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Inflation is Proving to be Quite Sticky

This analysis takes the BLS inflation data and recalculates the percentage changes at the category level to get unrounded numbers. The total number ties to the BLS, but it gives more detail at the granular level.

Jobs: Massive Revisions and Household Survey Tell the Real Story

The analysis below covers the Employment picture released on the first Friday of every month. While most of the attention goes to the headline number, it can be helpful to look at the details, revisions, and other reports to get a better gauge of what is really going on.

Fed Balance Sheet Shrinks by Smallest Amount in a Year

The following analysis breaks down the Fed balance sheet in detail. It shows different parts of the balance sheet and how those amounts have changed. It also shows historical interest rate trends. The analysis concludes that the resulting lack of Treasury demand is likely another reason Yellen is betting $2T on lower interest rates… she has […]

Money Supply Growth Continues to Support the Stock Market

Money Supply is a very important indicator. It helps show how tight or loose current monetary conditions are regardless of what the Fed is doing with interest rates. Even if the Fed is tight, if Money Supply is increasing, it has an inflationary effect.

Comex Delivery Volumes Reach Highest Levels in Months

The CME Comex is the Exchange where futures are traded for gold, silver, and other commodities. The CME also allows futures buyers to turn their contracts into physical metal through delivery. You can find more details on the CME here (e.g., vault types, major/minor months, delivery explanation, historical data, etc.).

Federal Budget: Interest Payments Reach $750B

Federal Budget The Federal Government publishes the spending and revenue numbers every month. The charts and tables below give an in-depth review of the Federal Budget, showing where the money is coming from, where it is going, and the surplus or deficit. This month saw a $22B deficit.

Jobs: The Household Survey Tells a Different Story

The analysis below covers the Employment picture released on the first Friday of every month. While most of the attention goes to the headline number, it can be helpful to look at the details, revisions, and other reports to get a better gauge of what is really going on. 

Janet Yellen Bets $2T that Rates Will NOT be Higher For Longer

A Major Trend Change  In 2023, the Treasury added $2.6T to the national debt. While that number alone should be enough to scare anyone, the details reveal something even more concerning. $2T of it, or 77%, was financed entirely with short-term Treasury Bills maturing in less than a year. The chart below shows the debt […]

Fed Misses the Target Again

The Fed managed to reduce its balance sheet by $45 billion last month. The majority of this was in Treasuries of 1-5 year maturities with a reduction of $55B. The next biggest reduction was in mortgage-backed securities MBS totaling $20 billion. This fell short of the target of $35 billion. In fact, the Fed has […]

Rebound in Money Supply Will Prove Too Little, Too Late

Seasonally Adjusted Money Supply in May increased $131B. This is the first growth in adjusted M2 since last July and the largest increase since December 2021.

The Technicals: Gold Correction Is at or Near Completion

With a hawkish Fed and dollar strength, gold has dropped below $1,950 an ounce, but the technicals appear to indicate that we are at or near the end of a correction. The technical analysis last month was published when gold was around $1975 and concluded: The indicators are now mostly neutral with a bearish lean. There are […]

Comex Countdown: The Pressure Grows in Silver and Platinum

June is wrapping up strong for gold at the COMEX with 20,101 contracts being delivered. There are still 583 contracts open that have not been delivered, but the majority of the contracts have been completed. Meanwhile, were seeing more and more stress on silver and platinum.

Comex Now Has 28 Paper Claims for Each Physical Ounce of Registered Silver

The bleed of metal from COMEX vaults has resumed and silver inventories have hit record lows with 28 paper claims for each ounce of physical silver. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical […]

Federal Budget: TTM Deficit Surges by an Incredible $980B YoY

The Federal Government ran a deficit last month of $240B. Revenue continues to be at or below levels last year while expenses continue to grow.

Energy Disguises a Pretty Bad Inflation Number

The CPI rose in May by 0.12%. Energy accounted for -0.25% of the move. This means without the move in Energy, the CPI would have risen by 0.37% which annualizes to a rate of 4.5%. This shows that inflation is still quite problematic.

Will the Next Debt Ceiling Debate Conclude in Abolishment?

The Treasury has an open data platform where they publish all of the data related to the US Treasury. This includes debt, spending, revenue, etc. Different data sets are updated at different frequencies. The official US Debt is updated monthly (typically by the fourth business day). This data can be seen in the chart below.

Trade Deficit Spikes to Highest Level in Six Months

The April trade deficit came in at -$74.5B which was the largest trade deficit since October 2022.

CFTC CoTs Report: Managed Money Drives Price Drop

Please note: the CoTs report was published 06/02/2023 for the period ending 05/30/2023. “Managed Money” and “Hedge Funds” are used interchangeably. Managed money has once again bailed on gold, which drove the price back below $2000 an ounce despite the “Other” group stepping in to absorb some of the selling.

Jobs: The Household Survey Tells a Different Story

The BLS reported that a whopping 339,000 jobs were added in May. This crushed median estimates of 190,000 jobs added. The Household Survey tells a very different story though, reporting a loss of 310,000 jobs.

Fed Reduces Treasury Bill Balance By Over $100B in May

The Fed reduced its balance sheet by $177 million last month. The majority of this was actually in Treasuries with less than 1-year maturity, totaling $102B. The next biggest reduction was in loans, totaling $40B.

Gold Has Record Number of Contracts Cash Settle to Start June Delivery

As expected, gold has turned in a fairly strong start to the month on the COMEX. It’s below April but is still early in the contract.

Comex Delivery Countdown: June Shows Promise

Gold is wrapping up May which has slightly exceeded the last minor month in March.

13-Week Money Supply Growth Crashes to -7.2%

Seasonally Adjusted Money Supply in April fell $167B. As the chart below shows, this is now the 9th consecutive monthly drop. This is also the second-largest drop of all time, behind only last month.

The Technicals: How Much Left in the Current Gold and Silver Correction?

The technical analysis last month highlighted the mixed environment at the time: The indicators are once again giving some mixed signals. The price action is definitely needing further consolidation. However, other indicators suggest a market that is just getting started. … Either way, downside does seem limited at this point, especially considering all the bad news has […]

Comex Increase in Inventories Does Little to Move the Needle

Banks have restocked gold recently, but with the massive drawdown in inventories over the last year, the recent increase has done little to actually replenish those supplies. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the […]

Federal Budget: TTM Deficit Surges to $1.9T as Tax Revenues Collapse

The Federal Government ran a surplus last month, as it typically does in April due to the tax deadline. The surplus was $176B which was 43% lower than the surplus last April. As the chart below shows, this was driven entirely by collapsing revenues as expenses actually fell as well.

The CPI Is Two Months Away From Bottoming Before the Next Leg Up

The CPI rose in March by 0.37%, which was much larger than last month’s 0.06%. As shown below, this was driven by the energy component flipping from negative to positive. And there’s even worse news. The math is about to turn on the CPI calculation.

US Debt Analysis: Net Interest to Exceed $700B by November

While the US government is not currently adding to the national debt due to being up against the debt ceiling, it is working overtime trying to keep the government afloat. Significantly, the interest on the national debt is skyrocketing even with the temporary lull in borrowing.

Multiple Factors Turn a Weak Employment Report Strong

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that 256k jobs were added in April with major revisions down in previous months. Meanwhile, the Household Survey reported only 139k jobs in April, the lowest amount since November last year.

Gold Contracts for Immediate Delivery Explode Higher

In 5 days, the COMEX has seen 4,190 contracts open and stand for immediate delivery. This is the strongest start to a month going back at least 2 years, which includes the start of the war in Ukraine and the February 2021 Reddit silver squeeze.

Falling Trade Deficit Suggests a Weakening US Economy

The March Trade Deficit decreased for the first time in four months. The total deficit came in at -$64.2B, which is the second smallest deficit since January 2021. This might seem like good news but it’s yet another indication of a weakening economy.

CFTC CoTs Report: Traders Go Quiet Before Fed Meeting

The CoTs report is a breakdown of open interest in the major futures markets as reported by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission Please note: the CoTs report was published 04/28/2023 for the period ending 04/25/2023. “Managed Money” and “Hedge Funds” are used interchangeably.

Bank Term Funding Program Reaches New All-Time High

The Fed is still bailing out banks. The Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP) reached a new all-time high in April, suggesting that the banking crisis has not yet passed. And while the aggregate balance sheet looks to be shrinking, the detailed data shows it is more complex than that.

Silver Sees Record Number of Contracts Close in Final Day

Silver has seen a relatively weak delivery to start the action in May. While this could be considered disappointing to some who were looking for fireworks, a look beneath the surface shows that all is not well.

13-Week Money Supply Reaches New All-Time Low

Seasonally Adjusted Money Supply in March fell $257B. As the chart below shows, this is now the 8th consecutive monthly drop. Going back to the 1970s, the drop in March was actually the biggest on record on an absolute and relative basis.

Comex Update: Silver Shorts Could Be in Trouble

Silver delivery from the COMEX was low in April, but there is more to the story. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory data at the Comex to show the physical movement […]

The Technicals: Is $2,000 Gold Support or Resistance?

The technical analysis last month highlighted how the current price spike looked unsustainable and needed time to consolidate. It also mentioned that we may be at a turning point in precious metals, concluding:

COMEX Update: JP Morgan on the Ropes in Gold as Silver Coverage Reaches Record Low

On the surface, everything still looks fine at the COMEX, but the data reveals more going on. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory data at the Comex to show the […]

TTM Net Interest Expense Exceeds Half a Trillion Dollars

The Federal Government ran a gargantuan deficit of -$378B in March. This is over $100B larger than the massive February deficit. In the last three years, only the deficit last September was larger because the government recognized the cost of Biden’s student loan forgiveness. September aside, this month was the largest deficit month since March 2021 […]

Getting CPI Back to 2% Is a Fantasy

The CPI rose in March by 0.06%, which was less than expected. That said, as the chart below shows, the fall in Energy prices was entirely responsible for containing an otherwise high CPI.

Jobs Report: 7 of 8 Categories Below 12-month Trend

The BLS reported that 236k jobs were added in March. Similar to December and January, the Household survey greatly exceeded the Headline Report with 577k jobs added. The Household Survey was surprisingly strong given the current economic environment.

Trade Deficit Increases Again in February to $70.5 Billion

The February Trade Deficit increased for the third month in a row, rising by $1.9 billion. Net Goods came in at -$92.9B with Net Services at $22.4B to reach a total of -$70.5B.

