The Fallout of Debts and Deficits Impacting a Nation’s Fiat Currency is NOT New! Neither is Running to Gold for Protection
Posted: July 29, 2011 by connection4si in UncategorizedTags: currency, Gold, silver, silver market, gold market, currency market, currency devalueing, us dollar, silver update, silver price, gold manipulation, gold prices, silver prices, Debts, Deficits, Fiat Currency, gold update
In spite of constant headlines about debts and deficits, most Americans don’t really believe the U.S. dollar will collapse. From knowledgeable investors who study the markets to those seemingly too busy to worry about such things, most dismiss the idea of the dollar actually going to zero.
The price of gold climbed to $1633.50 an ounce Friday morning – as stocks and commodities fell following the decision to cancel a vote on proposals to cut the US deficit. It continued rising into the U.S. opening. Heading into the weekend, the gold price was looking at a 1% weekly gain by Friday lunchtime.
History has a message for us: No fiat currency has lasted forever. Eventually, they all fail.
BMG BullionBars recently published a poster featuring pictures of numerous currencies that have gone bust. Some got there quickly, while others took a century or more. Regardless of how long it took, though, the seductive temptations allowed under a fiat monetary system eventually caught up with these governments, and their currencies went poof!
So what’s the one word for the “thousand pictures” below? Worthless.
Because when it comes to money, worthless is not a fun word.
Owning physical gold is good protection from the sinking value of the U.S. dollar>>>>>>>>>>>>>Details here
The price of gold climbed to $1633.50 an ounce Friday morning – as stocks and commodities fell following the decision to cancel a vote on proposals to cut the US deficit. It continued rising into the U.S. opening. Heading into the weekend, the gold price was looking at a 1% weekly gain by Friday lunchtime.
History has a message for us: No fiat currency has lasted forever. Eventually, they all fail.
BMG BullionBars recently published a poster featuring pictures of numerous currencies that have gone bust. Some got there quickly, while others took a century or more. Regardless of how long it took, though, the seductive temptations allowed under a fiat monetary system eventually caught up with these governments, and their currencies went poof!
So what’s the one word for the “thousand pictures” below? Worthless.
Yugoslavia – 10 billion dinar, 1993
Zaire – 5 million zaires, 1992
Venezuela – 10,000 bolívares, 2002
Ukraine – 10,000 karbovantsiv, 1995
Turkey – 5 million lira, 1997
Russia – 10,000 rubles, 1992
Romania – 50,000 lei, 2001
Central Bank of China – 10,000 CGU, 1947
Peru – 100,000 intis, 1989
Nicaragua – 10 million córdobas, 1990
Hungary – 10 million pengo, 1945
Greece – 25,000 drachmas, 1943
Germany – 1 billion mark, 1923
Georgia – 1 million laris, 1994
France – 5 livres, 1793
Chile – 10,000 pesos, 1975
Brazil – 500 cruzeiros reais, 1993
Bosnia – 100 million dinar, 1993
Bolivia – 5 million pesos bolivianos, 1985
Belarus – 100,000 rubles, 1996
Argentina – 10,000 pesos argentinos, 1985
Angola – 500,000 kwanzas reajustados, 1995
Zimbabwe – 100 trillion dollars, 2006
So, will a similar fate befall the U.S. dollar? The common denominator that led to the downfall of each currency above was the two big Ds: Debts and Deficits.Because when it comes to money, worthless is not a fun word.
Owning physical gold is good protection from the sinking value of the U.S. dollar>>>>>>>>>>>>>Details here
Gold Prices Hit Record High $1,622 with Physical Gold Still the Global Safe Haven Investments
Posted: July 25, 2011 by connection4si in UncategorizedTags: buy gold, food, Gold, Gold bullion, gold coins, gold market, gold prices, gold standard, silver, silver coins, silver market, silver price, US debt ceiling, US Debt limit, US debt tensions, us dollar
Spot gold prices gained 1.2 percent today and hit a new record high of $1623/oz. The US officials failed to increase the country’s debt limits and also heightened fears over a possible default. This led poor sentiments in the global financial markets which boosted safe-haven demand for gold. On the MCX, gold prices traded higher by almost 1 percent and were hovering at `23,323/10 gms today. Following rise in gold, spot silver gained around 1.6 percent mainly taking cues from a weaker dollar.
Escalating concerns with regard to US debt limits and weak sentiments in the global markets exerted pressure on the base metal prices on the LME today. Strike at Escondida, world’s largest copper mine in Chile, have entered in its fourth day and there is no signs of any solution to the disputes. Copper traded lower by 0.5 percent and touched an intra-day low of $9608/tonne today. But sharp decline was cushioned mainly on the back of supply worries from Chile and a weaker dollar.
