Saturday, June 16, 2012

Goldman Ponders the Possibility of World Depression

by The Daily Bell:

O’Neill’s BRICs Risk Hitting Wall Threatening G-20 Growth … Even Jim O’Neill is asking whether the BRICs need reinforcing 11 years after he coined the term to describe the world’s future powerhouse economies. O’Neill, chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, says his thesis that Brazil, Russia, India and China would together increasingly buoy the global economy faces “a more challenging test” as investors dump the countries’ stocks … Leaders attending next week’s Group of 20 summit in Mexico are already expressing concern, with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff warning June 4 that emerging markets can’t carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. Rich-nation policy makers “are so wrapped up in their own problems they’re praying some of this weakness is just temporary in the BRICs,” London-based O’Neill, 55, said in a telephone interview. “If it’s not, then it’s pretty worrying.” – Bloomberg

Dominant Social Theme: It’s pretty bad. But maybe, somehow it will get better

Free-Market Analysis: There is surely a power elite that is trying to drive the world into depression. We would tend to believe it is succeeding. This latest squawk from Goldman Sachs is testimony to that.

Read More @ TheDailyBell.com

Gerald Celente – Expect A Tidal Wave Entrance Into Gold

from KingWorldNews:

Today top trends forecaster Gerald Celente discussed gold at length, as well as other important trends with King World News. Celente is the founder of Trends Research, and the man many consider to be the top trends forecaster in the world. Celente predicted, “a tidal wave entrance into gold,” because “the entire financial system is in collapse.” But first, here is what Celente had to say about what is happening around the world: “The highlight for the moment is on Greece, but let’s remember that Greece only counts for 2% of the eurozone GDP. It’s more about publicity. How will it look if they leave? Also, everybody knew that the $125 billion (for Spain) was a drop in the bucket compared to the trillions of dollars of debt.”

Celente continues @ KingWorldNews.com

Peak Monthly Inflation In 1945 Hungary: 12,950,000,000,000,000% And Other Hyprinflationary Facts


Zero Hedge / by Tyler Durden

For some reason, whenever people want to make a historical example of a hyperinflationary period, they always bring up the Weimar Republic, aka Germany in 1920-1923. Yet with a highest monthly inflation of just under 30,000%, Weimar was a true walk in the park compared to the 309,000,000% monthly inflation in 1992-1994 Serbia, but especially to the 12,950,000,000,000,000% inflation that Hungarians had to deal with in the aftermath of WWII. For these and more comparative examples of hyperinflation, particularly relevant now that the entire world is rumored (for now) to be getting ready to print, see below.

READ MORE

BOONE PICKENS: NATURAL GAS HAS BOTTOMED

It’s one thing when Jeff Gundlach, a bond manager, calls a bottom in natural gas as he did last month. It’s a whole other story when an energy billionaire calls the bottom. Boone Pickens was on CNBC today saying natural gas prices have likely seen their lows. He says:

“You’re gonna tighten this thing up. Looking out at summer next year at 3-plus (dollars), I think that’s where you’re gonna be. Yeah, I think you’ve bottomed out on natural gas prices.”

The primary drivers here? Shutting down oil rigs and the decline in coal production should benefit natural gas demand. Additionally, Pickens says the USA has to stop exporting wealth to OPEC and start tapping the resources the USA has here. And nat gas is his primary focus regarding these comments.











20 Reasons Why America’s Next Bank Holiday Will Be a Nightmare

from SurvivalBlog.com:


The world is on now on the brink of a global credit crisis that could be far worse than the tumultuous events of 2008. The ongoing sovereign debt crisis in the southern reaches of the Eurozone indicate that bank runs in the region will continue, and that more bank closure “holidays” will be declared. Under a bank holiday, virtually all deposits could be frozen and irredeemable for days, weeks, or even months. The key question is: Will this crisis spread to the rest of Europe and then even to the United States? I urge SurvivalBlog readers–particularly those in Europe–to be proactive, to stay “ahead of the power curve.” While the Generally Dumb Public (GDP) wakes up some morning to hear news of a bank holiday, you will have long hence prepared yourself.