CFTC CoTs Report: Price Drivers Go Beyond the Futures Market

Based on the latest Commitments of Traders (COT) report, the latest price action is potentially even more bullish than normal. The latest price moves have been supported by Managed Money but the data clearly shows there is more driving the upward movement. Please note: the CoTs report was published 03/31/2023 for the period ending 03/28/2023. […]

Comex Reins in Platinum but Sees Gold Deliveries Rise

Gold has been seeing a large number of contracts roll in the final day of the contract. That did not happen this month. This has resulted in a large delivery volume.

The Fed Prints $324B in March As QE Restarts

By now it should be common knowledge that the Fed has blown up its balance sheet rather quickly to combat the current banking crisis. As the chart below illustrates, the Fed added a gargantuan sum to its balance sheet in March, netting an increase of $324B.

Money Supply Is Flashing Red

The seasonally adjusted Money Supply in February fell $121B and the Money Supply in January was revised from positive $31B to -$142B. This is a major revision and now means the Money Supply has fallen for seven straight months.

Comex Update: Delivery Volume Slows Even as Prices Rise

Gold is wrapping up March, which is a minor delivery month. While it was a decent delivery month, it was the smallest minor month since November 2021.

The Technicals: This Week Could Be the Most Important Week for Gold in Years

Gold had a big rally last week. But is it sustainable? What are the technicals saying? The data over the last several months continues to give insight into the market. November showed the market was in neutral, but then the December analysis correctly identified an impending move upwards, the January review called for a correction and then February concluded:

The Comex Is in Far Worse Shape Than SVB if the Run on Physical Accelerates

Given the potential impacts of the ongoing banking crisis, I will start this article with the conclusion. The current banking crisis could not have come at a worse time for the Comex system. Inventories have seen massive depletion over the last 2+ years as investors have slowly been pulling physical out of the vaults. I […]

Falling Energy Prices Disguise a Relatively Hot CPI

The CPI came in at 0.37% for the month of February. While this was in line with expectations, it is still a 4.5% annualized increase in prices. And falling energy prices made the CPI look cooler than it actually was.

And Then Something Broke…

Over the past several months, Mike Maharrey and I have posted numerous articles that conclude the same way… the Fed is bluffing and when something breaks, they will fold. On every podcast, Mike has walked through exactly why this is inevitable. Back in September, I laid out the math that showed why the Fed would fold and laid […]

Treasury Prints Second Largest February Budget Deficit Ever

The Federal Government ran a deficit of -$262B in February. Ignoring the Student Loan forgiveness allocation in September last year, this is the largest monthly budget deficit since July 2021. And it’s the second-largest February deficit ever.

Household Survey is 40% Below Headline Number

As discussed last month, it is getting harder to take all the BLS employment data as fact. This month, some of the data is a bit closer in line, but the QECW report seemed to show a big deviation (more below).

Services Surplus Falls 7.3% MoM as January Trade Deficit Rises

The January Trade Deficit saw a slight increase compared to December, coming in at -$68.3B vs -$67.2B in the prior month. After peaking at -$106B in March of last year, the Trade Deficit has returned to a more stable range between -$60B and -$80B.

Annualized Interest on National Debt Up 75% Since Last Year

Looking at last month’s US Treasury activity, it’s clear that interest expenses are exploding upwards at an unsustainable pace. Annualized interest on the debt increased by $25 billion in a single month.

Money Supply Remains Well Below Trend

The seasonally adjusted money supply in January increased by $31 billion. This was the first increase in the money supply in five months.

Comex Results: Silver Has 60% of March Open Interest Roll in Final Day

This month, the conclusion is going at the top because it can be hard to read through and interpret all the data. In a nutshell, the data is sending mixed signals. Delivery volume is slowly drifting lower, but some of the underlying data is starting to show large deviations from the mean. In particular, silver […]

Comex Update: Palladium Contracts Represent 280% of Available Metal with 2 Days to Go

Gold deliveries in February came in quite low for a major month, totaling only 15,055. This is the lowest month going back to February 2020 (pre-Covid). The chart below shows the big spike in deliveries seen after Covid started. While the current month is still above any pre-Covid month, it is small when compared to […]

The Fed Books a Loss of $126B in February

The Federal Reserve came close but still fell short of its $95 billion per month balance sheet reduction target through the last full week in February. This means the Fed has fallen short in 8 of the last 9 months. And with rising interest rates coupled with even this modest balance sheet reduction, the Fed […]

Gold and Silver Technicals: This is a Healthy Correction if $1800 holds

The data over the last several months has been spot on in predicting the moves in gold and silver. November showed the market was in neutral, but then the December analysis correctly identified an impending move upward, and the January review concluded that gold may need a breather before moving higher. So, what about this month?

Comex Vaults: Gold Sees Nearly 5% Inventory Decline in a Month

Gold inventory in COMEX vaults declined by nearly 5% in a single month. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory data at the Comex to show the physical movement of metal into […]

CPI: Relief from the SPR Drain has Ended

With the CPI losing the relief from cooling energy prices, this month showed a solid uptick in prices, coming in at 0.54% (~6.6% annualized).

Budget Deficit YoY: Revenues Fall as Expenses Rise

The Federal Government ran a deficit of -$39B in January. While that may not seem like much, it looks worse when compared to the average January.

The Treasury Begins Extraordinary Measures (again)

Despite hitting the debt ceiling, the US Treasury managed to add $35 billion in new debt during January. The Treasury has employed extraordinary measures, including exchanging Non-Marketable (e.g., Government employee retirement funds) and other forms of debt for short-term Bills. The balance on Bills grew by $241 billion which was the largest single-month growth since […]

2022 Trade Deficit Signals Inflation Closer to 15%

The December Trade Deficit increased after a major drop in November. The total came in at $67B which was 10% greater than November’s $61B, but still well below the 6-month high from October of $77B. It is also below the $79B Trade Deficit from December 2021.

Is It Time to Drop the “L” in the BLS?

By all measures, the latest job report absolutely blasted past expectations with one of the biggest upside surprises in recent memory. The current month came in at 517,000 jobs created. But even that massive figure was beaten by the latest Household Survey which showed 894k jobs created in January.

Comex Results: Gold Sees Massive One-Day Roll While Silver Adjustments Break Records

Strange activity continues at the Comex! Delivery volume for February was a little less than half the contracts open at first notice. 6,005 contracts were delivered with 7,370 remaining in open interest. This was a much larger relative delivery than December which saw less than a third of contracts delivered on the first day. Things seemed suspicious […]

QT Falls Short Again and the Fed Lost Almost $100B in January

The Fed has a targeted balance sheet reduction of $95B a month. The Fed has failed to meet its target in 7 of the last 8 months with only an $81B reduction in January. The Fed fell woefully short of meeting their $35B MBS target, seeing only $16.7B (less than 50% of the target). The Treasury […]

Gold and Silver May Need a Breather Before Moving Higher

The price analysis last month titled Gold and Silver are Setting up for a Strong Advance in 2023 highlighted that both metals had shaken off the weakness and looked to be headed higher. It concluded by saying…

Money Supply Shrinks in 2022 for the First Time on Record

For the first time ever, the money supply contracted on an annual basis in 2022. The seasonally adjusted Money Supply in December was negative for a fifth consecutive month, coming in at -$147B. This was the largest monthly contraction in M2 going back to 1959. This type of contraction typically does not happen!

Comex Update: Gold Deliveries Pick Up Late in the Contract

Gold deliveries in January have reached 6,327 contracts with only 178 remaining in open interest. While this fell shy of the last five minor months, there are a few signs that are noteworthy. First, the delivery volume was greater than last January. This is important because January is typically a slow month after the major […]

Comex Inventory Withdrawals Have Slowed but Not Stopped

The flow of gold and silver out of Comex vaults has slowed in recent weeks, but there is no question that metal continues to move out. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical […]

Budget Deficit Exceeds $1.4T in 2022

The Federal Government ran a deficit of -$85B in December. While this was much smaller than the deficit posted in November, it marks one of the largest December deficits ever.  That pushed then 2022 calendar year deficit to over $1.4 trillion.

CPI: Saved by Falling Energy Prices

The CPI cooled again in December driven by a massive fall in Energy prices. As shown below, the fall in Energy has been a big reason for the recent drop in inflation. Commodities have also been a driver down as Used Cars and Trucks fell -2.5% MoM and -8.8% YoY. That said, stickier items like […]

US Debt Hits the Ceiling – Interest Payments Keep Growing

The US government has once again run up against the debt ceiling. Meanwhile, interest payments on the debt keep growing. The Treasury only added $6B of debt in December, allowing short-term debt to mature and replacing it with longer-term debt. This makes sense as long-term rates are below short-term rates with the inverted yield curve.

The Real Jobs Report Way Worse Than Headlines Suggests

The headlines keep telling us the US has a robust job market, but a deeper dive into the data tells a much different story.

Trade Deficit Falls Due to Weak Consumer

The November Trade Deficit saw the first contraction in four months and actually fell to the lowest level since October 2020. This was primarily driven by a collapse in Imported Goods as shown below.

A Bet on Bitcoin is Gambling on the Whales

Key Takeaways The price of Bitcoin has been suspiciously stable following the epic collapse of FTX less than 2 months ago The whales are defending the Bitcoin price at $16,000 waiting for interest to flood back into Bitcoin It’s hard to imagine a bigger hype train than 2021 which means Bitcoin may not make a […]

Managed Money Ends 2022 on Bullish Note

Please note: the CoTs report was published 12/30/2022 for the period ending 12/27/2022. “Managed Money” and “Hedge Funds” are used interchangeably. Gold finished the year on a strong note, with Managed Money reaching a net-long position of 50k. This is the largest net long position for Managed Money going back to June 2022.

The Fed has Missed the Balance Sheet Mortgage Back Security Reduction Target Reduction Every Single Month

The Fed has a targeted balance sheet reduction of $95B a month. After reaching and exceeding this target last month, the Fed is back to undershooting. This should not come as a surprise given the turmoil in the bond market this year and the lack of liquidity.

Did Platinum Just Break the Comex?

This analysis typically starts with gold, but the activity in platinum is a major event that should not be overlooked. See the article What is the Comex? for a bit of backstory.