Crude oil prices declined almost 1 percent on the Nymex today mainly on account of rising US debt limits concerns coupled with weak global market sentiments. Oil touched an intra-day low of $98.76/bbl and were trading at $99.01/bbl till 4.00 pm IST.
However, on the MCX, crude oil August contract declined around 0.5 percent as Rupee depreciation led minimal decline on the domestic bourses today.
Outlook
Base metals and crude oil is expected to trade lower today mainly on the back of choppy sentiments in the global markets due to increasing concerns over US debt worries. However, a weaker dollar will cushion sharp decline.
Expect gold to trade higher today mainly due to rising US debt tensions and weak sentiments in the global markets which will fuel safe-haven demand for gold.
Historical Considerations
Since ancient times, humans have been fascinated by gold, silver and other precious metals, and have used them both as currency and to make valuable jewelry and artifacts. In times of war and other strife, people have traditionally converted their savings into metals that they have carried with them to safer places. Precious metals, particularly gold, continue to be regarded as safe haven investments, and as a form of insurance against both inflation and deflation.
The volume of gold trading on the global markets tends to intensify as individuals sense an uncertain economic or political environment. Since 9/11, when the world started to become more unstable in geopolitical terms, the prices of gold and its companion metals have increased dramatically while trading volumes are up sharply, too. Prices have escalated especially fast since 2008, when the world economy entered a crisis period that is still not resolved, and investors flocked to these perceived safe commodities.
With severe and complex economic problems on both sides of the Atlantic, and even China warning that its banking sector might be in trouble, more and more ordinary people are learning to trade silver, gold, platinum and palladium in an attempt to gain control of their own financial security. Many experts recommend holding physical precious metals rather than paper investments such as futures or ETFs (exchange traded funds) on these commodities, particularly in uncertain times such as these.
Escalating concerns with regard to US debt limits and weak sentiments in the global markets exerted pressure on the base metal prices on the LME today. Strike at Escondida, world’s largest copper mine in Chile, have entered in its fourth day and there is no signs of any solution to the disputes. Copper traded lower by 0.5 percent and touched an intra-day low of $9608/tonne today. But sharp decline was cushioned mainly on the back of supply worries from Chile and a weaker dollar.
Crude oil prices declined almost 1 percent on the Nymex today mainly on account of rising US debt limits concerns coupled with weak global market sentiments. Oil touched an intra-day low of $98.76/bbl and were trading at $99.01/bbl till 4.00 pm IST.
However, on the MCX, crude oil August contract declined around 0.5 percent as Rupee depreciation led minimal decline on the domestic bourses today.
Outlook
Base metals and crude oil is expected to trade lower today mainly on the back of choppy sentiments in the global markets due to increasing concerns over US debt worries. However, a weaker dollar will cushion sharp decline.
Expect gold to trade higher today mainly due to rising US debt tensions and weak sentiments in the global markets which will fuel safe-haven demand for gold.
Historical Considerations
Since ancient times, humans have been fascinated by gold, silver and other precious metals, and have used them both as currency and to make valuable jewelry and artifacts. In times of war and other strife, people have traditionally converted their savings into metals that they have carried with them to safer places. Precious metals, particularly gold, continue to be regarded as safe haven investments, and as a form of insurance against both inflation and deflation.
The volume of gold trading on the global markets tends to intensify as individuals sense an uncertain economic or political environment. Since 9/11, when the world started to become more unstable in geopolitical terms, the prices of gold and its companion metals have increased dramatically while trading volumes are up sharply, too. Prices have escalated especially fast since 2008, when the world economy entered a crisis period that is still not resolved, and investors flocked to these perceived safe commodities.
With severe and complex economic problems on both sides of the Atlantic, and even China warning that its banking sector might be in trouble, more and more ordinary people are learning to trade silver, gold, platinum and palladium in an attempt to gain control of their own financial security. Many experts recommend holding physical precious metals rather than paper investments such as futures or ETFs (exchange traded funds) on these commodities, particularly in uncertain times such as these.
Asian investors stricken by gold fever on $1,617 record High Week Market Opening
Posted: July 24, 2011 by connection4si in UncategorizedTags: asain market, food, food prices, food shortage, Gold, gold market, gold prices, silver, silver market, US debt ceiling, US Debt limit, us dollar
SINGAPORE: Gold fever is gripping Asian investors and could spread to central banks as global growth uncertainties tarnish the appeal of other assets, putting bullion on course for more gains but also provoking fears about supply.
Spot gold surged more than $100 in 11 straight days to Tuesday, its longest winning streak in four decades, hitting a record $1,617.51 an ounce, as debt default fears in the US and Europe drove investors to seek safety.
