. This excellent Casey Research chart from 2014 explains it better than mere words:

This tells us that $8,800 would not be an unreasonable level for gold today, if conditions were as dire as they were in 1980. However, conditions are far more dire—debt levels are far beyond any historical levels and markets are in a bubble, just waiting for the arrival of a pin.

A decade ago, when gold topped $700, I predicted $1,500 at some point and even my closest colleagues wondered what I’d been smoking. But it turned out that my prediction was, if anything, conservative. Over the last four years, some of the world’s most informed prognosticators—Eric Sprott, Peter Schiff, Jim Rickards, and Jim Sinclair—have all predicted gold to rise to between $5,000 and $7,000, and some have suggested numbers as high as $50,000. But this hasn’t happened. Are they wrong? No, it just hasn’t happened as of yet.

Conversely, Harry Dent has predicted a drop to $750. So, who’s right? Well, actually, they may all be right. After a crash in the markets, deflation is a certainty, as brokers and investors dump investments of every type in order to cover margin losses. This panic sell off will most assuredly include gold, even though the holders will not wish to sell their gold. This panic promises to create an immediate and possibly very dramatic downward spike in gold.

However, large numbers of long term investors already have their orders in for any price below $1,000. If the spike drops below that number, it will therefore be brief, as every ounce that hits the market at $999 is scooped up. In addition, the Federal Reserve will make good on its decades-long promise to roll the printing presses to counter any sudden deflation. That very act will light the fuse on the gold rocket and send it skyward.

Will the Sun Rise in the Morning or Set in the Evening?

The argument over whether gold will drop to $750 or rise to $5,000 is a pointless one. Any understanding of basic economics assures us that we shall see both sudden deflation and dramatic inflation. It’s as natural and inevitable as sunrise and sunset. (By the way, several of the above individuals have standing bets with each other as to the $750 number. The prize? An ounce of gold.)

But it matters little who will win the bets. What matters is the overview. Rickety economic times are now upon us and they will soon morph into crisis times. In such times, precious metals always return to centre stage, as paper currencies and electronic currencies return to their intrinsic worth of zero. Gold does not so much rise against fiat currencies, as fiat currencies collapse against gold.

Most assuredly, we shall see a dramatic rise in gold, but, just as in the ‘70s, the average person will fail to understand why and will simply chase the upward trend. When gold hits $2,000, but no one is willing to sell for under, say, $2,500, those who are chasing the trend will pay the $2,500 and that will become the new price across the board. Then it will leap higher—again and again, as monetary panic grips the investment world. The inflation-adjusted 1980 price of $8,800 should not be a surprise at all—in fact it would be low, as, in the coming years, conditions will be far more dire than in 1980. Gold may well blow through $10,000. Even the $50,000 figure is not impossible, as we shall be seeing a runaway bull market where those chasing the trend carry gold beyond any rational value.

But gold has an intrinsic value. 2,000 years ago, an ounce of gold could buy you a good suit of clothes. That’s still true today. A gold mania will fuel the gold price beyond anything logical, but a correction will be equally inevitable, dropping it to its intrinsic value. We shall see a gold rise for the record books. The wise investor should already have stocked up his supply of physical gold and gotten rid of gold ETFs. He should already have his seat belt fastened and ready for take off. We’re off to see the wizard.

Editor’s Note: Owning gold is the first step to protecting your wealth from stock market crashes, currency collapses or destructive government policies. But there are many other steps you can take to protect yourself during an economic collapse. We put together a free video to show you exactly how. 

Click here to watch this video now.

The article Follow the Yellow Brick Road was originally published at caseyresearch.com.

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Mike Seery's Weekly Futures Recap - Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Gold, Coffee, Sugar

It's Saturday and that means it is time for a heads up from our trading partner Michael Seery. We've asked him to give our readers a recap of the this weeks futures markets and give us some insight on where he sees these markets headed. Mike has been a senior analyst for close to 15 years and has extensive knowledge of all of the commodity and option markets. 