Money Supply Growth Continues Massive Divergence from History

The 13-week annualized non-seasonally adjusted money supply growth rate is crashing at a time when it typically moves up. The market is becoming increasingly more vulnerable to a major event in the weeks or months ahead. Let’s take a look at the data…

Gold and Silver are Setting up for a Strong Advance in 2023

While the price analysis last month was very neutral, the data this month points to a bit more positive momentum in the gold and silver markets. Last month I highlighted that gold was trapped between long-term support and resistance.

Comex Update: Platinum Shorts on Edge While Silver Longs Still Wait?

December gold is having the weakest major delivery month since February. This is surprising given the recent strength in gold and considering that last December saw quite a large number of contracts deliver (36k). I commented on this a few weeks ago, suggesting that the lower volume was a result of thinner supplies. I think the […]

COMEX: Silver Registered Ratio Falls to 11.1% – Lowest in 22 Years

The drainage of silver from Comex vaults since the start of the year has been nothing short of spectacular. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory data at the Comex to show […]

CPI: History Suggests the Inflation Fight Might Just be Starting

Before digging into history, let’s look at the recent data. The latest seasonally adjusted inflation rate for November came in at 0.08%. The YoY rate was 7.17%, below median forecast of 7.3%.

Budget Deficit: Is the Surge In Tax Revenues Over?

The Federal Government ran a deficit of $249 billion in November. This is the highest monthly deficit since July 2021 if you ignore the one-time student loan forgiveness-driven deficit in September.

TTM Trade Deficit Reaches New Record $982B

The October Trade Deficit increased for the second month in a row to $78.2B. The Deficit had been getting help from exports out of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, but the pull from the SPR has slowed in recent weeks.

Annualized Interest Set to Exceed $700B By July, Up $400B in Two Years

The Treasury added $175B in new debt during November, hitting the debt ceiling of $31.4T. New debt issuance was focused on the short end of the curve with $145B in Treasury Bills issued.

Is Managed Money Buying this Bull Market?

While demand for physical gold and silver have been robust, managed money has dominated the market. So, is it buying this bull market? Please note: the CoTs report was published 12/02/2022 for the period ending 11/29/2022. “Managed Money” and “Hedge Funds” are used interchangeably.

Fed Has $48B Loss in November and Sees Massive Balance Sheet Reduction

The Fed has a targeted balance sheet reduction of $95B a month. Up until this point, the Fed had failed to reach its target almost every month since QT began. In the latest month, the Fed made up for their recent shortfall with a big balance sheet reduction of $139B, exceeding their target by 50%! Despite the larger-than-expected […]

Jobs Report: Not Strong Enough to Prevent a Soft Pivot

According to the BLS, the economy added 263k jobs in November with a modest revision up in October from 261k to 284k but a revision down in September from 365k to 269k. October was a beat against median expectations of 200k. The employment rate (black line) stayed flat at 3.7% while the labor force participation ticked […]

Comex Results: Why Is December So Quiet?

While the data this month looks weak, I think there is more to the story. My hypothesis is speculative in nature, so I will save it for the end after going through the data.

Money Supply Growth Rate Sees an Epic Divergence from Previous Years

Seasonally Adjusted Money Supply in October was negative for a third consecutive month, coming in at -$88B. This came on the heels of the largest drop in Money Supply ever last month.

Comex Update: The Gold Shorts are Delaying Delivery

Slowly but surely, physical supplies of gold and silver are being drained from the Comex. This has put pressure on the system. We are now seeing that pressure manifest itself in the data.

The Technical Picture: Can the Metals Hold Support?

The price analysis last month suggested that more time was needed for a sustainable rally. It concluded: It looks like this market will turn sooner or later. Still, though, support has become resistance so the market has some work ahead of itself. Medium to long-term investors should feel very confident buying at current prices, even if […]

Comex Vaults See Seventh Straight Month of Outflows

Gold and silver continue to flow out of the COMEX vaults. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory data at the Comex to show the physical movement of metal into and out […]

Bitcoin Hodlers: Time is Running Out to Convert Nothing into Something

Three key takeaways: For weeks, the Bitcoin market has looked propped up by the whales, especially after the recent FTX disaster. Bitcoin hodlers should strongly consider moving into gold, silver, or at least Ether. Full disclosure, I have a complicated relationship with Crypto.

Budget Deficit: Annual Interest Expense Increases 40% Compared to Last October

The Federal Government ran a deficit of $88B in October which is down significantly from the deficit last month that was a record for September due to the student loan forgiveness program. The deficit is also down compared to last October which was -$165B.

CPI: Annualized Pace of Increase Still Over 5%

The perception is that CPI cooled significantly in October, but the data doesn’t quite bear this out. The latest seasonally adjusted inflation rate for September came in at 0.44%. The YoY rate was 7.7%, or 7.8% when adjusting for Household Ops. which has not been consistently reported over the last year. The increase was actually […]

National Debt Analysis: Treasury Prepares for Another Debt Ceiling Saga

Another debt ceiling fight is looming on the horizon and it appears the US Treasury Department is preparing for the drama. Meanwhile, rising interest rates are rapidly increasing the cost of the massive national debt.

Jobs Report: Only Education and Government are Above Trend

Despite the better-than-expected headline number, the job market continues to slow. According to the BLS, the economy added 261k jobs in October with a big upward revision in September from 263k to 315k. October was a beat against median expectations of 205k. The employment rate (black line) increased from 3.5% to 3.7% while the labor […]

Trade Deficit: The First Deficit Increase in Six Months

The September Trade Deficit increased for the first time in 6 months to -$73.3B. The deficit had been getting help from exports out of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. As shown by the chart below, the increase this month was from a drop in Exports combined with an increase in Imports. The current value is still […]

Will Managed Money Get Stuck Holding the Short Straw?

Managed money has controlled the gold and silver market over the last several months. But there are other dynamics going on unnoticed under the surface. Please note: the CoTs report was published 10/28/2022 for the period ending 10/25/2022. “Managed Money” and “Hedge Funds” are used interchangeably.

Comex Results: This Game Has Changed

“How did you go bankrupt?” “Very slowly at first, and then very quickly?” The data shows that the Comex is in the middle of experiencing a run on its vaults that is really taking its toll and continuing to accelerate. If you read no further in this analysis, first just take a look at Figure […]

The Fed is Still Coming up Short on QT

The Fed is supposed to be reducing the balance sheet by $95B a month. This is up from $47.5B before September. As the chart below shows, the Fed has only succeeded in meeting or exceeding its goal a single time (August) in 6 months. In the latest month, the Fed came up 25% short with a […]

Money Supply Growth Rate Still Negative

Money Supply shrunk last month by $129B, the largest monthly fall ever going back to 1959. April and June also set records at the time from a gross change perspective. From a percentage amount, Feb. 1970 had been the largest contraction ever (-6.5% annualized), but the current month beat that number at -6.9% annualized.

Student Loan Forgiveness Creates Largest September Deficit Ever

The Federal Government ran a $430 billion deficit in September. It was the largest monthly deficit since March 2021 when the last Covid stimulus bill was passed. The massive surge this month was due to another Biden giveaway in the form of $437 billion in student loan forgiveness.

The Technical Picture: More Time is Needed Before a Sustainable Rally Begins

The price analysis of gold and silver last month discussed the technical damage done and highlighted how support had become resistance. It concluded, “When everything is so lopsidedly bearish, it can signify capitulation. That said, beware of trying to catch a falling knife. Because of the technical drivers in gold and silver, moves tend to […]

Comex Update: At This Rate the Silver Metal Will be Gone in Months

Let’s say you were a country or a group of very wealthy individuals and Covid hits. You see governments around the world print money like crazy. It makes you think there might be some inflation to deal with and you want to protect yourself. Gold and silver are the logical choices. So, if you decide […]

Comex Inventory: 17.4 Paper Ounces of Silver for Each Registered Ounce

Physical metal has continued to drain from COMEX vaults. This is particularly true for silver, which now has 17.4 paper ounces for every registered ounce. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory […]

CPI: This Game of Chicken is Almost Over

The latest seasonally adjusted inflation rate for September came in at 0.38%, dropping to 8.25% YoY. Median expectations had been for 0.3% MoM and 8.1% YoY so the hot number hammered markets on the open, especially precious metals. The markets climbed their way back as of publishing, indicating the investors may be starting to understand the Fed’s […]

Jobs Report: 7 of 8 Categories are Below Trend While Revisions are Negative Again

According to the BLS, the economy added 263,000 jobs in September, which was slightly below the Dow Jones estimate of 275,000.  More significantly, the trends reveal a slowing labor market. Education and Health led the way with strong hiring along with Leisure and Hospitality.

Treasury Locks in Higher Rates for Longer Despite Exploding Interest Costs

Over the last 18 months, the Treasury has aggressively converted short-term debt to longer-term debt. This can be seen in the chart below with the turquoise bars being negative.

Trade Deficit: Are Falling Imports Further Sign of Recession?

The August Trade Deficit fell for a fifth straight month to -$67.4B. The Deficit is now down an 37% from the high struck back in March. As shown by the chart below, this is mainly driven by a fall in Imports as Exports have stayed relatively flat.

CoTs Report: Managed Money Hammers Gold for 7th Straight Week

Managed Money continues to hammer the price of gold lower as the Net Short position increased to -43k contracts. Please note: the CoTs report was published on 9/30/2022 for the period ending 9/27/2022. “Managed Money” and “Hedge Funds” are used interchangeably.

Surprise! Another Month = Another Failed Attempt at QT

The Fed has found it easier to raise rates than shrink its balance sheet. September was supposed to be the month when the Fed got serious about shrinking the balance sheet. After a few months of warming up with $47.5B monthly reductions, the Fed was going to step up in September and shrink by $95B ($60B in […]

Comex: Platinum Shorts Live to See Another Day

I typically start this analysis with gold, but the action in the platinum market is impossible to ignore. The next four charts should tell you everything you need to know. First, similar to gold and silver, platinum has seen a much higher delivery volume since the pandemic struck in 2020.

Collapse in Money Supply Is Still a Major Risk for the Market

Money Supply growth was barely positive in August at $2B and sits well below the $233B seen last year. As the chart below shows, Money Supply growth has collapsed since February. Last year started with five straight months above $200B, whereas 2022 has only seen one month above $100B and that was January.

