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Inflation

Inflation Report: 11 Jan 2023Finally there is a sense of relief. The US inflation is just on a some-what downward spiral. It's almost as if we peaked at a whopping 9.1% and now dropping to around 6%. And let's not forget all our friends abroad, like Germany where it's dropped from 10. 4 in October down to 8.6%, UK dropping from 11.1% slightly down to 10.7%, Canada's 8.1 dropped to 6.8%, France's steady 6.2%, and China's decent1.6%. And let's not forget our lekker country, South Africa where inflation has also dropped from 7.8% down to 7.4%. It's just too bad all these numbers are due to supply chain issues, war, and food shortages. But it looks like we have potentially seen the end of The Great Inflation - and now things should start to settle. Your thoughts? Trade well, live free Timon (Trader since 2003)
ECONOMICS:USCCPIEducation
by Timonrosso
How to use ECONOMIC INDICATORS for informed trading decisionsHello everyone! Here you have some information that I consider useful on how to interpret and use economic indicators and data to make informed trading decisions in the foreign exchange market: GDP (Gross Domestic Product) - GDP is a measure of a country's economic output and is considered to be one of the most important indicators of economic growth. A higher GDP indicates a stronger economy, which can lead to an increase in demand for the country's currency. Unemployment Rates - Unemployment rates measure the percentage of the workforce that is currently without a job. A low unemployment rate indicates a strong economy, which can lead to an increase in demand for the country's currency. Inflation - Inflation measures the rate at which the average price level of a basket of goods and services in an economy is increasing. High inflation can lead to a decrease in demand for the country's currency, while low inflation can lead to an increase in demand. Interest Rates - Interest rates are the cost of borrowing money and are set by central banks. High interest rates can attract foreign investment, leading to an increase in demand for the country's currency. Trade Balance - The trade balance measures the difference between a country's exports and imports. A positive trade balance indicates that a country is exporting more than it is importing, which can lead to an increase in demand for the country's currency. Political Stability - Political stability is an important factor to consider when trading in the foreign exchange market. A stable political environment can lead to an increase in demand for a country's currency, while political instability can lead to a decrease in demand. In summary, GDP, unemployment rates, inflation, interest rates, trade balance and political stability are important economic indicators to keep an eye on when making trading decisions in the foreign exchange market. By considering these indicators, along with other market conditions, traders can make more informed decisions about when to buy or sell a particular currency. Please note that the above information is not a financial advice and only for educational purpose, Economic indicators are important but not the only factor to consider while making trading decisions and It's always important to do your own research and consider your own risk tolerance before making any trades.
Education
by m_maia14
Number of Sunspots and Inflation CYCLESHi friends Today im going to explain about the relationship between Sunspot Numbers and Inflation rate from 1960 to now. so lets start with inventor of this theory : William Stanley Jevons's In 1875 and 1878 Jevons read two papers before the British Association which expounded his famous "sunspot theory" of the business cycle. Digging through mountains of statistics of economic and meteorological data, Jevons argued that there was a connection between the timing of commercial crises and the solar cycle. it called 5.31-Year Cycle too. In the stock market and in the economy, there are both natural frequencies and artificial excitation frequencies. The four-year presidential election cycle is a great example of an excitation frequency, and it has demonstrable effects on stock prices. The schedule of FOMC meetings 8x per year is another possible example of an artificial excitation frequency. When a demonstrable cycle period appears that one cannot tie to some manmade excitation frequency, then the supposition is that it is a "natural" frequency of the economic system. Something about the economy or the market results in an oscillation on a certain frequency which may not have a good outside explanation. Perhaps it is in how money flows. Perhaps it is in how human brains make decisions about surplus and scarcity. It is hard to know. This 5.31-year frequency in the CPIs cycle seems to fall into that category as a natural cycle, because the 5.31-year period does not match any known excitation frequency related to human activity nor the economic calendar. So that makes it probably a natural frequency. In above chart , there does seem to be a relationship between sunspots and the inflation rate. We see lots of instances when the peak of the sunspot cycle coincided with the peak of the inflation rate. There have been spikes in the inflation rate not tied to the sunspot cycle, such as the spike during the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973-74. this examples did, interestingly, come at the halfway point of the sunspot cycle, fitting the half-period harmonic principle(5.31 year cycle). The current rise in inflation fits both the longstanding 5.31-year cycle and the upswing in the sunspot cycle. Solar researchers expect the current sunspot cycle rise to end in July 2025, which is 3 years from now. But the 5.31-year cycle says a top in the inflation rate is expected right now. That would mean seeing the inflation rate bottoming around 2025 just as the sunspot cycle is peaking. Sometimes cycles present us with conflicts that are hard to reconcile. The point of the 5.31-year cycle that we can take away for right now is that the inflation rate should be falling for the next ~2.2 years. But that does not mean we get to zero percent inflation right away. The drops take a while to unfold. Inflation is likely with us for a while, and we have to get used to that idea.