Gold stayed above $1,600 las week as market watchers remained cautious about the debt situation on both sides of the Atlantic.
Gold stayed above $1,600 las week as market watchers remained cautious about the debt situation on both sides of the Atlantic.
Gold Prices Hit Record High $1,600 Silver Over $40.30 on Fiat Currency Crisis and US Debt limit
Posted: July 18, 2011 by connection4si in UncategorizedTags: Gold, silver, Federal Reserve, IMF, gold prices, silver prices, Fiat Currency Crisis, US Debt limit, Ben Bernanke, US debt ceiling
Gold prices broke a new record Monday, driven by concerns over mounting debt worries in the United States and Europe. Gold futures for August delivery reached a fresh high of $1,602.50 per ounce in early trading Monday. The yellow metal has been on a roll since July 12, when it got an extra boost from the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s June policy meeting. They indicated that the central bank could be open to more monetary stimulus. Further stimulus could undermine the U.S. dollar, triggering a flight to gold, the age-old stalwart in troubled times, when investors are afraid to put their money elsewhere.
Silver was taking its cues from gold, with prices breaking the $40-an-ounce mark for the first time since May 4. Silver rose nearly 3% on Monday to $40.13 per ounce but is still short of its April 25 record of $49.81, noted Remington-Hobbs.
Gold is also still far from its true peak, when adjusted for inflation. Gold hit its real record on Jan. 21, 1980, when it rose to $825.50 an ounce. Adjusted for inflation from 1980 dollars to 2011, that translates to an all-time record of $2,261.33 an ounce.
Silver advanced 6.92% to settle the week at $40.70 amid global suspicions including failure of the US politicians to raise the debt ceiling as the deadline for the same is approaching.
The dollar index remained settled 0.07% below previous week closing after rating agencies threaten US the possibility of losing their credit rating and by a stalled talks on raising debt ceiling.
Global equities measured by the MSCI all country world indexes, posted a 2.23% fall while the Asian benchmark index declined by 1.95%, its first since past four weeks, as the EU finance ministers declined to rule out a temporary default for Greece. On the other hand, the CRB Index, a bellwether for commodities, advanced by 0.80%.
Fitch has cut Greece’s credit grades to its lowest for any country in the world. The move from “B+” to “CCC” reflects the absence of a new fully funded and credible program by the IMF and the EU which intensified a real possibility of default.
US Debt Ceiling Concerns
The US government will need to decide on raising the debt ceiling by the beginning of August; it’s mostly likely to be passed in the next couple of weeks, but in the mean time the internet continues to explore this issue. Moody’s rating agency even went one step further and suggested the United States to eliminate its statutory limit on government debt in order to reduce uncertainty among bond holders.
Market does the “Hussle”
Remington-Hobbs also said that gold prices could be heavily influenced this week by what Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says when he speaks Thursday about financial regulation.Silver was taking its cues from gold, with prices breaking the $40-an-ounce mark for the first time since May 4. Silver rose nearly 3% on Monday to $40.13 per ounce but is still short of its April 25 record of $49.81, noted Remington-Hobbs.
Gold is also still far from its true peak, when adjusted for inflation. Gold hit its real record on Jan. 21, 1980, when it rose to $825.50 an ounce. Adjusted for inflation from 1980 dollars to 2011, that translates to an all-time record of $2,261.33 an ounce.
Silver advanced 6.92% to settle the week at $40.70 amid global suspicions including failure of the US politicians to raise the debt ceiling as the deadline for the same is approaching.
The dollar index remained settled 0.07% below previous week closing after rating agencies threaten US the possibility of losing their credit rating and by a stalled talks on raising debt ceiling.
Global equities measured by the MSCI all country world indexes, posted a 2.23% fall while the Asian benchmark index declined by 1.95%, its first since past four weeks, as the EU finance ministers declined to rule out a temporary default for Greece. On the other hand, the CRB Index, a bellwether for commodities, advanced by 0.80%.
Fitch has cut Greece’s credit grades to its lowest for any country in the world. The move from “B+” to “CCC” reflects the absence of a new fully funded and credible program by the IMF and the EU which intensified a real possibility of default.
US Debt Ceiling Concerns
The US government will need to decide on raising the debt ceiling by the beginning of August; it’s mostly likely to be passed in the next couple of weeks, but in the mean time the internet continues to explore this issue. Moody’s rating agency even went one step further and suggested the United States to eliminate its statutory limit on government debt in order to reduce uncertainty among bond holders.