Calling the Fed’s Bluff: They are Holding a Losing Hand

The Fed has talked a big game lately. Many people (including me) assumed the Fed would fold a long time ago. There is a very good reason — the Fed will crush the economy and the US Treasury with higher interest rates. In reality, the Fed is holding a losing hand and trying to bluff […]

Price Analysis: Support Becomes Resistance

The price analysis last month titled Caution Warranted in the Short Term, highlighted the potential risk in gold and silver after a rough July and early August. It concluded the path was much less clear. There were two possible paths forward: Gold could be range bound again between $1750-$1800, or, a hawkish Fed at the Jackson […]

Comex Update: September Gold Delivery Volume Blasts Higher

September gold has been a very strong delivery month with 8,573 contracts being delivered plus an additional 718 in open interest that will be delivered over the next week (9,219 total). It is currently still below the July month but could exceed the total by the time the month completes due to mid-month activity.

Comex Stock Report: The Vaults are Still Bleeding

This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory data at the Comex to show the physical movement of metal into and out of Comex vaults.

Treasury Runs Largest August Deficit Ever as Interest Costs Soar

The federal government ran a $220 billion deficit in August. It was the largest monthly deficit since last July.

August CPI Shows Inflation Getting Stickier

The latest seasonally adjusted inflation rate for August came in nearly flat again at 0.09% MoM, dropping to 8.3% YoY. Expectations had been for -0.1% MoM and 8.1% YoY so the market had a very negative reaction to the report.

US Debt: Annualized Interest Surges More Than $22B in a Single Month

The Treasury added $341B of debt in August. This was the largest increase in the debt since January and is more than 10 times larger than the increase in July. Another major occurrence was the increase in short-term debt. The Treasury increased Bills by $210B, the largest increase since June 2020. This is a move […]

Trade Deficit Still Historically High Despite Fall Since March

The trade deficit fell in July to -$70.7 billion. It was the fourth straight month of drops. While the deficit continues to fall from all-time highs, it is very large relative to deficits prior to 2022. Despite the large 33% fall from the -$107 billion in March, the current deficit would have been an all-time […]

CFTC Report: Silver Net Short Position Reaches New High for the Move

As highlighted last month, short positioning in gold was at the highest level since April 2019. This laid the seeds for a potential short squeeze. While a squeeze did unfold, it was brief. Sellers have regained control of the market and are driving the price back down. Please note: the COTs report was published 9/2/2022 for […]

Jobs Report: Multiple Full-Time Job Holders Reaches All-Time High

According to the BLS, the economy added 315k jobs in August, which was on par with analyst estimates. While the job numbers continue to appear strong, a deeper look into the data shows some trends that may indicate weakness.

Is the Fed Worried About the Mortgage Market?

Is the Federal Reserve worried about the tanking mortgage and housing market? If their holdings of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) are any indication, the answer is, yes. The Fed has finally started shrinking its overall balance sheet as promised, but they are not shedding MBS according to plan.

COMEX: Bank of America Backstops Strong Delivery Volume in Silver

As we round out August in the COMEX, gold delivery was strong and silver was dominated by the odd mechanizations of Bank of America.

Comex Update: House Accounts See Largest Net Delivery Volume on Record

Gold saw the largest delivery volume in 2022 with 33,593 contracts delivered so far and 244 remaining in open interest. Since 2020, only December and February last year recorded larger volumes.

13-Week Money Supply Growth Hits Multi-Decade Low

Money Supply growth was positive in July at $42B but sits well below the $161B seen last year. As the chart below shows, Money Supply growth has collapsed since February. Last year started with 5 straight months above $200B whereas 2022 has only seen one month above $100B and that was January.

Gold and Silver Price Analysis: Caution Warranted in the Short-Term

The price analysis last month concluded that the market might have seen capitulation. It suggested the FOMC and GDP could spark a short squeeze based on the overly bearish COTs report. While gold rebounded strongly, it ran into stiff resistance and more hawkish talk by the Fed. With a large pullback from recent highs, is gold about to […]

Comex Inventories Plummet – Is a “Vault-Run” Underway?

Gold and silver deliveries on the Comex have surged since March 2020. While delivery volume in 2021 and 2022 are below the massive amount seen in 2020, overall volume is very elevated compared to pre-Covid levels.

Treasury Runs Second Largest July Deficit of All Time

The Federal Government ran a $211B deficit in July. Except for February, this was the largest deficit since last July when the Treasury ran a deficit of $302B, and it was the second-largest July deficit ever.

July CPI Pauses – Is Peak Inflation Over?

The latest seasonally adjusted inflation rate for July came in nearly flat at -0.03%. This was on the heels of a blisteringly hot June number of 1.35%. While inflation did surprise to the downside, it had been expected to be much lower due to the fall in oil and drop in gasoline prices. The YoY […]

US Debt: The Sting of Higher Interest Rates is Just Getting Started

The Treasury increased the total debt by $27B in June. Activity slowed in the latest month across all instruments, but particularly the conversion of short-term to long-term. After massive moves to extend debt maturity and shrink short-term debt by $530B over 4 months (shown below by the large negative turquoise bars), July went very quiet.

Jobs Report: Be Careful What You Wish For

According to the BLS, the economy added 528k jobs in July, blasting past analyst estimates of 250k. The strong report comes on the heels of a Fed meeting last week that made a point to state they are hyper-focused on the job market as a sign of a weakening economy. The White House and Fed […]

Is a Falling Trade Deficit Further Proof of Recession?

The June trade deficit fell for a fourth straight month to -$79.6B. While the deficit continues to drop from all-time highs, it is still larger than any month before 2022. June eclipsed December 2021 by $750M. December was a new record then, so the current deficit should be put into the context of longer history […]

Commitment of Traders (COT) Report: Are the Gold Shorts About to Get Squeezed?

Please note: the COT report was published 7/29/2022 for the period ending 7/26/2022. “Managed Money” and “Hedge Funds” are used interchangeably. As discussed last month, overall net positioning is the smallest it has been since May 2019. Then, on July 12, Managed Money went short gold for the first time since April 2019. Are those shorts […]

Comex Deliveries: August Gold Starts Strong

Delivery volume in the July gold contract got off to the weakest start in years, but then had a major mid-month rally, turning it into one of the strongest minor months in recent history. Over the last 15 months, it only trailed the blow-out month of March. Momentum has continued in the August contract.

Fed Balance Sheet Reduction: Too Little Too Late

Another month in and the Fed is still struggling to implement Quantitative Tightening (QT). According to the plan the Fed outlined last May, the central bank should be shrinking the balance sheet by at least $47.5B a month, spread between $30B in Treasuries and $17.5B in MBS. That’s not happening.

Money Supply Growth Rate Drops Below 2008 Level

Money Supply growth is falling rapidly. Two of the last three months have seen a decrease in the seasonally adjusted M2 Money Supply with the recent month dropping $17B. Given that April was the first contraction in 12 years, two of the last three months being negative is an ominous sign.

Technical Analysis: Is This Capitulation?

The price analysis two months ago concluded that a neutral market had been found between $1800 and $1850 and was waiting to see a break of resistance or support. It leaned bullish with indicators showing the down move had run its course but it also highlighted the risk that a drop below $1800 and $1750 brings $1680 […]

Comex Update: Gold Sees Massive Delivery Volume Mid-Month

Gold started July delivery activity as the weakest minor month since 2019. This showed a general lack of interest in the market. Considering the activity since then, it’s possible this was a signal of capitulation. Since the start of the delivery month, activity in the July gold contract has exploded.

Comex Inventory: Why is Registered Collapsing During Backwardation?

This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory data at the Comex to show the physical movement of metal into and out of Comex vaults.

Treasury Fails to Capitalize on Record Tax Revenues

The Federal Government ran an $89B deficit in June. This was an increase MoM but below the June deficit last year of $174B.

June YoY CPI Was Horrific – The Next Three Months Could Be Worse

The latest seasonally adjusted inflation rate for June came in at a blistering 1.35% MoM and 9.11% YoY, beating expectations of 1.1% and 8.8% respectively. All prices rose in May with 8 of 11 categories rising faster than the 12-month trend, representing 94.7% of the total CPI.

Treasury Interest Cost Will Soar Past $500B in the Months Ahead

The US government increased its total debt by $69 billion in June. The average interest rate on all of that debt is also going up, a growing problem for the borrow and spend government. The Treasury Department continues to roll short-term Treasury Bills into longer-dated securities, allowing $148B in Bills to roll off the debt […]

Jobs Report: Revisions Have Turned Negative

According to the BLS, the economy added 372k jobs in June. This exceeded the 250k market expectations and seems to indicate the labor market is more resilient than the rest of the economy which the Atlanta Fed currently forecasts as being already in recession. While resiliency is a positive sign for the economy, a strong […]

Yearly Trade Deficit Approaches $1T

The May trade deficit came in at -$86B. This was another MoM decline but the monthly deficit is still significantly larger than it was at any point before 2022 as shown below. One of the biggest concerns is the Services Surplus contracting by 8.1%.

COTs Report Shows the Most Neutral Precious Metals Market in Years

The technical analysis last weekend highlighted that gold looks to be in a bottoming structure. Despite the sell-off this week, $1800 held, which could be another indication that gold is in the process of bottoming, with some final weak hands getting pushed out of the market. Please note: the COTs report was published 7/3/2022 for the period […]

Comex Results: Gold and Silver Fail to Deliver

Both silver and gold had their weakest COMEX delivery months in several years. Gold started July delivery with 937 contracts outstanding. This is the lowest level since November of last year and the second-lowest since the start of Covid (see figure 2).

Did the Fed Forget to Start QT?

The first month of Federal Reserve balance sheet reduction turned out to be a big dud. As it turns out, the balance sheet shrank by less than $1 billion in June during the first month of quantitative tightening. As part of its vaunted inflation fight, the Fed announced in May that Quantitative Tightening (QT) was […]

Money Supply Growth Slows Enough to Pop Everything Bubble; Not Enough to Cure Inflation

According to the seasonally adjusted data, M2 increased by $23B in May. Except for the contraction last month (the first contraction in 12 years), it was the smallest monthly increase in M2 since the start of COVID.

Technical Analysis: Gold is Building Solid Support

After a big miss on the Powell/Brainard nominations in November, the price analysis has been fairly accurate. Identifying the initial breakout above $1800, mentioning that $1900 was fragile support, and last month concluding that gold had found a bottom around $1800. For the past month, gold has been consolidating within a tight range around $1850. The data suggests the next […]

Comex Countdown: What’s Really Going on With Silver?