Crude oil futures in the April contract settled last Friday in New York at 38.50 a barrel while currently trading 40.65 up over $2 for the trading week now trading above its 20 and 100 day moving average for the first time in 6 months. The selloff in the U.S dollar has pushed up oil prices tremendously over the last several weeks. Oil prices are trading higher for the 3rd consecutive day; however this rally has been based on very low volume which is a little concerning as I'm sitting on the sidelines in this market as I have missed the rally to the upside. The U.S dollar has hit a 6 month low and that has propped up many commodity prices and especially crude oil as gasoline and heating oil also have rallied substantially. You will notice this at your local gas station as you are paying much more than you were just three or four weeks ago as the tide has turned in the commodity markets. Rumors are circulating that Saudi Arabia is going to urge OPEC to start cutting production, therefore, pushing up prices even higher as their economy is struggling due to low prices. However, the chart structure is poor and sometimes you miss trades as this did not meet criteria to enter into and that's exactly what happened to me, as I am leery of this market in 42/45 level as I assume production will come back onto the table because of higher prices.
TREND: HIGHER
CHART STRUCTURE: POOR

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Natural gas futures in the April contract is now trading above its 20 day, but still below its 100 day moving average settling last Friday in New York at 182 while currently trading at 194. I was recommending a short position getting stopped out earlier in the week as now I'm currently sitting on the sidelines. Natural gas prices are trading at a 4 week high. However, the chart structure is poor meaning that the 10 day low it's too far away to meet my criteria to enter into a new trade so keep a close eye on this market as we could get involved to the upside soon. The fundamentals remain bearish. However, that has already been reflected in the price as supplies are huge at the present time, but the bearish short term trend has ended in my opinion. The energy sector has caught fire over the last several weeks as crude oil is now trading at 42 a barrel which has also supported gas prices in the short term, but look at other markets that are beginning to trend with higher potential.
TREND: MIXED
CHART STRUCTURE: POOR

Gold futures in the April contract settled last Friday in New York at 1,259 an ounce while currently trading at 1,254 down slightly for the trading week in a very highly volatile trading manner as prices reacted sharply to the upside off of the Federal Reserve statement of not raising interest rates sending prices up over $40 in Thursday's trade. At the current time, I'm sitting on the sidelines in this market as I have missed the upside. However, I am not bullish gold at this price level as I think prices are topping out. However I'm not recommending a short position, but if you believe my opinion, I would sell a mini contract while placing the stop loss above the most recent high of 1,287 risking $30 or $1,000 per mini contract plus slippage and commission. Negative interest rates throughout the world have spooked investors back into the gold market as commodities, in general, have rallied as a whole. However, I remain bullish the stock market which continues to move higher as I think money flows will come out of the precious metals here in the short term. Remember when trading commodities it’s all based on risk as the risk/reward on the short side I think is in your favor, but it does not meet my criteria for an official entry into a new trade which has to be a 4 week low, but decide for yourself what's best for your trading account.
TREND: HIGHER
CHART STRUCTURE: POOR

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Coffee futures in the May contract settled last Friday in New York at 125.80 a pound while currently trading at 134.50 trading higher for the 3rd consecutive trading session up around 900 points for the trading week hitting a 5 month high. I've been recommending a bullish position from around the 121.50 level and if you took that trade continue to place your stop loss below the 10 day low which currently stands at 119 as the chart structure is terrible at the present time due to the fact that coffee prices have exploded to the upside over the last week. The commodity markets, in general, have rallied substantially due to the fact that the U.S dollar has hit a 6 month low and it certainly looks to me that the bear markets are over with in the short term. However, if you have missed this trade the risk/reward is not your favor at the current time as you missed the boat so you must look at other markets that are beginning to trend. The next major level of resistance is the October high around 142 as I think prices could test that level next week as coffee prices are still cheap in my opinion as demand currently is strong. At the current time, I'm recommending a bullish position in cocoa and coffee as the soft commodity markets have certainly caught fire recently including the sugar market so start looking at the commodities to the upside.
TREND: HIGHER
CHART STRUCTURE: POOR

