Ira Epstein: Gold Not Rallying On Shutdown Since Standoff Seen as 'Theatrics'
Thursday October 3, 2013 3:10 PM
Gold likely is not rallying during the partial U.S. government shutdown, due to a budget spat, because the market sees the standoff as largely “theatrics,” says Ira Epstein, director of the Ira Epstein division of The Linn Group. Gold has slipped modestly since the close of the pit session on Monday, the day before the shutdown began. “Ask yourself ‘Why isn’t gold rallying on this news?’ The only reason I come up with is that the ‘smart money’ believes we’re looking at theatrics,” Epstein says. “Yes, if things plays out too long, the end result can early turn into a crisis, one in which gold should rally, but the market doesn’t think we’re at that point yet. It seems to me the markets think we’re probably getting closer to the beginning (of) compromise talks.” Epstein also doubts the U.S. will default on its debt, even though the Treasury has said it will hit its debt-ceiling in mid-month, meaning another political standoff. “There’s a lot of power the office of the presidency carries, and keeping us from defaulting is one of those powers,” Epstein says. In the meantime, he adds, world leaders will continue to criticize the U.S., and credit agencies may become vocal in threats threaten to cut ratings of U.S. debt. “However, these agencies will likely wait for more certainty before lowering their ratings,” Epstein adds.
By Debbie Carlson of Kitco News; dcarlson@kitco.com
Ira Epstein Sees No Need For FOMC To Start Tapering This Year
Thursday October 3, 2013 3:10 PM
Ira Epstein, director of the Ira Epstein division of The Linn Group, doubts the Federal Open Market Committee will taper its bond-buying program, known as quantitative easing, in 2013. The partial shutdown of the U.S. government over a budget standoff will slow economic growth at least some, with the full impact to depend on how long the stalemate lasts, the veteran trader says. “That begs the question, ‘Do you see the Fed tapering in this environment?’ I don’t. I didn’t see them needing to taper last month and frankly don’t see any need to begin the tapering process this year.”
By Debbie Carlson of Kitco News; dcarlson@kitco.com
Gold ETF Outflows Mostly Come From GLD – Morningstar
Thursday October 3, 2013 2:33 PM
Outflows from gold exchange-traded funds this year mostly came from the SPDR Gold Trust (ticker: GLD), rather than from the iShares Gold Trust (ticker: IAU), says Mike Rawson, ETF analyst at Morningstar. “We saw it disproportionally affect the GLD, which shows that it’s used more to trade,” he says. The lower expense ratio of the IAU versus the GLD “makes it a preferred vehicle to hold,” says Ben Johnson, director of global passive funds research at Morningstar. The GLD’s deep liquidity makes it a better vehicle for those who might want to trade the ETF, even with a higher expense ratio.
By Debbie Carlson of Kitco News; dcarlson@kitco.com
TDS Sees Signs Of Progress In U.S. Budget Standoff, Potential For 'Grand Bargain'
Thursday October 3, 2013 2:31 PM
With the U.S. government into its third day of being partially shut down, TD Securities see a little speck of light at the end of the tunnel. Eric Green, global head of rates, FX and commodity research, says that it appears Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner is “making the first effort to loosen that knot.” According to media reports, Boehner is willing to suspend the Hastert Rule to bring to bring forward a clean funding bill that would pass in the House and the Senate. Green adds that the debate is now less about the government closure and more about the debt ceiling, which the government is expected to hit in mid-October. “That is good news,” he says. “Longer-term funding considerations are moving front and center and in principle demonstrates that communication is improving. These developments all reduce the odds of a negative outcome over coming weeks, and introduces the potential for a grand bargain of some sort, a theme that has been gathering some momentum in Washington over the past 24 hours. A diminished probability of a negative outcome, however small, is risk positive. That takes some of the sting out of sentiment that pushed the Dow down 185 pts and sentiment that pushed 10yr yields against important resistance levels at 2.59%, a resistance that was bound to break.”
By Neils Christensen of Kitco News; nchristensen@kitco.com
Weak ISM Services Data Shows True State Of U.S. Economy – CIBC
Thursday October 3, 2013 10:30 AM
Andrew Grantham, economist at CIBC World Markets, says that previous non-manufacturing data from the Institute for Supply Management overstated the health of the U.S. economy and September’s surprise drop is probably closer to reality. The ISM service index reading was 54.4, well below the consensus forecast of 57.5 and lower than August’s reading of 58.6. Grantham says this latest report is “indicative of only moderate growth.” He says that the components of the report could also weigh on the U.S. dollar and boost Treasuries. “The business activity and employment components saw particularly sharp declines from the prior month,” he adds.
By Neils Christensen of Kitco News; nchristensen@kitco.com
Jobless Claims Dropping But Companies Not Hiring – Analysts
Thursday October 3, 2013 9:05 AM
Although U.S. jobless claims remain near their recent lows, two banks are highlighting the fact that business still aren’t in a hiring frenzy. According to the Labor Department, 308,000 new jobless claims were filed for the week ending Sept. 28, an increase of 1,000 new claims compared to the previous week. The Labor Department also reported that there were no “special” factors behind this week’s jobless claims. “Overall, claims continue to trend gradually lower on average, showing that even though they may not be hiring on mass, most companies due not feel the need to lay off workers either,” says Andrew Grantham, economist at CIBC World Markets. “While the decline in jobless filings is certainly an improvement, we find it worth highlighting that the data only sheds light on the layoff side of the labor equation, doing little to provide much insight about actual hiring intentions. Other surveys such as the recently much-improved NFIB hiring plans index show businesses intending to hire more employees, suggesting that the combination of lower claims and improved hiring intentions could lead any new job creation to more easily translate into labor market slack absorption,” says Gennadiy Goldberg, U.S. strategist at TD Securities. The weekly initial claims report is one of the only federal economic reports released during the partial government shutdown because the data is collected by the different states.