This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex. See the article What is the Comex for more detail. The Comex has signaled weakness in the silver market but has been some activity bubbling under the surface. What’s really going on with silver?

Comex Inventory: Gold Outflows Accelerate While Silver Sees Significant Shuffling

Outflows of gold from Comex vaults have accelerated. Meanwhile, there is some shuffling of inventories of silver. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory data at the Comex to show the physical […]

CBO Does Not Expect Revenue Surge to Last

After running the largest monthly surplus ever in April, the Treasury was back to running deficits in May. The Federal government spent $455B in May and collected $389B in taxes, which resulted in a net deficit of $66B.

Peak Inflation Still Ahead as 97.5% of the CPI is Above the 12-Month Average

The latest seasonally adjusted inflation rate for May came in scorching hot at 0.98% MoM and 8.62% YoY, beating expectations of 0.7% and 8.3% respectively. All prices rose in May with 9 of 11 categories rising faster than the 12-month trend, representing 97.5% of the total CPI.

Yearly Trade Deficit Sets New Record Despite MoM Decrease

The April trade deficit came in at -$87B. This was the first time in 5 months that a new record had not been set (pink dot below). The Net Goods Deficit remained below -$100B for the fifth straight month. This Trade Deficit comes on the heels of an absolutely massive -$108B Deficit in March. It’s […]

Treasury Scrambles to Lock in Rates as Borrowing Cost Soars

The Treasury increased the total debt by $125B in May after a brief drop in April. This brings the total debt increase so far in 2022 to $880B. More importantly, though, the cost to service the debt is exploding. Total annualized interest has increased by $40B or 13.5% since the start of the year!

CFTC: Hedge Funds Cover Brief Net Short Position in Silver

Please note: the COTs report was published 6/3/2022 for the period ending 5/31/2022. “Managed Money” and “Hedge Funds” are used interchangeably. Gold Since the peak on March 8, Managed Money has massively reduced its Net Long positions by 98k contracts or 66%. Despite massive selling, the gold price has actually held up fairly well. The […]

Hiring Slows in 5 out of 8 Sectors

The May jobs report was widely regarded as strong. The US economy added 390,000 jobs, according to the latest data. But a deeper dive into that data reveals that the labor market might not be as strong as the mainstream spin is leading you to believe. Even with all the new jobs, hiring slowed in […]

Comex Delivery Update: Shorts are Dragging Their Feet Again

The following provides an in-depth analysis of the COMEX futures options market for gold and silver. Gold: Recent Delivery Month Gold started June delivery with 22,394 contracts outstanding. This is below April and December, but above August, October, and February. It is about on par with last June.

Foreign Holders Join the Fed in Reducing Holdings

Despite rising through the month, the Fed balance ended up shrinking slightly by $25 billion in May, even as it slightly increased its Treasury holdings. This was the first monthly decline in the balance sheet since $220B of “Other” rolled off in July 2020. In that case, “Other” were repurchase agreements with foreign entities to […]

Monthly M2 Shrinks for the First Time in Over 12 Years

According to the seasonally adjusted data, M2 contracted by $83B in April. The Money Supply analysis last month highlighted the slowing money supply growth rate, but this is the first contraction seen since January 2010.

Technical Analysis: Has This Gold Pullback Run Its Course?

The price analysis last month identified the near-term risk that gold could fall below $1880 and even $1850 despite a medium-term bullish outlook. The $1800 level was identified as a key marker for keeping the bull move intact. So far, that has held and produced a solid bounce back towards $1850 which becomes the next hurdle.

Comex Countdown: Gold Shows Strength while Silver Sees Cash Settlement

This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex. See the article What is the Comex for more detail.

Comex: Total Inventory Grows but Supply to Meet Delivery Shrinks

This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory data at the Comex to show the physical movement of metal into and out of Comex vaults.

Federal Surplus: Did the Treasury Just See Peak Revenue?

Tax revenues have been on the rise for about 18 months. As speculated previously, if this windfall was temporary, it would have shown up with a deficit in April due to a higher than normal tax returns surge. April is historically a positive month for the Treasury, but a surge in tax returns leading to […]

We May Not Have Hit Peak Inflation Yet…

The latest seasonally adjusted inflation rate for April came in higher than expectations at 0.34% MoM and 8.28% YoY. The main driver for the MoM slowdown was a fall in Energy prices.

A Very Average Jobs Report

According to the BLS, the economy added 428k jobs in April. This exactly matched the March number after it was revised down by 3k. The unemployment rate stayed flat at 3.6%. The Labor Force Participation rate dropped from 62.4% to 62.2%. YoY, this April is up 165k jobs compared to last April.

A New Paradigm: Interest Grows Even When Total Debt Shrinks

The Treasury reduced the total debt by $27B in April. This is not atypical since Tax Day falls in April. In April 2016 and 2018, the debt shrunk $78B and $21B respectively. April 2017 and 2019 were both flat due to a debt ceiling saga. 2020 and 2021 were exceptions because the tax deadline was […]

Trade Deficit Explodes 22.3% MoM and 53.8% YoY

The March trade deficit came in at -$110B. This obliterated the February record trade deficit of $90B. As the chart below shows, the trade deficit has set a record in each of the last 4 months. It was creeping upwards from -$80B to -$90B before exploding in the latest month.

Comex Results: May is Quiet, but June Looks Strong in Both Metals

This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex. See the article What is the Comex for more detail. As reported last week, Comex May’s open interest activity was looking weak in silver while gold showed a mixed picture. May has been weak so far, but June continues to look strong.

CFTC: Swaps Have Increased Gold Short Position by More than 1,300% since Nov 2015

Since the peak on March 8, Managed Money has reduced its Net Long positions by 60k contracts or 43%. Despite massive selling, the gold price has actually held up fairly well. The last time Managed Money net longs dropped this low in February, gold was struggling at the $1800 level, versus the struggle at $1900 […]

Can the Fed Pull Off a Magic Trick?

For the second month in a row, the Fed held true to its word and kept the balance sheet relatively flat. In aggregate, the balance sheet expanded by only $2B, though it did reach an all-time high mid-month. The drop to close out the month came as a result of $15B in mortgage-backed securities rolling […]

Money Supply Growth Rate Continues to Decelerate

According to the seasonally adjusted data, M2 expanded by $59B in March. While the money supply is expanding, this is the slowest increase since June of 2021. It’s also almost $200B less than the $238B expansion last March.

Price Analysis: Will $1900 Hold?

The price analysis last month highlighted how gold was trying to carve out fragile support around $1900 and breakthrough resistance at $1950. Gold found a spark and broke through $1950, but has been unable to hold above it in the wake of “hawkish” Fed comments. Now, $1900 is being tested and should give clues to the next […]

COMEX Countdown: Are Banks Forgetting Silver to Focus on Gold?

Delivery volume for silver on the COMEX has dropped to the lowest level in months. Are banks ignoring silver to focus on gold? This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex. See the article What is the Comex for more detail.

The Surge in Gold Inventory Continues at Comex

This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory data at the Comex to show the physical movement of metal into and out of Comex vaults.

Treasury Borrows $2.27 Trillion in 12-Month Period

The Treasury ran a budget deficit of $193B in the month of March. This exceeded the 12-month average of $144B. Over the last year, the Treasury has seen a massive influx of Individual tax revenues that have helped support the ballooning Federal Deficit. Unfortunately, spending has been so high that the additional revenue did not […]

CPI 1.2% MoM and 8.6% YoY – Is this Peak Inflation?

The latest seasonally adjusted inflation rate for March was 1.21% month over month, with a non-seasonally adjusted annual rate of 8.56%. Both of these numbers came in slightly above expectations, which were elevated due to the war in Ukraine.

Comex Update: Spreads, House Accounts, and a US Debt Chart

As we approach the middle of the month, here are the trends we’re seeing in the COMEX, along with a little more data on the national debt.

Annualized Interest on US Debt Increased $16.4 Billion in Just 6 Months

The US Treasury added $111 billion in debt during March. Meanwhile, rising interest rates are already creating problems for Uncle Sam. Annualized interest on the US debt has increased by over $16 billion in just six months. Following is an analysis of US debt holdings.

Trailing Twelve-Month Trade Deficit Exceeds $900 Billion

The US continues to run massive trade deficits. Despite the lack of interest in the mainstream, trade deficits matter. And as Peter Schiff said last fall, we can’t just ignore these trade deficits forever. February did not set a new monthly trade deficit record, but it was very close, and it was worse than projected.

Hedge Funds Have Room to Push Gold Higher

There is a correlation between Managed Money activity and the price of gold. Managed Money net longs str down from their March peak. This indicates there is money on the sideline that could rush into the market if gold breaks through current resistance Please note: the COTs report was published 4/1/2022 for the period ending […]

Was March a Strong Jobs Report? Maybe…

According to the BLS, the economy added 431k jobs in March. February was revised up to 750k from an original 678k. The unemployment rate fell to 3.6%. It would appear this was another strong jobs report. But when you did into the data, it’s not that clear-cut.

Quantitative Easing Has Seemingly Ended (for now)

It appears quantitative easing has pretty much come to an end. At least for now. Although the Fed was still expanding the balance sheet through mid-month, it only added a net $9B to the balance sheet during March. This was accomplished with moderate purchases of short- and long-term debt, while 5–10-year notes had a $20B […]

Gold Enters April Delivery on a Strong Note

Based on COMEX data, gold is set to have another strong month in April, which is not surprising given the lead-up.

Comex April Countdown: Silver Pops Higher with Gold Trending Strong

The big action in silver occurred early in the month, making March a pretty large outlier. First, it continues the recent trend of increasing deliveries. Second, deliveries were 8.7% of the max open interest for the month. This is the highest percentage since July 2020 when prices took off. There are still 24 open interest […]

Money Supply Growth Is Rapidly Decelerating

No doubt, money supply growth is decelerating but is still far from contractionary. According to the seasonally adjusted data, M2 expanded by $83billion in February. January was revised down from $245 billion to $176 billion.

Are Gold and Silver Approaching a Tipping Point?