Sugar futures in the May contract settled last Friday in New York at 15.13 a pound while currently trading at 15.86 continuing its remarkable bullish run to the upside hitting a 14 month high as I'm sitting on the sidelines as the chart structure has not met my criteria towards entering into the trade. However, I'm certainly not recommending any type of short position as it looks to me that prices are headed even higher. Sugar futures are trading above their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend is to the upside as the commodity markets have caught fire as who knows how high sugar prices can actually go as production cuts throughout major growing regions throughout the world are causing concerns about carryover levels pushing prices up tremendously over the last 3 weeks. Remember when you trade commodities the trend is your friend and trading with the path of least resistance is the most successful way to trade in my opinion over the course of time so do not sell sugar at this point, but if you have missed this trade sit on the sidelines and look at other markets that are beginning to trend as the horse has left the barn in this market in the short term.
TREND: HIGHER
CHART STRUCTURE: POOR

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Gold and Oil Are Soaring…Justin says There is Only One You Should Buy

By Justin Spittler

Gold had a HUGE day yesterday. The price of gold jumped 2.5% to $1,263/oz. Gold is this year’s top performing asset. With a 19% gain since January, it’s off to its best start to a year since 1974, according to Bloomberg Business.

Casey Research founder Doug Casey thinks this is just the beginning.....
In case you missed it yesterday, Doug explained why gold is set to rise at least 200%...and possibly even 400% or 500%. It’s a “must-read” essay, especially if you’re worried about the fragile stock market, slowing economy, or reckless governments.

In short, Doug believes the government has set us up for a crisis that “will in many ways dwarf the Great Depression.” And Doug expects the coming economic disaster to ignite a historic gold bull market.

When people wake up and realize that most banks and governments are bankrupt, they’ll flock to gold…just as they’ve done for centuries. Gold will rise multiples of its current value. I expect a 200% rise from current levels, at the minimum. There are many reasons, which we don’t have room to cover here, why gold could see a 400% or 500% gain.

Gold stocks will soar even higher.....
Longtime readers know gold stocks offer leverage to the price of gold. A 200% jump in the price of gold could cause gold stocks to spike 400%...600%...or more. The Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (GDX), which tracks large gold miners, has soared 52% this year. Yesterday, it closed at its highest level since February 2015.

But gold stocks are still extremely cheap..…
Doug is loading up on gold stocks right now.

Right now gold stocks are near a historic low. I’m buying them aggressively. At this point, it’s possible that the shares of a quality exploration company or a quality development company (i.e., one that has found a deposit and is advancing it toward production) could still go down 10, 20, 30, or even 50 percent. But there’s an excellent chance that the same stock will go up by 10, 50, or even 100 times.

If you’re interested in multiplying your money by 5x or 10x in the coming gold “mania,” now is the time to take a position in gold stocks. The window of opportunity won’t stay open long. As Doug said, gold stocks will skyrocket once people realize the financial system is doomed. Because this window of opportunity is small, we’re currently running a special $500 discount on our service that recommends gold stocks, International Speculator. Click here to learn more.

Crude Oil is also soaring.....
As Dispatch readers know, there’s been nothing but bad news in the oil sector for nearly two years. The price of oil crashed 75%. Two months ago, it hit its lowest price since 2003. But since then, oil has climbed 36%. It jumped 5.1% yesterday. Why the big reversal? We’ll get to that in a second. First, let’s recap the recent disaster in the oil industry.

The world has too much oil.....
From 1998 to 2008, the price of oil surged more than 1,200%. Last year, U.S. oil production surged to the highest level since the 1970s. Global output also reached record highs. High prices encouraged innovation. Oil companies developed new methods, like “fracking.” This unlocked billions of barrels of oil that were once impossible to extract from shale regions. Today, the global economy produces more oil than it consumes. Each day, oil companies produce about 1.9 million more barrels than the world needs.