Warning! Obama Law Makers Make Gold & Silver Bullion trading is Illegal, Peaking the interest in Rare Coins
Posted: June 28, 2011 by connection4si in UncategorizedTags: 2011, ALL Trading Outlawed After July 15, Barack Obama, Commodity Exchange Act, Concerning Spot Commodities, Concerning Spot Forex, Consumer Protection Act, Dodd-Frank, Elimination of OTC Forex, FOREX.com, Gold, Gold & Silver BAN by Federal, Metals Trading, new regulation, Obama, Section 2(c)(2)(D, Section 742(a), silver, Wall Street Journal
Warning!…
Gold & Silver BAN by Federal
Government
Government
ALL Trading Outlawed After July 15, 2011
This is NOT a
Conspiracy Theory!
Conspiracy Theory!
This is NOW LAW!
This is all good new to the Rare Gold & Silver Coin Market. There are many people aout there that see this as the first step in a slippery slope of laws the Obama administration want to enact. The end of the slippery slope ends in a to revisiting of the Great Depression, the action of FDR in 1933 with gold confiscation, and high demanded for the non-bullion rare gold and silver coins.
The short term effects will pour more people in to the physical gold and silver market place driving the prices up. If I were you I would look to get pre-1933 gold and silver Now!
Read the New Amendments below>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
We wanted to make you aware of some upcoming changes to FOREX.com’s product offering. As a result of the Dodd-Frank Act enacted by US Congress, a new regulation prohibiting US residents from trading over the counter precious metals, including gold and silver, will go into effect on Friday, July 15, 2011.
In conjunction with this new regulation, FOREX.com must discontinue metals trading for US residents on Friday, July 15, 2011 at the close of trading at 5pm ET. As a result, all open metals positions must be closed by July 15, 2011 at 5pm ET.
We encourage you to wind down your trading activity in these products over the next month in anticipation of the new rule, as any open XAU or XAG positions that remain open prior to July 15, 2011 at approximately 5:00 pm ET will be automatically liquidated.
We sincerely regret any inconvenience complying with the new U.S. regulation may cause you. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact our customer service team.
Sincerely,
The Team at FOREX.com
So far we have only received this warning from Forex.com. We are waiting to see which other dealers inform their customers that trading gold and silver over the counter will soon be illegal.
It appears that Forex.com’s interpretation of the law stems primarily from Section 742(a) of the Dodd-Frank act which “prohibits any person [which again includes companies]from entering into, or offering to enter into, a transaction in any commodity with a person that is not an eligible contract participant or an eligible commercial entity, on a leveraged or margined basis.”
Some prehistory from Hedge Fund Law Blog:
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Act”) has changed a number of laws in all of the securities acts including the Commodity Exchange Act. Two specific changes deal with certain transactions in commodities on the spot market. Specifically, Section 742 of the Act deals with retail commodity transactions. In this section, the text of the Commodity Exchange Act is amended to include new Section 2(c)(2)(D) (dealing with retail commodity transactions) and new Section 2(c)(2)(E) (prohibiting trading in spot forex with retail investors unless the trader is subject to regulations by a Federal regulatory agency, i.e. CFTC, SEC, etc.). According to a congressional rulemaking spreadsheet, these are effective 180 days from the date of enactment.Next, from Henderson & Lyman:
We provide an overview of the new sections and have reprinted them in full below.
New CEA Section 2(c)(2)(D) – Concerning Spot Commodities (Metals)
The central import of new CEA Section 2(c)(2)(D) is to broaden the CFTC’s power with respect to retail commodity transactions. Essentially any spot commodities transaction (i.e. spot metals) will be subject to CFTC jurisdiction and rulemaking authority. There is an exemption for commodities which are actually delivered within 28 days. While the CFTC wanted an exemption in which commodities would need to be delivered within 2 days, various coin collectors were able to lobby congress for a longer delivery period (see here).
It is likely we will see the CFTC propose regulations under this new section and we will keep you updated on any regulatory pronouncements with respect to this new section.
New CEA Section 2(c)(2)(E) – Concerning Spot Forex
The central import of new CEA Section 2(c)(2)(E) is to regulate the spot forex markets. While the section requires the CFTC to finalize regulations with respect to spot forex (which were proposed earlier in January), it also, interestingly, provides oversight of the markets to other federal regulatory agencies such as the CFTC. This means that in the future, different market participants may be subject to different regulatory regimes with respect to trading in same underlying instruments. A Wall Street Journal article discusses the impact of this with respect to firms which engage in other activities in addition to retail forex transactions. The CFTC’s proposed rules establish certain compliance parameters for retail forex transactions, requires registration of retail forex managers and requires such managers to pass a new regulatory exam called the Series 34 exam. We do not yet know whether the other regulatory agencies will adopt rules similar to the CFTC or if they will write rules from scratch.