Data coming from the COMEX could indicate growing pressure for a breakout in gold and silver. COMEX data has shown large deviations for several months. Most of this occurred before Russia invaded Ukraine and these deviations have grown larger since. The invasion seems to have accelerated trends that were already in place.

Technical Analysis: Resting Between Fragile Support and Weak Resistance

Gold is currently tucked between fragile support and weak resistance. Both gold and silver have been on a wild ride for the past several weeks. The last technical analysis showed how gold had broken through the lengthy consolidation pattern between $1750-$1800, with the Ukraine crisis pushing the metal through $1900.

Banks Are Restocking Gold at Fastest Pace in Years

Banks are in the process of restocking gold at a pace not seen in years. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory data at the Comex to show the physical movement of […]

Bulls Beware the Margin Lever

Over the past couple of weeks, I have focused on the activity at the Comex for the upcoming delivery months. While the data still supports a very bullish near-term posture as shown below, aggressive longs should consider when and how margin rates could be used to rein in prices.

Treasury Runs Largest Deficit in 8 Months After First Surplus in 2.5 Years

In January, the US Treasury realized its first surplus in 2.5 years. The surplus was short-lived. The Treasury went in the red by $216.6 billion in February.

Comex Update: First Gold and Now Silver

Weeks before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I highlighted Comex data points that could signal a big move ahead in gold. The invasion may have been the spark to light the fire, but the data showed the groundwork was being laid back in January. Silver has now sent up its own flare that may be […]

Inflation Up 0.8% Month-on-Month and Shows No Sign of Slowing

The latest seasonally adjusted inflation rate for January was 0.8% month over month. The non-seasonally adjusted annual rate came in at 7.87%. Both of these numbers were slightly above expectations. Unlike last year, where one component made up the bulk of the move, the past several months have shown increases more evenly spread across the […]

Trade Deficit: Another Record Shattered

January saw another record trade deficit. The $89.7 billion deficit shattered the $82 billion record set in December by 9.4%! Before March 2021, the Trade Deficit monthly record had been set in August 2006 at -$68B. This record stood for nearly 15 years! Records are now being broken almost every single month.

Treasury Adds Another $94B in Short-Term Debt and $278B Overall

Debt issuance by the US Treasury has fallen since the binge in December when the Treasury had to replenish its “extraordinary measures” stockpiles (government employee retirement funds) after the end of the “debt ceiling” debate. Still, issuance remains relatively high. The Treasury added another $278 billion in debt during February. Similar to January, the Treasury […]

February was a Strong Jobs Report Across All Measures

February was another very strong jobs month with the economy adding an estimated 678,000 jobs vs an expected 400,000. The unemployment rate came in at 3.8%, down from 4%. Labor force participation also improved, rising from 62.2% to 62.3%. Both December and January numbers were revised upwards.

Comex Results February Becomes the Month of Adjustments

There have been some major adjustments to headline data numbers so far in February from the BLS, the Fed, and now the Comex. This analysis focuses on gold and silver delivery volume on the Comex. See the article What is the Comex for more detail.

COTs Analysis: Will Hedge Funds Stick Around This Time?

The previous Commitment of Traders analysis showed how much influence Managed Money has over the short-term price movement of gold and silver. The table below summarizes this influence by comparing the Managed Money Net Positioning with “Other”, the next largest category. Swap is not considered because it typically sits opposite the other two.

Comex Countdown: 1 Day to Go – March Delivery Could Set Records

As mentioned yesterday, daily updates into the March close are warranted given the extreme situation in the market. Today is First Position, which means the data tonight will give the first indication of March deliveries. Let’s get into it…

The Fed Pulls Back on Treasuries but Dives in on Mortgage-Backed Securities

Even with the taper, the Fed continues to expand its balance sheet. And it’s not tapering the purchase of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) nearly as fast as advertised.

Comex Countdown: Two Days to Go as War Begins

Usually, I only do one Comex Countdown into the close, but… you know… a war just started. Throw on top the fact that the Comex has been flashing warning signs lately, and I think a daily update is warranted for the next three days. It’s very possible delivery volume is very robust which could put pressure […]

Seasonal Adjustments – Did Money Supply Expand or Contract?

According to the seasonally adjusted data, M2 expanded by $245 billion in January. However, when looking at the raw, non-seasonally adjusted M2 data, the money supply contracted by $214 billion. That would be the largest contraction since Jan 2013. How do we parse out this data?

The Technicals: Is the Gold and Silver Rally Sustainable?

Gold and silver have both rallied in recent weeks, with the price of gold pushing to $1,900 an ounce. But is this rally sustainable? Following is some technical analysis of both the gold and silver markets.

Comex Countdown: Feb, March, and April All Flashing Yellow

The last article highlighted the strange things going on in the gold market. Specifically: Cash settlement instead of delivery for February Increased open interest in March Slightly higher spread cost in April. Recent weeks have seen several flashing yellow signs in the gold market.

Comex Vaults See Inventory Fall 3% in the Last Month

Gold continues to flow out of COMEX vaults at a rapid pace. Inventory fell 3% in the last month alone. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail.

Treasury Realizes First Surplus in Nearly 2.5 Years

The US Treasury realized a monthly surplus of $118.7 billion in January. It was the first budget surplus since September 2019 and the largest since it realized a $160 billion surplus in April of 2019. The surplus was driven by high revenue from a continued surge in Individual Taxes. This was combined with shrinking expenditures […]

Unrounded MoM CPI Was 0.65%; Price Increases Are Widespread

The latest seasonally adjusted inflation rate for January was 0.65% month over month, with a non-seasonally adjusted annual rate of 7.48%. Both of these numbers came in above expectations. As hypothesized last month, it was very possible that Omicron temporarily restrained inflation in December and a rebound should be expected. It did not take long for […]

2021 Trade Deficit Shatters Historical Record Set Back in 2006

In December 2021, the US ran up a total trade deficit of -$80.7 billion, just a tick shy of the record -$80.8 billion set in September. The Goods Deficit increased by 3.2% to come in at -$101.4B, eclipsing the -$100B mark for the first time ever. This capped off a year in which the trade […]

Are There Tremors in the Gold Market?

As reported last week, multiple data points in the COMEX are starting to flash yellow in the gold market. Cash settlements are at a recent high, open interest has spiked in March to way above normal, and roll costs are creeping up. Are these tremors in the gold market?

Treasury Increases Short-Term Debt by $200B as Total Debt Crosses $30T

The Treasury added almost $400 billion of debt in January, the third most since July 2020. As the month closed out, the national debt eclipsed $30 trillion. The other two larger debt increases both came right after the debt ceiling was raised. Perhaps most important is the fact that almost $200B of the newly added […]

Don’t Get Too Excited; Most of These Revised Job Gains Were Already Counted

January showed very strong growth with 467k new jobs reported by the BLS. This crushed expectations of 150k. Some analysts even projected a contraction given the reported loss by ADP on Wednesday. However, the bigger story is the revisions of prior months. October to December saw upward revisions of nearly 900k jobs! The story is […]

What is the Comex Gold Market Signaling?

As reported last week, Comex January turned out to be extremely strong in both gold and silver for a minor month. Most of that strength materialized after First Position. February was looking modest in gold and weak in silver, but the gold market is now showing outlier trends. This analysis focuses on gold and silver delivery […]

Fed’s Taper Struggle: Central Bank Adds Another $100 Billion to Balance Sheet

The Fed is talking taper. But it seems to be having a hard time actually tapering. The central bank added another $100 billion to its balance sheet in January.

Money Supply Grew 13.1% in 2021 – Is It Enough to Keep the Bubble Going?

M2 increased by $201 billion in December. This represents a 0.94% MoM increase which annualizes to 11.9%. For the entire year of 2021, M2 grew by an incredible $2.5 trillion or 13.1%! This is extremely rapid money supply growth! The Fed can taper their asset purchases, but shrinking the Money Supply is the only way […]

The Technicals: Will $1800 Gold Hold?

For the past year, gold has been battling around the $1,800 an ounce psychological mark. Silver has faced a similar up and down battle near $25, albeit with more volatility. Gold finished 2021 strong at $1830 but then a pullback happened followed by a quick rebound back above $1800 and now $1830. Will $1800 hold […]

Comex Countdown: BofA House Strikes Back

An article earlier this month reviewed the massive volume of physical metal leaving the bank House accounts over the last two years. December 2021 finished the year off with a massive drawdown in House account inventories. While the drawdown continues across most accounts, Bank of America has tried to recoup some of the physical metal that […]

Last Month Proves to Be an Outlier – Metal is Leaving Comex Vaults Again

Last month, we saw a small increase in metal stored in COMEX vaults, but that turned out to be a blip in the trend. Metal is leaving the COMEX vaults again. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables […]

Can the Deficit Fall Below $1 Trillion in 2022?

In the calendar year 2021, federal tax revenues surged by an incredible 25% compared to 2020 and were up 22.8% over 2019 (pre-COVID). But the surge in tax revenues was not enough to overcome a record $6.8 trillion in spending, breaking the spending record set in 2020 by 1.6%.

Is Omicron Hiding Much Higher Inflation?

The CPI for December was 0.5% month over month, with a non-seasonally adjusted annual rate of 7.0%. As the chart below shows, the December data reinforced a downward trend we’ve seen since a .95% reading in October. But is the recent omicron COVID spike hiding much higher inflation?

December Jobs: All but One Category are Way Behind 12-Month Trend

November had been the weakest jobs report of the year until a meager 199k were announced for December. As shown below, over the last 18 months, only December 2020 was weaker. This was right when the Covid second wave was wreaking havoc and before vaccines became available to the public.

Treasury Adds $709B to the Debt in a Single Month

The debt ceiling was raised in December and the Treasury responded immediately, adding $709 billion in debt over the month. To be fair, $470 billion of this was non-marketable, as shown below. Note: Non-Marketable consists almost entirely of debt the government owes to itself (e.g., debt owed to Social Security or public retirement)

Goods Deficit Approaches $100 Billion

November 2021 charted a total trade deficit of -$80.2B just shy of the record -$81.4B in September. However, the data this month is far more concerning when digging into the details. After a massive surge in the trade deficit occurred in September, October saw a big pullback to -$67.1B. The details showed that the volatility was […]

Comex House Accounts Get Crushed in December: The Canary?

I love exploring data to try and understand complex situations. My career has mainly been in finance giving rise to the name: Exploring Finance. Using data to explore the current financial landscape shows an unsustainable situation, which has led me to identify gold and silver as the best defensive investments.