ECONOMICS:USIRYYEducation
by TraderAmin-KZ
2
ECONOMIC CYCLE & INTEREST RATESHello traders and future traders! The state of an economy can be either growing or shrinking. When an economy is growing, it typically leads to improved conditions for individuals and businesses. Conversely, when an economy is shrinking or experiencing a recession, it can have negative consequences. The central bank works to maintain a stable level of inflation and support moderate economic growth through the management of interest rates. What is an economic cycle? An economic cycle refers to the fluctuations or ups and downs in economic activity over a period of time. These cycles are typically characterized by periods of economic growth and expansion, followed by periods of contraction or recession. Economic cycles are often measured by changes in gross domestic product (GDP) and other economic indicators, such as employment, consumer spending, and business investment. Economic cycles can be caused by a variety of factors, including changes in monetary and fiscal policy, shifts in consumer and business confidence, and changes in global economic conditions. Economic cycles can also be influenced by external events, such as natural disasters or political instability. Understanding economic cycles is important for businesses, governments, and individuals, as it helps them anticipate and prepare for changes in the economy and make informed decisions about investment, hiring, and other economic activities. How is an economic cycle related to interest rates? Interest rates can be an important factor in the economic cycle . During a period of economic expansion, demand for credit typically increases, as businesses and consumers borrow money to make investments and purchases. As a result, interest rates may rise to control the demand for credit and prevent the economy from overheating. Higher interest rates can also encourage saving, which can help to balance out the increased spending that often occurs during an economic expansion. On the other hand, during a period of economic contraction or recession, demand for credit tends to decline, as businesses and consumers become more cautious about borrowing and spending. In response, central banks may lower interest rates to stimulate demand for credit and encourage economic activity. Lower interest rates can also make borrowing cheaper and more attractive, which can help to boost spending and support economic growth. Overall, the relationship between interest rates and the economic cycle can be complex and dynamic, and the direction and magnitude of changes in interest rates can depend on a variety of factors, including economic conditions, inflation expectations, and the goals and objectives of central banks and other policy makers. I hope you leant something new today!