The prohibition of Section 742(a) does not apply, however, if such a transaction results in actual delivery within 28 days, or creates an enforceable obligation to deliver between a seller and a buyer that have the ability to deliver, and accept delivery of, the commodity in connection with their lines of business. This may be problematic as in most spot metals trading virtually all contracts fail to meet these requirements. As a result, although the courts’ interpretation of Section 742(a) is unknown, Section 742(a) is likely to have a significantly negative impact on the OTC cash precious metals industry. Here too, it is essential that those who offer to be a counterparty to OTC metals transactions seek professional help to discuss possible operational and regulatory contingency plans.The actual rule language exempts a transaction if it “results in actual delivery within 28 days or such other period as the Commission may determine by rule or regulation based upon the longer period as the Commission may determine by rule or regulation based upon the typical commercial practice in cash or spot markets for the commodity involved;” Alas, the commission has decided not to intervene and keep the exemption status window so small as to affect virtually all exchanges which transact in the gold and silver spot market.
More here:
Elimination of OTC Forex
Effective 90 days from its inception, the Dodd-Frank Act bans most retail OTC forex transactions. Section 742(c) of the Act states as follows:
…A person [which includes companies] shall not offer to, or enter into with, a person that is not an eligible contract participant, any agreement, contract, or transaction in foreign currency except pursuant to a rule or regulation of a Federal regulatory agency allowing the agreement, contract, or transaction under such terms and conditions as the Federal regulatory agency shall prescribe…This provision will not come into effect, however, if the CFTC or another eligible federal body issues guidelines relating to the regulation of foreign currency within 90 days of its enactment. Registrants and the public are currently being encouraged by the CFTC to provide insight into how the Act should be enforced. See CFTC Rulemakings regarding OTC Derivatives located at the following website address, under Section XX – Foreign Currency (Retail Off Exchange). It is essential that OTC forex participants seek professional help to discuss possible operational and regulatory contingency plans.
Elimination of OTC Metals
As for OTC precious metals such as gold or silver, Section 742(a) of the Act prohibits any person [which again includes companies]from entering into, or offering to enter into, a transaction in any commodity with a person that is not an eligible contract participant or an eligible commercial entity, on a leveraged or margined basis. This provision intends to expand the narrow so called “Zelener fix” in the Farm Bill previously ratified by congress in 2008. The Farm Bill empowered the CFTC to pursue anti-fraud actions involving rolling spot transactions and/or other leveraged forex transactions without the need to prove that they are futures contracts. The Dodd-Frank Act now expands this authority to include virtually all retail cash commodity market products that involve leverage or margin – in other words OTC precious metals.
The prohibition of Section 742(a) does not apply, however, if such a transaction results in actual delivery within 28 days, or creates an enforceable obligation to deliver between a seller and a buyer that have the ability to deliver, and accept delivery of, the commodity in connection with their lines of business. This may be problematic as in most spot metals trading virtually all contracts fail to meet these requirements. As a result, although the courts’ interpretation of Section 742(a) is unknown, Section 742(a) is likely to have a significantly negative impact on the OTC cash precious metals industry. Here too, it is essential that those who offer to be a counterparty to OTC metals transactions seek professional help to discuss possible operational and regulatory contingency plans.
Small Pool Exemption Eliminated
Pursuant to Section 403 of Act, the “privateadviser” exemption, namelySection 203(b)(3) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”), will be eliminated within one year of the Act’s effective date (July 21, 2011). Historically, many unregistered U.S. fund managers had relied on this exemption to avoid registration where they:
(1) had fewer than 15 clients in the past 12 months;
(2) do not hold themselves out generally to the public as investment advisers; and
(3) do not act as investment advisers to a registered investment company or business development company.
At present, advisers can treat the unregistered funds that they advise, rather than the investors in those funds, as their clients for purposes of this exemption. A common practice has thus evolved whereby certain advisers manage up to 14 unregistered funds without having to register under the Advisers Act. Accordingly, the removal of this exemption represents a significant shift in the regulatory landscape, as this practice will no longer be allowable in approximately one year.
Also an important consideration, the Dodd-Frank Act mandates new federal registration and regulation thresholds based on the amount of assets a manager has under management (“AUM”). Although not yet underway, it is possible that various states may enact legislation designed to create a similar registration framework for managers whose AUM fall beneath the new federal levels.