CFTC: Managed Money Did Not Drive Year-End Price Surge

After losing its grip in 2020, managed money is back in the driver’s seat pushing the price of gold and silver around. This analysis is written to explain the short-term price movements, which can be confounding given the strong fundamental backdrop. After very low volatility and a disappointing year in precious metals, it’s likely activity […]

Comex Delivery Results: Will Momentum Continue in January?

As reported last week, Comex January’s open interest activity was looking strong in silver and modest in gold. The initial results are promising, especially given the probability contracts will open mid-month for immediate delivery. This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex. See the article What is the Comex for more detail.

Has the Taper Finally Started? Who Will Fill the Massive Gap?

While on the surface, it appears the Federal Reserve asset purchase taper has started, it’s not as easy to prove when you dig into the details. The Fed is certainly not being as aggressive as they promised, and for good reason. As the Fed leaves the bond market, who will fill the gap? Since 2019, […]

November Money Supply: Similar and Different to November 1972

Despite talk about a war on inflation and a quantitative easing taper, the money supply continues to expand at a rapid clip, fanning the inflationary fire. M2 increased by $249.2B in November.

Comex Countdown: December Delivery Surges and January Looks Strong

Silver delivery in December surged to levels not seen since last spring and reversed the downward trend in place since last summer. This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex. See the article What is the Comex for more detail.

The Technicals for Gold: Yet Another Battle at $1800

Gold looked very strong through mid-November. Trends in September and October had been pointing to a breakout. The market delivered sending gold up through $1870. Unfortunately, hard resistance kept the bulls in check, despite repeated attempts to breakthrough. The previous price analysis presumed that a Brainard nomination at the Fed would be the catalyst needed to break through $1880. […]

Comex Stock Report: JP Morgan Refill the Coffers

Gold inventories in Comex vaults increased for only the second time since February this year. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock/inventory data at the Comex to show the physical movement of […]

Federal Tax Revenues Surge 20% – Will it Last?

The federal government continues to run big budget deficits as spending skyrockets. Increasing tax revenues are the only thing keeping the deficits from blowing up even further. But how long will this tax windfall last?

Expectations Are Finally High Enough for Sky High Inflation

The latest seasonally adjusted inflation rate for November was .76% month over month, with a non-seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.81%. These numbers were generally in line with mainstream expectations that have finally gotten high enough to match the blistering hot inflation numbers coming out month after month.

Data Anomaly Causes October Trade Deficit to Shrink

The October trade deficit fell but the drop was primarily due to a data anomaly. October 2021 charted a total trade deficit of -$67.1 billion. It was the lowest trade deficit since April 2021. Month-on-month, the trade deficit fell 17% from the record set in September.

US Debt: The Landscape Has Changed and the Fed Can Do Nothing About it

Similar to August and September, the total national debt has not increased due to the current debt ceiling that’s in place. Similar to August, the Treasury has raided public retirement accounts to continue funding government spending (light green bar below). Looking at the bigger picture, Covid has forever shifted the landscape of US Debt.

Hedge Funds are Driving Price Action in the Gold Market

Looking at the data, it appears hedge funds are currently driving price action in the gold market Please note: the COTs report was published 12/3/2021 for the period ending 11/30/2021. “Managed Money” and “Hedge Funds” are used interchangeably.

Jobs Analysis: What if Leisure and Hospitality has Fully Recovered?

November was the weakest jobs report of the year, coming in at a paltry 210,000, missing consensus expectations of 573,000. There were modest revisions upwards over the last two months of 8,000 and 15,000 for September and October respectively. Nothing to be excited about.

Gold and Silver Delivery Requests Near 1 Year Highs Prompting Cash Settlements

Gold and silver delivery requests from the Comex neared a 1-year high in November. Note: This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex. See the article What is the Comex for more detail. Additionally, numbers from Comex for December 1 are still preliminary as of publishing. Numbers may change some.

What Taper? Fed Adds $126 Billion to Balance Sheet in November

The Fed added $82 billion in Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) and $65 billion in Treasuries to its balance sheet while allowing $22 billion in repo agreements to roll off the balance sheet. The net gain was $126 billion in the month that the “taper” was set to begin.

Someone Took Immediate Delivery of 741 Comex Silver Contracts in November (So Far)

With several days to go in the month, the number of silver contracts taken for immediate delivery at the Comex already stands at 741, more than double the total in November 2020. That raises two big questions: who is taking delivery of all this metal mid-month? And more importantly, what are they anticipating? This analysis […]

Money Supply Growth Accelerates Into Year-End

So much for fighting inflation. Despite the Fed’s announcement that quantitative easing tapering would begin this month, money supply growth appears to be accelerating. In the latest period, M2 increased by $193 billion, eclipsing the $21 trillion mark. This represents a 0.91% month-on-month increase. That annualizes to 11.6%. This is above the six-month average indicating […]

Will Gold Blast Through $1900 on a Brainard Nomination This Weekend?

Gold finally broke through the $1,800 resistance after yet another sizzling hot CPI read. Could $1,900 be next? The analysis last month and the month before showed that a breakout in the price of gold looked to be very close. It happened!

Comex Vaults See Another Big Fall in Inventory

Gold stocks in the Comex vaults have recorded another significant drop since the beginning of the month. Silver inventories have also dropped over the last few months. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the […]

Budget Deficit Represents More Than 35% of Total Federal Expenditures

The federal budget deficit in October came in at $165 billion. That represents a staggering 36.8% of total expenditures for the month. This is slightly below the 12-month average where the deficit represented 39.3% of total expenditures. Over the twelve-month period, the total deficit was $2.65 trillion driven by total expenditures that reached $6.7 trillion. […]

Analysis: CPI Blasts Past Expectations; Price Increases Widespread

The October CPI data came in even hotter than expected, and we saw widespread price increases across multiple categories. The following provides an in-depth analysis of the most recent CPI data.

Treasury Binges in October, Adding Almost Half a Trillion in Debt

After all the drama, Congress finally did what everyone knew it would do.  It raised the debt ceiling by $480 billion in October. The Treasury wasted no time and quickly added $480 billion to the national debt in the second half of the month. With this new debt tagged on, if the Fed has to […]

Strong Jobs Creates Buying in Gold? Is All the Bad News Priced In?

October jobs came in at 531k, finally beating expectations with strength shown across the board. Furthermore, August and September were both revised upwards by over 100k. ‘ Perhaps even more surprising is the early reaction in the gold/silver market. More on this below.

September Trade Deficit Smashes June Record by 10.5%

The September trade deficit smashed the record set just last June. September 2021 charted a total trade deficit of -$80.9 billion. That was up a massive 11.2% over the August trade deficit of -$72.8 billion and crushed the previous June record of -$73.2 billion by over 10.5%.

Hedge Funds Increase Net Longs 180% in Gold and 726% in Silver During October

Hedge funds closed shorts and went long in both gold and silver in October. Please note: the COTs report was published 10/29/2021 for the period ending 10/26/2021. “Managed Money” and “Hedge Funds” are used interchangeably. The Commitment of Traders analysis last month highlighted the potential over-extension of the shorts leading to a rebound. This proved to […]

November Comex Delivery Analysis

I reported last week that Comex delivery activity was looking very quiet in both gold and silver. The results for November are very weak. That being said, October and November are historically slow months, so the real test will come in December. This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex. See the […]

Did the Fed Experiment With a Mini-Taper and Fail?

The Federal Reserve has slightly slowed its asset purchases over the last few months. Was this a trial mini-taper? If so, the results are not good news for the central bankers over at the Fed. The Fed balance sheet stands at $8.56 trillion. That’s up by $108 billion from the prior month-end, but down over […]

Money Supply Grows Almost 10% Annualized and Nears $21 Trillion

In the latest period, M2 increased by $163 billion and sits just shy of $21 trillion. This represents a 0.78% MoM increase which annualizes to 9.8%. This is below last month’s rise of $254B and last September’s rise of $223B.

Fiscal Spending Up 18.7% MoM and 4.1% YoY

The federal budget deficit for September 2021 was $61.5 billion, down from the $171 billion in August. Even though the deficit fell 64% MoM, it was driven primarily by receipts. Spending was up 18.7% MoM but receipts were up 71.2% driven by a surge in corporate and individual taxes.

Price Analysis: Gold Diverges from Bonds as Critical Test Looms at $1800

The analysis last month showed that selling exhaustion may be near in the gold market. Since then, gold continues to be range-bound between $1750 and $1800 running up against both solid resistance and support. Meanwhile, silver has shown a mini-breakout. The $1800 level for gold is in play this week and could open the door for […]

Comex Countdown: Quiet Before the Storm?

Both gold and silver are seeing quieter activity in Comex contracts. This is not atypical for October and November which are slow months in the lead up to December. This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex. See the article What is the Comex for more detail.

Gold and Silver Comex Vaults Both See 1% Fall in Total Inventory

Both physical gold and silver have been draining from Comex vaults this year. There was a 1% decline in stocks of both metals over the last month. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze […]

A More Accurate CPI: Up .97% MoM and 7.1% YoY

The CPI data for September came in hotter than expected at 0.4%. That pushed the yearly gain to 5.4%. But an honest CPI calculation would come in even hotter. I am doing something different this month. In past reviews of the CPI, I typically take the BLS data and recalculate the values to get a more […]

Another Big Jobs Miss: All But Two Categories Are Below The 12-Month Trend

For the second month in a row, the jobs numbers in September came in well below expectations. The Labor Department reported an increase of only 194,000 jobs, well below the estimated 500,000. The big miss was similar to August’s report. Despite the unemployment rate ticking down to 4.8% from 5.2% and an upward August revision of […]

Surge in Imported Services Sends Trade Deficit to New Record

The US trade deficit surged to yet another new record in August as Americans are importing more and more services to go along with all of their imported goods. The August trade deficit came in at $73.25 billion, 4.2% higher than the July trade deficit of $70.3 billion. The August deficit set a new record […]

Hedge Funds Pile into Short Positions During September

Please note: the COTs report was published 10/1/2021 for the period ending 9/28/2021. “Managed Money” and “Hedge Funds” are used interchangeably. The Commitment of Traders analysis last month showed a potentially bullish setup in both gold and silver. The washout of Managed Money Net Long contracts that occurred in early August appeared to be over and a […]

Delivery Results: Silver Down and Gold Mixed

As we move into October, physical silver delivery is down on Comex while gold was a mixed bag. This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex. See the article What is the Comex for more detail.