By Neils Christensen of Kitco News; nchristensen@kitco.com
INTL FCStone Sees Palladium Continuing To Outperform Platinum
Thursday October 3, 2013 8:41 AM
INTL FCStone looks for platinum to continue lagging sister metal palladium going into next year. Platinum sold off in September, in line with gold. There are reports of improvement in European diesel-powered car sales, but the recovery still looks “anemic,” INTL FCStone says in its monthly commodity outlook. “One thing platinum does have going for it is that ETF (exchange-traded-fund) demand seems to be decent, hitting an all-time high in September, but if the market does not show signs of stabilization, we suspect that further inflows will start to recede,” the firm says. Meanwhile, palladium slid in early September, then trended higher for the rest of the month, benefitting from rising car sales in the U.S. and China – both of which are markets gasoline-powered vehicles that can use palladium in auto catalysts. “Supply remains an issue, exacerbated by dwindling Russian stockpiles sales and perennial strike issues going on in South Africa,” INTL FCStone says. “In addition, we are seeing total global holdings of palladium ETFs at about 2.2 million ounces, up from 1.9 million ounces at the start of the year.”
By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com
INTL FCStone Sees 2013 Copper Surplus Of 270,000 Metric Tons
Thursday October 3, 2013 8:41 AM
INTL FCStone sees the global copper market in a surplus of 270,000 metric tons in 2013, rising to 400,000 next year. The firm cites supply issues in a monthly commodities report, noting that treatment charges next year are expected to rise “substantially,” with Japanese, Chinese and Chilean facilities telling their customers to expect an increase due to more supply coming onto the market. “Not surprisingly, recent reports show that both Chilean and Chinese refined copper production have been rising of late, each up by about 7.6% and 12%, respectively, on an annualized basis,” INTL FCStone says. The firm also cites the most recent data from the International Copper Study Group saying the copper market was in a 183,000-ton surplus for first six months of the year on a seasonally adjusted basis, although there were deficits for May and June, breaking a string of seven consecutive monthly surpluses.
By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com
BNP Paribas: U.S. Dollar Vulnerable As Government Shutdown Continues
Thursday October 3, 2013 8:41 AM
The U.S. dollar is vulnerable as the partial shutdown of the U.S. government in a budget battle drags on, says BNP Paribas. “The U.S. federal government shutdown continues with the meeting of congressional leaders in the White House...late yesterday showing the parties involved are far from a compromise on resolving the government shutdown,” the bank says. “President Obama is prepared to negotiate anything but only once the continuing resolution is passed, allowing the government to re-open. The market response has not been a contagion in risk-off -- Asian equities faring OK this morning -- but rather USD grinding lower against low-beta core currencies (EUR, JPY and CHF) but holding better against the riskier currencies (AUD, NZD, CAD and NOK). Indeed, there is a risk a protracted shutdown results in a more significant negative economic impact as we approach the Oct. 17 debt-ceiling deadline, which in turn could trigger expectations of an even later Fed QE (quantitative-easing) tapering. That said, the surprise risk is mostly USD positive if an agreement is reached and/or the limited flow of the incoming U.S. data surprises to the upside.”
By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com
BBH: Markets Worried About U.S. Debt Ceiling As Shutdown Over Budget Continues
Thursday October 3, 2013 8:41 AM
The looming debt-ceiling debate is adding to worries about a partial U.S. government shutdown already occurring over a continuing resolution over the budget, says Brown Brothers Harriman. The Treasury has said it will hit its spending authority around Oct. 17. “The government shutdown is embarrassing and disruptive on many levels,” BBH says. “The debt ceiling brings the possibility of default, which could inflict longer-lasting pain. We still think the most likely outcome will be that a group of Republicans in the House (with an eye past the primaries where they may face opposition from the Tea Party wing, and toward the 2014 elections) joins forces with the Democrats to pass a clean bill that will pass the Senate. At the same time, to repair what they will recognize as damage, this group may also reach an agreement on the debt ceiling. Ironically, the more damage that the Republican leadership perceives is being inflicted, the greater the chances of a larger deal.”
By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com
HSBC: Gold Likely Would Benefit From Prolonged Shutdown
Thursday October 3, 2013 8:41 AM
HSBC says a prolonged U.S. government shutdown should be supportive for gold. The standoff over a continuing resolution to the budget is now in its third day, and the impasse on Wednesday undercut the dollar and supported gold, HSBC says. HSBC’s foreign-exchange team says the inability of the government to pursue pro-growth policies going forward is a factor working against the dollar. The bank’s economists say that a government shutdown lasting a week or longer increases the risks to the economy, which may hurt business and consumer confidence. “That said, we believe bullion is likely to benefit, given its historical status as a safe-haven asset, should the shutdown be prolonged,” HSBC says.