Education
by m_maia14
impact of two important following news on DXYTwo important factors that been driving Dollar prices in last several month as we all know is Federal Funds Rate and Inflation data like CPI. In this week we have both of them coming out on Tuesday and Wednesday, now we want to see how it can affect the market. Price usually tend to be at important resistive or supportive areas at the time of important news hit the market and as we can see now price is at supporting area and at the Daily low which probably will remain here until the news hit the market so we can expect of low volatility movement on USD and other major crosses, But what will happen when the news releases? As we know CPI balance is curving to downside and shows that inflation is cooling down and as we see the prediction of tomorrow CPI news we can see that the market expect this trend to continue. Now here is the tricky part, if CPI data put out like prediction or lower than the prediction this means that fed has the inflation under control which makes trader to believe that federal reserve would not need to raise prices very aggressively like before and as a result we may see a risk on environment in the market which can lead Dollar prices to come lower, but on the other hand SPX, TLT, EUR,JPY and also commodity currencies like AUD,NZD to take benefit from the situation. But if CPI data comes out higher than expectation then we can argue that federal reserve do not have inflation under control so it needs to continue hiking prices like before and this situation may lead to higher prices for Dollar and lower prices for all the other assets that we covered above. Also if the second scenario take place tomorrow we can expect USYIELD to continue going higher which have negative effect on US treasury bond and very bad effect on SPX index. Put CPI analysis apart the other important news that can shake prices real hard is federal reserve which going to hit the market on Wednesday. On that time we can see that what exactly is in the mind of federal reserve and how they are going to impact the economy. In overall, if they raise rate same or below the expectation its going to be very good for risky assets since it shows that we are getting close to end of rate hiking cycle but if federal reserve going for raising rate higher than expectation then it will have a very good impact on Dollar but bad impact on risky assets.
TVC:DXYEducation
by mohemati
How To Prepare For Rising PricesA blog article discussing how inflation is impacting family budgets, what it means for household budgets in the US, and some basic strategies people can use to help manage by RobinhoodFX Robinhoodfx. Intro In recent months, we've seen inflationary pressures building in the U.S. economy. Prices for key commodities like crude oil and agricultural products are rising, and wages are starting to creep up as well. All of this points to one thing: higher prices for consumers in the months ahead. How can you prepare for rising prices? Here are a few tips: Know where your money is going. Track your spending for a month or two so you have a good understanding of where your money goes each month. This will help you identify areas where you can cut back if necessary. Make a budget and stick to it. Once you know where your money is going, it's time to create a budget that ensures you're spending wisely. Be realistic in your assumptions about inflation and make sure your budget can withstand a bit of financial volatility. Invest in yourself. Inflation erodes the value of assets like cash and bonds, so it's important to invest in assets that hold their value or even increase in value over time. One great way to do this is to invest in yourself through education or job training that will make you more valuable in the workforce. Stay disciplined with your spending. When prices start rising, it's tempting to spend more freely since "everything is going up." But if you want to stay ahead of inflation, it's important to keep your spending under control and focus on essential purchases only What is Inflation? Inflation is the rate of increase in the price of goods and services over time. It is measured as the percentage change in the consumer price index (CPI) or producer price index (PPI). Inflation can be caused by a variety of factors, including excess money supply, government spending, and global factors such as commodity prices. Excess money supply is when there is more money in circulation than there are goods and services to purchase. This can happen when the Federal Reserve prints more money or banks lend out more money than they have on deposit. Government spending can also cause inflation if it exceeds tax revenue. When the government spends more than it takes in through taxes, it has to print more money to cover the deficit. This increases the money supply and can lead to inflation. Global factors such as commodity prices can also affect inflation. For example, if the price of oil rises, this will likely lead to higher prices for gas and other products that use oil as an input. How Do Inflation Rates Affect Prices? Inflation rates can have a significant effect on prices, particularly over the long term. When inflation is high, prices tend to rise, and when inflation is low, prices tend to fall. In general, higher inflation rates mean that consumers will pay more for goods and services, while lower inflation