Fed Absorbs $60B of 1 to 5-Year US Treasuries in September

The Fed keeps talk, talk, talking about tapering quantitative easing, but the balance sheet continues to get bigger and bigger and bigger. The Fed balance sheet stands at $8.45 trillion, up by$115 billion from the prior month-end.

M2 Grows at Fastest Pace Since February

Even as the Fed talked about tightening monetary policy, the money supply grew at the fastest pace since last winter. In the latest period, M2 increased by $263 billion. This is a major jump compared to the last two months and is the highest month-over-month growth since February. The same period in 2020 saw M2 only […]

Price Analysis Shows Bearish Indicators but Exhaustion May Be Near

One of the major technical indicators for investors is the 50 Day Moving Average (DMA) vs the 200 DMA. This analysis examines these moving averages for both gold and silver along with other technical indicators.

Comex Countdown: Will Gold Lead Silver Higher?

This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex as we move from September into October. See the article What is the Comex for more detail.

Gold and Silver Both Drain from Comex Inventory

Gold and silver have both significantly drained from the Comex inventory since August 1. This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock data at the Comex to show the physical movement of metal […]

Recent CPI Dip May Prove “Transitory”

The latest seasonally adjusted month-over-month inflation rate was 0.3% (vs. .4% expected), with a non-seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.3% (vs 5.4% expected). The reason for the fall from July’s .47% pace was spread across multiple categories, specifically Commodities, Food, Shelter, and Transportation. While the CPI drop-off since the June peak appears to prove the […]

Breaking Down the $171 Billion August Federal Budget Deficit

The Federal Budget Deficit for August 2021 was $171B which was down from the $302B in July. The chart below shows the Federal Budget for the previous 18 months.

Did The Treasury Raid $250 Billion from Government Retirement Accounts (Again)?

The Treasury bumped up against the debt ceiling at the end of July. Since then, it has been using “extraordinary measures” to allow the Government to keep hemorrhaging cash without having to increase the debt ceiling. The chart below shows the month-over-month change in debt for August equal to $0. Despite zero net change, there […]

Commitment of Traders Shows a Potentially Bullish Setup in Gold and Silver

The CFTC Commitment of Traders (COTs) report is released once a week and shows a breakdown of open interest by trader category. The CFTC breaks down open interest by: Managed Money (e.g. Hedge Funds) Producers (e.g. gold mining companies) Swaps (e.g. banks) Non-Reportable Other

Big Jobs Miss: Leisure and Hospitality Add Zero Jobs

The Labor Department released its August jobs report on Friday. To say the numbers were disappointing would be an understatement. According to the report, there was an increase of only 235k jobs, well below the estimated 720k. That’s a miss of nearly 500k jobs.

July Trade Deficit Shrinks but Trailing Twelve Month Number Hits New Record

The month-on-month trade deficit fell in July but remains far larger than it was a year ago. And the Trailing Twelve Month figure hit a new record.

Delivery Results: Gold and Silver Both Underwhelm

This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex. See the article What is the Comex for more detail. Delivery for both gold and silver was underwhelming.

While Fed Talks About Taper, Balance Sheet Grows $111 Billion in August

The Fed balance sheet stands at $8.33 trillion, up $111 billion from the prior month-end. The chart below shows how the Fed Balance sheet has grown by instrument over the last 18 months. The major surge from COVID can be clearly seen as $2.5T was added within 2 months. The monthly changes since then reflect […]

Money Supply Growth Rebounds But Trend Is Down

M2 Money Supply is measured by the Federal Reserve to calculate the amount of money in the financial system. Historically, the term inflation was defined as an expansion of the money supply that generally led to higher prices. Therefore increases in M2 is the measure of inflation. This analysis reviews the changes in money supply as a potential indication of future […]

September 21 Comex Delivery Countdown: Gold Shows Life, Silver Mixed

This analysis focuses on gold and silver physical delivery on the Comex set for September 21, 2021. See the article What is the Comex for more detail.

Aug 2021 Technical Analysis: Gold & Silver Bullish or Bearish?

The price of gold and silver can be driven by many variables both technical and fundamental. Fundamental drivers include Fed meetings/speeches, its balance sheet, inflation data, jobs numbers, market risk appetite, etc. This analysis examines some of the more technical factors driving prices (e.g. Comex OI, Miners price action, technical price action). The CFCT Cots report can […]

Comex Inventory Aug: Gold Slowly Drains But Silver Surges

This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange. See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. The charts and tables below specifically analyze the physical stock data at the Comex. This is different than the delivery countdown that looks to see how many contracts will stand for delivery each month. Instead, it shows […]

US Budget Deficit Up 73% in July as Tax Season Ends

The US government ran yet another massive budget deficit in July. The shortfall was particularly larger on a month-on-month basis with tax season ending and the flow of money into the Treasury slowing. The following analysis puts digs deeper into the numbers and puts them into some historical context.

July CPI: Many Price Categories Are Still Increasing

For the first time this year, CPI data came in within expectations. Many in the mainstream took this as a sign “transitory” inflation might be cooling. But many prices continue to increase. The BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) has become one of the most anticipated data points each month. The CPI has become a controversial […]

Government Jobs Account for Nearly a Quarter of July Gains

The BLS provides an employment picture of the US on the first Friday of every month. It estimates how many jobs were added or subtracted by sector. While some of the assumptions may be controversial (e.g. the birth/death model) and job numbers are prone to revisions, it remains the most widely anticipated statistic each month by […]

Total US Debt Shrinks by $101 Billion into Debt Ceiling Saga

“Just because something is inevitable, does not make it imminent, but eventually the future arrives” The US Government is on an unsustainable debt trajectory. Even though the Federal Reserve has acknowledged this fact, most mainstream pundits consider it a distant problem or even not an issue at all. They argue that debt fears have raged […]

June Trade Deficit Sets New Record of $75.7 Billion

The US Trade Balance shows the deficit and surplus of US trade for Imports and Exports. A deficit occurs when imports are greater than exports. When the Trade Balance is in deficit (which it has been for decades), it accounts for one of the two components of the Twin Deficits. The Fiscal Deficit accounts for […]

CFTC COTS Analysis July 2021

The CFTC Commitment of Traders (COTs) report is released once a week and shows a breakdown of open interest by trader category. As discussed in the gold/silver pricing analysis, Open Interest can be a major factor in the metal price. The CFTC breaks down open interest by:

Comex Delivery Results: August 2021 Contract

This analysis focuses on gold and silver data provided by the Comex/CME Group. The Comex (or CME Group) is a global derivatives market that allows for trading in futures contracts. They allow two parties (a long and a short) to speculate or hedge in specific commodity markets and guarantee the transaction in the process. The majority […]

Fed Balance Sheet July 2021: 143B Added

The Federal Reserve has three primary tools to conduct Monetary Policy: reserve requirements, the discount rate, and open market operations (Quantitative Easing). Open market operations are how the Fed uses its balance sheet to provide liquidity to the market. More details can be found here. The Fed defines Open Market Operations as:

Money Supply July 2021: Growth Rate Sees Massive Drop

M2 Money Supply is measured by the Federal Reserve to calculate the amount of Money in the financial system. The Fed defines M2 as: Seasonally adjusted M2 is constructed by summing savings deposits (before May 2020), small-denomination time deposits, and retail MMFs, each seasonally adjusted separately, and adding this result to seasonally adjusted M1. Historically, […]

Comex Delivery Countdown: Mid-July Update

This analysis focuses on gold and silver data provided by the Comex/CME Group. See the article What is the Comex for more detail. Silver: Recent Delivery Month First Position Day is when contracts must post 100% margin to stand for delivery. Once delivery begins, contracts can settle in cash, or more contracts can be opened […]

US Budget Deficit Analysis: June 2021

The US Budget Analysis shows the deficit or surplus of the US Federal Government. A deficit occurs when spending (outlays) is greater than income (receipts). When the US Budget is in deficit (which it has been for over 2 decades), it accounts for one of the two components of the Twin Deficits. The trade deficit […]

Gold and Silver Pricing Update: Mid July 2021

Many variables can drive the price of gold and silver. These include Fed meetings/speeches, inflation data, jobs numbers, risk appetite, etc. Some people speculate that the price is suppressed and manipulated by the banks and Fed. While coordinated suppression is not impossible, there are other more probable explanations for gold and silver price action. This […]

US Debt Analysis: June 2021

The US Government is on an unsustainable debt trajectory. Even though the Federal Reserve has acknowledged this fact, most mainstream figures consider it a distant problem or even not an issue at all. The argument highlights that debt fears have raged since the debt crossed $1T decades ago and no negative consequences have materialized. This […]

Comex Stock Update: July 2021

This analysis focuses on gold and silver within the Comex/CME futures exchange See the article What is the Comex? for more detail. It provides historical context and defines many of the terms used below. While it is exciting to track the countdown to First Notice to determine how many contracts will stand for delivery in […]

Trade Deficit Analysis: May 2021

The US trade balance shows the deficit and surplus of US trade for imports and exports. A deficit occurs when imports are greater than exports. When the trade balance is in deficit, it accounts for one of the two components of the twin deficits. The fiscal deficit accounts for the other component and will be […]

Comex June/July 2021 Update

This analysis focuses on gold and silver data provided by the Comex/CME Group. The Comex allows investors/traders to gain exposure to commodities using futures contracts. Contracts can settle for delivery of the physical commodity. Tracking the demand for physical metal can give better insight into the market. See the article What is the Comex for […]

The Fed in a Box Part 2: They Cannot End Quantitative Easing

If the Fed tapers QE, it may reveal waning appetite for long-term treasuries The Treasury may have used its cash balance reserve to anchor inflation expectations If inflation persists, the Fed may have to increase rather than decrease QE Note: By definition, inflation is an expansion of the money supply. In this article, inflation will […]

The Fed in a Box Part 1: They Cannot Raise Interest Rates

3 Key Takeaways The US Government has over $28 Trillion in Debt Much of the debt is short-term, making it extra sensitive to higher rates Higher Interest Rates would immediately start putting strain on the Federal Budget Introduction The US has over $28 Trillion dollars in debt and it continues to grow at an alarming […]

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