Accredited Investor Qualifications
Section 413(a) of the Act alters the financial qualifications of who can be considered an accredited investor, and thus a qualified as eligible participant (“QEP”). Specifically, the revised accredited investor standard includes only the following types of individuals:
1) A natural person whose individual net worth, or joint net worth with spouse, is at least $1,000,000, excluding the value of such investor’s primary residence;
2) A natural person who had individual income in excess of $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with spouse in excess of $300,000 in each of those years and a reasonable expectation of reaching the same income level in the current year; or
3) A director, executive officer, or general partner of the issuer of the securities being offered or sold, or a director, executive officer, or general partner of a general partner of that issuer.
Based on this language, it is important to note that the revised accredited investor standard only applies to new investors and does not cover existing investors. However, additional subscriptions from existing investors are generally treated as requiring confirmation of continuing investor eligibility.
On July 27th, 2010, the SEC provided additional clarity regarding the valuation of an individual’s primary residence when calculating net worth. In particular, the SEC has interpreted this provision as follows:
Section 413(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act does not define the term “value,” nor does it address the treatment of mortgage and other indebtedness secured by the residence for purposes of the net worth calculation…Pending implementation of the changes to the Commission’s rules required by the Act, the related amount of indebtedness secured by the primary residence up to its fair market value may also be excluded. Indebtedness secured by the residence in excess of the value of the home should be considered a liability and deducted from the investor’s net worth.
IMF says Spain’s economy still facing major risks, While Gold Settles Above $1,546 on Greek Crisis Concerns
Posted: June 21, 2011 by connection4si in UncategorizedTags: Gold, Economy, Global Economy, food, food storage, food prices, federal debt, Federal Reserve, IMF, spain, greece, hsbc, weaker dollar, dollar, unemployment
The Spanish economy still faces “considerable” risks, the International Monetary Fund has warned.
In an annual report, the IMF said the Spanish government had to continue work to reduce public spending, and increase efforts to liberalise its jobs market.Since last year Madrid has been carrying out austerity measures to reduce the country’s public deficit.
Unlike other highly indebted eurozone nations such as Greece and Portugal, it has not needed an outside bail-out.
While the IMF did not comment on whether this remained a possibility for Spain, it warned that financial conditions could deteriorate further in the eurozone, which “could put additional pressure on sovereign and bank funding costs for Spain”.
As a result, the fund said there could be “no let up in the reform momentum” to both help boost Spain economy and ease the concerns of the financial markets.
It added that Spain’s 21% unemployment rate – the highest in Europe – was “unacceptably high”.
To help reduce unemployment, the Spanish government is continuing to change the country’s labour laws. Madrid hopes the changes will make firms more willing to take on new staff, because historically it has been difficult for Spanish companies to make staff
redundant.
As part of Spain’s continuing austerity measures – which have sparked a number of large protests across the country – the government is also reducing the pensions of public sector workers. Desite the IMF’s warnings, it said Spain was still on track to reduce the country’s public deficit from 9.2% of its annual economic output in 2010, to 6% this year.
Gold rose to settle above $1,546 on Tuesday, driven by a weaker dollar and uncertainty over the outcome of a confidence vote in Greece that may determine whether the country can avert a default on its sovereign debt.
Bullion also got a lift from a return of investor risk appetite, as the grains, commodity and equity markets rose across the board on hopes that the Greek government could avoid defaulting on its sovereign debt.
On the options front, gold volatility has dropped by nearly one-fifth from its peak in mid-May, as prices of the underlying gold futures have largely been rangebound after rallying to a record $1,575.79 on May 2.
“Gold has been split between taking its cue from the changes in sovereign risk, but today the sovereign risk has declined and the euro … has rallied and gold is choosing to track the euro more than it is the reduction in sovereign risk,” said James Steel, chief commodities analyst at HSBC.
Read entire article
BLOOMBERG Report: A ‘Perfect Storm’ May Converge on the Global Economy in 2013
Posted: June 13, 2011 by connection4si in UncategorizedTags: Barack Obama, bloomberg, china, China’s economy, fed rate, federal debt, Federal Reserve, food, GDP, Global Economy, global growth, Gold, interest rates, silver, the federal reserve, U.S. Treasuries
By Shamim Adam -Jun 12, 2011 10:55 PM CT
Mon Jun 13 03:55:12 GMT 2011<span id=”__mce” data-mce-type=”bookmark”></span>A “perfect storm” of fiscal woe in the U.S., a slowdown in China, European debt restructuring and stagnation in Japan may converge on the global economy, New York University professor Nouriel Roubini said.
There’s a one-in-three chance the factors will combine to stunt growth from 2013, Roubini said in a June 11 interview in Singapore. Other possible outcomes are “anemic but OK” global growth or an “optimistic” scenario in which the expansion improves.
“There are already elements of fragility,” he said.“Everybody’s kicking the can down the road of too much public and private debt. The can is becoming heavier and heavier, and bigger on debt, and all these problems may come to a head by 2013 at the latest.”