rates mean that they will pay less. How Does Inflation Affect Prices? Inflation is the rate at which the prices of goods and services in an economy increase over time. The main drivers of inflation are changes in the demand for goods and services, and changes in the supply of money. When there is more money chasing after fewer goods and services, prices go up. The opposite happens when there is less money chasing after more goods and services; prices go down. What Does This Mean for Consumers? For consumers, inflation can have both positive and negative effects. On the one hand, rising prices can erode the purchasing power of their incomes, making it difficult to afford basic necessities or maintain their standard of living. On the other hand, inflation can be beneficial if it leads to higher wages and salaries; as long as wages grow at a faster rate than prices, consumers will be better off. What Does This Mean for Investors? Investors need to be aware of how changes in inflation might affect their portfolios. For example, investments in Treasury bonds become less attractive when inflation is high because the fixed payments on these bonds lose value relative to other investments that offer higher Rising Costs: Why are They Happening Now? There are a number of factors that are causing prices to rise in the United States. The most significant factor is the increasing cost of labor. Wages have been rising steadily for the past few years, and this is putting pressure on businesses to raise prices in order to cover their increased costs. Other factors that are contributing to rising prices include the increasing cost of raw materials, such as oil and gas, as well as transportation costs. These costs are being passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices for goods and services. inflation is also playing a role in driving up prices. The Federal Reserve has been keeping interest rates low in an effort to stimulate economic growth, but this has led to higher inflationary pressures. As prices start to increase, Americans will have less purchasing power and will be forced to cut back on spending. The rising costs of health care are also putting upward pressure on prices. The Affordable Care Act has led to increased demand for health care services, which has driven up prices. In addition, the aging population is requiring more medical care, which is also contributing to higher costs. All of these factors are leading to rising prices across the economy. American consumers will need to brace themselves for higher prices for goods and services in the months and years ahead. How Everyday Consumers Can Best Prepare for the Potential Impact There are a few things that everyday consumers can do to best prepare for the potential impact of rising prices in the U.S. First, it’s important to be aware of what’s happening in the economy and how it might affect your finances. Second, make sure you have an emergency fund in place in case prices go up unexpectedly or you lose your job. Third, consider ways to cut costs so you can save money. Finally, invest in yourself and your career so you’re prepared for any changes that might come. The Ramifications of Higher Unemployment and Lower Employment Rates Unemployment and lower employment rates have a number of ramifications. Perhaps the most obvious is that fewer people are employed and earning an income. This can lead to less spending, which can in turn lead to less economic activity and slower growth. Additionally, when people are unemployed or underemployed, they may have difficulty meeting their basic needs, which can lead to increased stress and anxiety levels. This can also result in social problems such as crime. Additionally, unemployment can have a ripple effect on businesses, as they may have to lay off workers or cut back on hours/wages. Lastly, high unemployment rates can lead to political instability. Solutions to Fighting Inflation Inflation is a major concern for Americans and it is on the rise. Luckily, there are steps that you can take to prepare for rising prices and protect your finances. One of the best ways to fight inflation is to invest in assets that will hold their value or appreciate over time. This includes investing in stocks, real estate, and precious metals. These investments will increase in value as the cost of living goes up, giving you a buffer against inflation. Another solution to fighting inflation is to create a budget and stick to it. This will help you keep track of your spending and make sure that you are not overspending on items that are likely to increase in price. Additionally, saving money each month will give you a cushion to fall back on if prices do start to rise rapidly. There are many other solutions to fighting inflation, but these are two of the most effective. If you are concerned about rising prices, take action now and start preparing for the future. Conclusion If you're worried about rising prices in the United States, there are a few things you can do to prepare. First, start by evaluating your spending and see where you can cut back. Then, make sure you have an emergency fund in place so that unexpected expenses don't throw off your budget. Finally, keep an eye on inflation rates and invest in assets that will hold their value over time. By following these steps, you can protect yourself from rising prices and maintain your financial stability.