Crude Oil companies have slashed spending to cope with low prices.....
They’ve sold assets, abandoned billion dollar projects, cut their dividends and laid off more than 250,000 workers since June 2014. According to investment bank Barclays, oil and gas producers cut spending by 23% last year. Barclays expects spending to fall another 15% in 2016. This would be the first time in two decades the industry has cut spending two years in a row. Last week, the number of U.S. rigs actively pumping oil and natural gas plummeted to its lowest level in 70 years.

With oil prices rising, many U.S. companies can’t bring rigs back online fast enough.....
They don’t have enough workers or equipment after all the spending cuts. The Wall Street Journal reports:

Some of the largest U.S. oilfield services firms have laid off 110,000 people in the past year, Evercore ISI analysts estimate, and many of those workers have no plans to return to the industry.

Close to 60% of the fracking equipment in the U.S. has been idled during the downturn, according to IHS Energy, which estimates it would take two months for some of that equipment to return.

The Wall Street Journal continues:

Still, even if prices return to levels where shale drillers can make money again, many companies are vowing to be cautious. Some are tempered by what occurred last spring, when producers jumped back into drilling new wells after oil prices briefly hit $60 a barrel, inadvertently worsening a supply glut that ultimately made prices worse.

This is a dramatic shift in thinking by the industry.....
Oil companies had been pumping near-record amounts of oil for almost two years, despite low prices. Many companies had no choice. When all your revenue comes from selling oil, you have to keep pumping and selling oil. Companies could either sell oil for cheap or go out of business.

With fewer rigs pumping oil today, oil prices are climbing..…
Still, the oil crisis is far from over. Even with the recent rally, the price of oil is 65% below its 2014 high. It’s trading around $38 a barrel. Many companies won’t earn a profit unless oil gets back to $50. According to The Wall Street Journal, one-third of U.S. oil producers could go bankrupt this year. A wave of bankruptcies would likely trigger another leg down in oil stocks.

The oil market is highly cyclical.....
It goes through big booms and busts. Today, the industry is going through its worst bust in decades. It will boom again...but not until the world works off its massive oversupply of oil. According to the International Energy Agency, the oil surplus could last into 2017.

Last month, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Qatar, and Venezuela agreed to cap oil output.....
Saudi Arabia and Russia are two of the world’s three largest oil-producing countries. Qatar and Venezuela are also major oil producers. These countries agreed to “freeze” their oil production at January levels. They quickly broke the agreement. On Monday, CNN Money reported that Saudi Arabia and Russia actually boosted output last month. Both countries are pumping record amounts of oil. They don’t have much choice. Oil makes up 80% of Saudi Arabia’s exports. It accounts for 52% of Russia’s exports.

Nick Giambruno, editor of Crisis Investing, doesn’t think Saudi Arabia will survive the crisis.....

But he says the U.S. shale industry will survive.

By keeping the market saturated with oil, the Saudis are driving down the price. They hope to drive it down low enough and long enough to bankrupt the shale industry…since shale oil costs more than Saudi oil to produce. The U.S. shale industry is a major source of competition.

In the 1990s, the U.S. imported close to 25% of its oil from Saudi Arabia. Today—because of high U.S. shale oil production—the U.S. imports only 5%. The Saudis are having some success. In the past year, at least 67 U.S. oil companies have filed for bankruptcy. Analysts estimate as many as 150 could follow. The shale oil industry is in ‘survival mode.’

The Saudis have damaged the U.S. shale oil industry. And they’ll continue to cause more damage. But they won’t bankrupt every producer. The shale industry has more staying power than Saudi Arabia. Some producers now say they’re profitable with $40 oil. And their pace of innovation will drive that even lower. The industry will survive.

The Saudis are playing a dangerous game.

If the Saudis don’t stop flooding the market—and there are no signs they will—they won’t be shooting themselves in the foot…but in the head. Saudi Arabia will either collapse or surrender—and stop flooding the market. Either way, oil will eventually go a lot higher.