Elevated U.S. unemployment, a surge in oil and food prices, rising interest rates in Asia and trade disruption from Japan’s record earthquake threaten to sap the world economy. Stocks worldwide have lost more than $3.3 trillion since the beginning of May, and Roubini said financial markets by the middle of next year could start worrying about a convergence of risks in 2013.
The MSCI AC World Index has tumbled 4.9 percent this month on concern recent data, including an increase in the U.S. unemployment rate to 9.1 percent in May, signal the global economy is losing steam. U.S. Treasuries rose last week, pushing two-year note yields down for a ninth week in the longest stretch of decreases since February 2008, on bets the Federal Reserve will maintain monetary stimulus.
“China is now relying increasingly not just on net exports but on fixed investment” which has climbed to about 50 percent of GDP, he said. “Down the line, you are going to have two problems: a massive non-performing loan problem in the banking system and a massive amount of overcapacity is going to lead to a hard landing.”
A record $2.7 trillion of loans were extended in China over two years, pushing property prices to all-time highs even as authorities set price ceilings, demanded higher deposits and limited second-home purchases.
The nation’s current challenge is to maintain growth and curb price gains ahead of a leadership change next year, Roubini said. Officials may use administrative steps and price controls, as well as raising rates further and allowing currency appreciation, if inflation becomes a bigger problem, he said.
Read entire article
Mon Jun 13 03:55:12 GMT 2011<span id=”__mce” data-mce-type=”bookmark”></span>A “perfect storm” of fiscal woe in the U.S., a slowdown in China, European debt restructuring and stagnation in Japan may converge on the global economy, New York University professor Nouriel Roubini said.
There’s a one-in-three chance the factors will combine to stunt growth from 2013, Roubini said in a June 11 interview in Singapore. Other possible outcomes are “anemic but OK” global growth or an “optimistic” scenario in which the expansion improves.
“There are already elements of fragility,” he said.“Everybody’s kicking the can down the road of too much public and private debt. The can is becoming heavier and heavier, and bigger on debt, and all these problems may come to a head by 2013 at the latest.”
Elevated U.S. unemployment, a surge in oil and food prices, rising interest rates in Asia and trade disruption from Japan’s record earthquake threaten to sap the world economy. Stocks worldwide have lost more than $3.3 trillion since the beginning of May, and Roubini said financial markets by the middle of next year could start worrying about a convergence of risks in 2013.
The MSCI AC World Index has tumbled 4.9 percent this month on concern recent data, including an increase in the U.S. unemployment rate to 9.1 percent in May, signal the global economy is losing steam. U.S. Treasuries rose last week, pushing two-year note yields down for a ninth week in the longest stretch of decreases since February 2008, on bets the Federal Reserve will maintain monetary stimulus.
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‘Overcapacity’ in China“China is now relying increasingly not just on net exports but on fixed investment” which has climbed to about 50 percent of GDP, he said. “Down the line, you are going to have two problems: a massive non-performing loan problem in the banking system and a massive amount of overcapacity is going to lead to a hard landing.”
A record $2.7 trillion of loans were extended in China over two years, pushing property prices to all-time highs even as authorities set price ceilings, demanded higher deposits and limited second-home purchases.
The nation’s current challenge is to maintain growth and curb price gains ahead of a leadership change next year, Roubini said. Officials may use administrative steps and price controls, as well as raising rates further and allowing currency appreciation, if inflation becomes a bigger problem, he said.
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China says US is defaulting on its massive debt, US could lose its first-class credit rating
Posted: June 10, 2011 by connection4si in UncategorizedTags: china, credit rating, debt, federal debt, food, Gold, silver, US government
A Chinese ratings house has accused the United States of defaulting on its massive debt, state media said Friday, a day after Beijing urged Washington to put its fiscal house in order.
“In our opinion, the United States has already been defaulting,” Guan Jianzhong, president of Dagong Global Credit Rating Co. Ltd., the only Chinese agency that gives sovereign ratings, was quoted by the Global Times saying.
Washington had already defaulted on its loans by allowing the dollar to weaken against other currencies — eroding the wealth of creditors including China, Guan said.
Guan did not immediately respond to AFP requests for comment.
The US government will run out of room to spend more on August 2 unless Congress bumps up the borrowing limit beyond $14.29 trillion — but Republicans are refusing to support such a move until a deficit cutting deal is reached.
Ratings agency Fitch on Wednesday joined Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s to warn the United States could lose its first-class credit rating if it fails to raise its debt ceiling to avoid defaulting on loans.
A downgrade could sharply raise US borrowing costs, worsening the country’s already dire fiscal position, and send shock waves through the financial world, which has long considered US debt a benchmark among safe-haven investments.