Digits Lost in the Ether–Redeemable MaƱana?

Most people don’t realize that printed U.S. currency and minted coins amount to less than $800 billion, worldwide. That is just a small portion of the aggregate Money Zero Maturity (MZM) money supply that now exceeds $7 Trillion. So what is in your bank account is just electronic money, and there is absolutely no way that even a fraction of depositors could get physical cash to redeem the digits in their accounts. If there is a bank holiday declared, there will undoubtedly be severe restrictions on cash withdrawals when banks re-open. Given the precedent of the limits on withdrawals of a few institutions during the Savings and Loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, I predict that withdrawal restrictions could go on for many months.

Here are 20 Reasons why America’s next bank holiday will be a nightmare:

Read More @ survivalblog.com

Friday, June 15, 2012

OANDA to Halt All Fx Trading Sunday on ‘Potential of a Major Market Event’

OANDA fxTrade has taken the unprecedented step to HALT ALL FX TRADING from 6am EST to 3pm EST Sunday June 17th due to the risk of a ‘major market event during off-market hours’.

Buckle up boys and girls.

Got Phyzz?

From OANDA:

Due to the extreme volatility some market analysts foresee could result in the coming days, OANDA fxTrade will not accept any trading activity from 6:00 AM EST until approximately 3:00 PM EST, on Sunday, June 17, 2012. OANDA believes the convergence of a major market event during off-market hours represents a potential trading risk and has taken this rare step to protect traders from excessive rate fluctuations.

Please note that during this halt in trading, you can still access your account details but no trading activity will be accepted. For this reason, OANDA strongly recommends that all traders consider minimizing currency exposures prior to the trading halt.

If you do intend to maintain open positions during this period, be aware that OANDA will hold exchange rates steady during the trading halt. However, when trading resumes, rates will immediately adjust to the current market rate and it is possible that the updated rate could result in a margin closeout if the price has moved significantly against your positions.

Therefore, it is your responsibility to ensure you have adequate funds in your account to prevent a margin closeout.

OANDA apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

For more information, please contact a Customer Service representative.

Best regards,

The OANDA team

Mark Fisher: Oil is Poised for Big Move, Most Likely Huge Surge

Oil prices are set for a huge move — probably upward, predicts top oil trader Mark Fisher of MBF.

Fisher has built one of the largest and most successful clearing firms and proprietary trading outfits, making him one of the most closely followed oil traders, according to CNBC.

Oil has fallen to $83 a barrel because Saudi Arabia increased production, he told CNBC.

"They're trying to put the screws on Iran."

But after tougher sanctions against Iran are put into place later this month, Saudi Arabia may let oil to go back to $100, Fisher predicts.

Either way, it's going to move, he says. Eighty-three dollars a barrel is not the long-term equilibrium price for oil. It will either jump to $100 fall to $65.

"I think ultimately we're going up," Fisher told CNBC. "That's my gut, but when I get a gut feeling, I'm either really right or really wrong."

The OPEC meeting on Thursday may indicate the possible direction of future oil prices.

"Historically, the first move oil makes out of the OPEC is the wrong move," he says. After a couple days, the price heads in the other direction.

The International Energy Agency said Iran's oil exports have dropped by about 40 percent this year due to sanctions, according to Reuters. Its oil exports fell from 2.5 million barrels a day at the end of 2011 to 1.5 million barrels in April and May.

Although the world now has a good supply of oil, it is not over-supplied, the IEA cautions.

"Nobody knows exactly how oil supplies will develop this summer," the agency states in a recent report. "Memories are indeed short: crude prices remain very high in historical terms, and are acting as a drag on household and government budgets in OECD and emerging markets alike."

Demand from the power sector this summer and stockpiling by major countries like China ahead of the Iranian embargo could impact oil prices, IEA says.