Shale oil stocks are a train wreck right now. Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY), the largest shale oil producer, is down 30% since June 2014. EOG Resources Inc. (EOG), the second-largest shale oil producer, is down 35%.

Nick sees huge opportunity here. He often reminds readers that a crisis is the only time you can buy a dollar’s worth of assets for a dime or less. And shale oil stocks are in a major crisis right now. Nick has already picked out a “best of breed” U.S. shale oil company. But before pulling the trigger, Nick is waiting for the Saudi government to show signs of cracking. The point of maximum pessimism will present a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to pick up this shale company at an absurdly cheap price.

You can get in on this opportunity by signing up for Crisis Investing. Click here to begin your 90-day risk-free trial.

Chart of the Day

Oil is still near its lowest level in years. As we mentioned earlier, oil has rallied 36% over the past few weeks. That’s a big jump in a short period. But oil isn’t in the clear yet.  Today’s chart shows the performance of oil since 2014. You can see that the price of oil is still well below its 2014 high. It’s trading at prices last seen during the last financial crisis. Many oil companies can’t survive with current oil prices. Some will go out of business. And a wave of bankruptcies will likely spark another leg down in oil stocks. We recommend avoiding oil stocks for now.

The article Gold and Oil Are Soaring…But There’s Only One You Should Buy Today was originally published at caseyresearch.com.

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How Negative Interest Rates Will Turbocharge the Migrant Crisis

By Nick Giambruno

In the 1989 Batman movie, the Joker (played by Jack Nicholson) showers a crowded Gotham street with free money. In the scene, it looks like it’s raining hundred dollar bills. The people love it. Little do they know, the money is actually a trap. Once the Joker has lured them into the street, he unleashes poisonous gas.

I think the latest gimmick to stimulate the economy is pretty much the same thing. It’s one of the most absurd ideas I’ve heard in a while. And that’s saying something, considering the outrageous schemes our economic luminaries have recently come up with, like..…

• Faking a space alien invasion to help stimulate the economy.
• Minting a trillion dollar coin.
• Negative interest rates.
• Banning physical cash.
• Cash for clunkers.
• Increasing rounds of money printing, euphemistically called “quantitative easing.”

These ideas would be comical if people in power didn’t actually take them seriously. But they do. It’s the same bad medicine the economic witch doctors have been prescribing for years. With a track record like this, it’s hard to imagine they could come up with something even more ridiculous. But they have. This latest gimmick goes well beyond the absurdity of their previous ideas. It’s verifiably insane. And the scariest part is, this dangerous idea is gaining currency. It’s spreading across the world like a smallpox outbreak.

Helicopter Money

Politicians and establishment economists call this scary idea “a basic income.” I call it sheer lunacy. It’s where the government gives you money just because. There’s no requirement to work or even display a willingness to work. You could sit at home all day, watch TV, and still get a check from the government. Simply put, a basic income is “free” money the government hands out to everyone unconditionally. European politicians are heavily pushing this policy.

• Finland wants to pay its citizens around $1,000 a month.
• The Netherlands and the U.K. have also proposed dishing out free money.
• In Switzerland, there’s a proposal to hand out around $2,800 a month to everyone. This one is surprising since the Swiss are generally sensible about money.
• The basic income virus has also infected Canada, which recently announced a pilot program in Ontario.

It’s just a matter of time before the idea gains traction in the U.S. In fact, U.S. central economic planners are already discussing it. You might recall former Fed chair Ben Bernanke’s nickname, “Helicopter Ben.” He got the name after he spoke publicly about using helicopter drops of money to “stimulate” the economy. This is just another flavor of a basic income.

Whether you call it free money, a basic income, or helicopter money, the idea is spreading. It’s the next potion the economic witch doctors will use once their latest scam—negative interest rates—not only fails to cure our economic ailments, but predictably makes them worse. No matter, the idea will be politically popular. Who would protest free money?