China is by far the top holder of US debt and has in the past raised worries that the massive US stimulus effort launched to revive the economy would lead to mushrooming debt that erodes the value of the dollar and its Treasury holdings.
Beijing cut its holdings of US Treasury securities for the fifth month in a row to $1.145 trillion in March, down $9.2 billion from February and 2.6 percent less than October’s peak of $1.175 trillion, US data showed last month.
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Foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei on Thursday urged the United States to adopt “effective measures to improve its fiscal situation”.
Dagong has made a name for itself by hitting out at its three Western rivals, saying they caused the financial crisis by failing to properly disclose risk.
The Chinese agency, which is trying to build an international profile, has given the United States and several other nations lower marks than they received from the the big three.
“In our opinion, the United States has already been defaulting,” Guan Jianzhong, president of Dagong Global Credit Rating Co. Ltd., the only Chinese agency that gives sovereign ratings, was quoted by the Global Times saying.
Washington had already defaulted on its loans by allowing the dollar to weaken against other currencies — eroding the wealth of creditors including China, Guan said.
Guan did not immediately respond to AFP requests for comment.
The US government will run out of room to spend more on August 2 unless Congress bumps up the borrowing limit beyond $14.29 trillion — but Republicans are refusing to support such a move until a deficit cutting deal is reached.
Ratings agency Fitch on Wednesday joined Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s to warn the United States could lose its first-class credit rating if it fails to raise its debt ceiling to avoid defaulting on loans.
A downgrade could sharply raise US borrowing costs, worsening the country’s already dire fiscal position, and send shock waves through the financial world, which has long considered US debt a benchmark among safe-haven investments.
China is by far the top holder of US debt and has in the past raised worries that the massive US stimulus effort launched to revive the economy would lead to mushrooming debt that erodes the value of the dollar and its Treasury holdings.
Beijing cut its holdings of US Treasury securities for the fifth month in a row to $1.145 trillion in March, down $9.2 billion from February and 2.6 percent less than October’s peak of $1.175 trillion, US data showed last month.
DEMAND PHYSICAL GOLD & SILVER >>>>>
Foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei on Thursday urged the United States to adopt “effective measures to improve its fiscal situation”.
Dagong has made a name for itself by hitting out at its three Western rivals, saying they caused the financial crisis by failing to properly disclose risk.
The Chinese agency, which is trying to build an international profile, has given the United States and several other nations lower marks than they received from the the big three.
Facebook in new privacy row over facial recognition feature
Posted: June 9, 2011 by connection4si in Uncategorized
Charles Arthur
Guardian
June 8, 2011
Facebook has come under fire for quietly expanding the availability of technology to automatically identify people in photos, renewing concerns about its privacy practices.
The feature, which the giant social network automatically enabled for its more than 500 million users, has been expanded from the US to “most countries”, Facebook said on its official blog on Tuesday.
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Marc Rotenberg, president of the non-profit privacy advocacy group Electronic Privacy Information Center, said the system raised questions about which personally identifiable information, such as email addresses, would become associated with the photos in Facebook’s database.
He also criticised Facebook’s decision to automatically enable the facial-recognition technology for its users.
“I’m not sure that’s the setting that people would want to choose. A better option would be to let people opt-in,” he said.
Internet security consultancy Sophos noted that many Facebook users had seen the facial recognition option turned on without any notice in the last few days.
“Yet again, it feels like Facebook is eroding the online privacy of its users by stealth,” commented Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant at Sophos.
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Guardian
June 8, 2011
Facebook has come under fire for quietly expanding the availability of technology to automatically identify people in photos, renewing concerns about its privacy practices.
The feature, which the giant social network automatically enabled for its more than 500 million users, has been expanded from the US to “most countries”, Facebook said on its official blog on Tuesday.
Fresh food that lasts>>>
Marc Rotenberg, president of the non-profit privacy advocacy group Electronic Privacy Information Center, said the system raised questions about which personally identifiable information, such as email addresses, would become associated with the photos in Facebook’s database.
He also criticised Facebook’s decision to automatically enable the facial-recognition technology for its users.
“I’m not sure that’s the setting that people would want to choose. A better option would be to let people opt-in,” he said.
Internet security consultancy Sophos noted that many Facebook users had seen the facial recognition option turned on without any notice in the last few days.
“Yet again, it feels like Facebook is eroding the online privacy of its users by stealth,” commented Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant at Sophos.
Read entire article
Buyer Demand is up for Rare Gold & SIlver Coins!
Posted: June 7, 2011 by connection4si in UncategorizedBuy Rare coins HERE – http://stores.ebay.com/firstmorningstarllc
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