And, once a country adopts a basic income, it would be next to impossible to get rid of it until the system collapses under its own weight. Who would vote for a politician that stops (or even slows down) the gravy train? The Joker used free money to lure the people of Gotham to poisonous gas. Now real world politicians are using the same trick. They’re using free money to lure the masses into perpetual dependence on government.

More Problems Ahead for Europe

If Europeans think they have a migrant problem now, just wait until they institute a basic income. It’s obvious what will happen….Once European governments start handing every person thousands of dollars in free money each month (more than many in Africa make in a year), everyone will be scrambling for Europe.

A basic income is a sure recipe for economic disaster and increased cultural tensions. It’s an environment where blowhards and demagogues flourish. Unfortunately, this has happened repeatedly throughout Europe’s history. Once again, it’s going to lead to some very bad things.

I think a basic income will greatly accelerate this recurring trend.

Without a basic income and other welfare benefits, immigrants are usually skilled and the very best of people. But the average European will surely forget that once free money draws in the world’s riffraff. This is why, although the financial effects will be severe, the sociopolitical ones will be much worse.

Here’s the bottom line: All you can do is protect yourself from the consequences of all this stupidity. This is a big reason why I think everyone should own some gold. Gold is the ultimate form of wealth insurance. It’s preserved wealth for thousands of years through every kind of crisis imaginable. It will preserve wealth during the next crisis, too.

Unfortunately, most people have no idea how to prepare for the next economic collapse…..

How will you protect your savings in the event of a crisis? This just released video will show you exactly how. Click here to watch it now.

The article How Negative Interest Rates Will Turbocharge the Migrant Crisis was originally published at caseyresearch.com.

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Mike Seery's Weekly Futures Recap - Crude Oil, Natural Gas, U.S. Dollar, Gold, Silver, Sugar

It's Saturday and that means it is time for a heads up from our trading partner Michael Seery. We've asked him to give our readers a recap of the this weeks futures markets and give us some insight on where he sees these markets headed. Mike has been a senior analyst for close to 15 years and has extensive knowledge of all of the commodity and option markets. 

Crude oil futures in the April contract settled last Friday at 31.91 a barrel while currently trading at 32.00 basically unchanged for the trading week with a possible double bottom being created around $29 the level occurring. Crude oil prices are still trading below their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend is to the downside as the long term trend is also to the downside despite the fact that several countries decided to freeze production this week, but that still leaves production at record levels as investors found that as another negative situation.

The volatility in crude oil is extremely high at the current time as I’m looking to possibly enter into a short position on any type of rally as the chart structure has improved tremendously, therefore, lowering monetary risk, but at this point I’m sitting on the sidelines waiting for an opportunity which could develop any day. The commodity markets in general still look weak as I still have many short positions in several different commodity sectors including natural gas which is hitting another contract low today as supplies are just too high across the board despite the fact that the U.S dollar may have topped out.
Trend: Lower
Chart Structure: Poor

Natural gas prices in the April contract settled last Friday in New York at 2.03 while currently trading at 1.89 trading lower 7 out of the last 8 trading sessions as the original recommendation was a short position in the March contract as we rolled over and if you took that trade continue to place your stop loss above the 10 day high which stands at 2.23 as the chart structure is very poor at the present time.

Natural gas prices continue to move lower on a weekly basis as this trade has gone straight down from the original recommendation so continue to place the proper stop loss as the chart structure will start to improve on a daily basis, as I still see lower prices ahead possibly retesting 1.75 and if that is broken I think we can test 1.50 as extremely warm weather in the Midwestern part of the United States continues to plague this commodity.

The fundamentals in natural gas are extremely bearish with all time high inventories as we were producing too many products especially in the energy sector including natural gas so continue to play this to the downside as I'm looking at adding more contracts once some type of price kickback develops, as I still see no reason to own natural gas especially as we enter the month of March, as springtime is upon us.
Trend: Lower
Chart Structure: Poor

The U.S dollar in the March contract settled last Friday at 95.98 while currently trading at 96.92 up around 100 points for the trading week as I’m currently recommending a short position from around the 96.90 level while placing my stop loss above the 10 day high at 97.50 risking around 60 points or $600 per contract plus slippage and commission.

The dollar is trading below its 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend is to the downside as prices are near a 4 month low due to the fact that the interest rates in the United States have been dropping dramatically, as lower rates mean a lower U.S dollar generally. Volatility in the dollar certainly has increased because of the stock market which is on a roller coaster ride daily sending shockwaves into currency markets.

The next major level of support is around the 95.00 level and if that is broken I think we can retest the 93 level in the coming weeks as it certainly looks to me that interest rates are even going lower as worldwide rates have turned negative in certain countries which is an amazing situation in my opinion as the risk/reward is in your favor at the present time as I am still recommending this trade even if you did not take the original advice.
Trend: Lower
Chart Structure: Poor

Gold futures in the April contract settled last Friday in New York at 1,239 an ounce while currently trading at 1,231 down about $8 for the trading week trading in a highly volatile manner. Gold prices are trading above their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend is to the upside as prices have skyrocketed from the contract low around 1,050 and now have rallied over $200 in a matter of weeks as panic around the world is sending gold prices sharply higher.

At the current time, I am sitting on the sidelines as the risk is too much for me to tolerate as the only recommendation in the precious metals currently is the silver market as the gold chart structure is terrible. The S&P 500 has been extremely volatile in the year 2016 and that has supported gold prices however the S&P has rallied significantly over the last week, but it has not been a negative influence on gold as there is demand for gold at the current time and I’m certainly not recommending any type of bearish position as that would be counter trend and poor trading in my opinion so avoid this market at the present time.

Trading is all about risk as I see other opportunities in the commodity markets where the risk/reward is in your favor coupled with outstanding chart structure as gold does not meet any of my criteria to enter into a trade as sometimes you miss trades and that’s exactly what has occurred in this situation.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Poor

Silver futures in the March contract settled last Friday in New York at 15.79 an ounce while currently trading at 15.47 down about $.30 in a highly volatile trading week with large swings on a daily basis as I have been recommending a bullish position from around 14.80 and if you took that trade continue to place your stop loss below the 10 day low which now stands at 14.90 a chart structure has improved tremendously over the last several days.

The next major level of resistance in silver is around the $16 level as we will have to roll out of the March contract into the May contract early next week due to expiration as I will give the new stop loss in that blog as well. Silver prices are trading above their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the short term trend is to the upside as money flows continue to go back into the precious metals for the first time in several years as the precious metals have fallen tremendously from their highs just hit in the year 2011.

In my opinion, the U.S dollar has topped out which is bullish the precious metals so stay long this market while placing the proper stop loss as volatility has certainly come back into this market which is generally a bullish indicator.
Trend: Higher
Chart Structure: Improving

Sugar futures in the May contract settled last Friday in New York at 13.12 while currently trading at 12.64 a pound hitting a fresh 5 month low as I’ve been recommending a short position originally in the March contract as we rolled over into the May contract and if you took that trade place your stop loss above the 10 day high which stands at 13.50 as the chart structure is poor.

Sugar prices are trading lower for the 3rd consecutive day as I still think there’s a probability that prices will fill the gap at 11.80 which is still another 85 points away as prices are still trading far below their 20 and 100 day moving average telling you that the trend is getting stronger to the downside on a weekly basis so stay short in my opinion while placing the proper stop loss.

Sugar prices experienced a rounding top which I’ve talked about in many previous blogs over the last several weeks peeking out around 15.50 as being nimble is a major key to success in my opinion as waiting for the trade to develop is definitely beneficial in the long run so stay short as I’m looking to add more contracts once the chart structure and the risk/reward meet my criteria as lower prices are ahead in my opinion.
Trend: Lower
Chart Structure: Poor

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