FOREXCOM:XAGUSDEducation
by RobinhoodFX
Interest Rate Futures and the First Cash Settled ContractCME: Eurodollar Futures ( CME:GE1! ), CBOT: Treasury Bond Futures ( CBOT:ZB1! ) This is the second installment of the Holidays series “Celebrating 50 Years of Financial Futures.” Before 1970, commercial banks did business by accepting short-term deposits at low regulated rates and offering longer-term business and personal loans at higher rates. Double-digit inflation changed all that. Federal Reserve eliminated interest rate ceilings on time deposits under 3 months in 1970, and on those over 3 months in 1973. Banks incurred huge loss from a negative spread with deposit rate higher than loan rate. Fast forward to 2022, we find ourselves in a high inflation and an inverted yield-curve environment again. The overnight Fed Funds rate (4.00%) is nearly 500 basis points higher than the 10-Year Treasury Note (T-Note) yield (3.51%) as of December 4th. Rising interest rates increase the financing cost from businesses to households alike. The Fed’s six consecutive rate hikes from March to November 2022 contributed to significant drawdown in the value of stocks, bonds, and commodities. If you bought $100,000 of Treasury bonds (T-bonds) in January, its market value could drop as much as 30% with bond yield jumping to 3.5% from 1.5%. If you owe $10,000 in credit card debt, monthly interest rate charge could run up to 25% a year from 15%. Like foreign exchange, interest rate is not a physical commodity. It is a right to holders of an interest-bearing product, and a liability to its issuer. The above examples show that both buyer and seller could have large financial exposure to changes in interest rates. To hedge interest rate risks, futures contracts were invented in Chicago futures markets, namely, Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) and Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). CBOT Ginnie Mae Futures Government National Mortgage Association is a US government supported entity within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The nickname “Ginnie Mae” come from its acronym GNMA. GNMA issues Ginnie Mae certificates, a type of mortgage-backed passthrough securities. Investors receive interest and principal payments from a large pool of mortgage loans. Since timely payments are backed by the full faith and credit of the US government, Ginnie Mae bonds are considered default risk free and have an AAA credit rating. Although they are free from default risk, holders of Ginnie Mae bonds are exposed to interest rate risk, as bond price moves inversely with bond yield. Sensing the need from savings and loans, mortgage bankers, and dealers of mortgage-backed securities, CBOT launched Ginnie Mae Bond Futures in October 1975. This was the first time a futures contract was based on an interest-bearing instrument. At contract expiration, futures buyers would receive actual Ginnie Mae bonds from futures sellers. While the Ginnie Mae contract has since delisted, it paved the way for the successful launches of other interest rate futures contracts in the 1970s and 1980s. CME Treasury Bill Futures Treasury bills (T-bills) are short-term securities issued by the US Treasury to help finance the spending of the federal government. New T-bills with maturities of thirteen, twenty-six, and fifty-two weeks are issued on a regular basis. The secondary market for T-bills is active, making them among the most liquid of money market instruments. In May 1972, the International Monetary Market (IMM) division of the CME launched foreign exchange futures, the first financial futures contract. In January 1976, the IMM listed futures contract on 90-day (13-week) T-bills. It was the first futures contract for a money market instrument. Nobel laureate Milton Friedman rang the opening bell on T-Bill Futures launch day. Upon maturity, seller is required to deliver T-bills with a $1 million face value and thirteen weeks left to maturity. Contracts for delivery in March, June, September, and December are listed. At any one time, contracts for eight different delivery dates are traded. T-bills do not pay explicit interest. Instead, they are sold at a discount to redemption value. The difference between the two prices determines the interest earned by a buyer. T-bill yields are quoted on a discount basis. Futures contracts are quoted on an index devised by the IMM, by subtracting the discount yield from 100. Index values move in the same direction as T-bill price. A rise in the index means that the price of a future delivered T-bill has risen. The formula for calculating the discount yield is: Discount Yield = ((Face Value - Purchase Price) / Face Value) X (360 / Days to Maturity) CBOT Treasury Bond Futures In August 1977, CBOT launched futures contracts on the T-Bonds. At the time, the birth of T-bond futures hardly seemed like a breakthrough. Financial futures were still in their infancy. Soybeans and corn were king in the CBOT trading pit. But all that changed in October 1979 when the Fed moved to strangle runaway inflation with a revised credit policy. The Saturday night massacre, as it was dubbed, ended decades of interest-rate stability. Interest rates bounced like a Ping Pong, affected by money supply, world events and inflation. Trading of T-Bond futures took off like a rocket. In addition to the traditional T-Bond futures (ZB) with 15-year maturity, CBOT also lists a 20-Yr T-Bond futures (TWE) and an Ultra T-Bond (UB) with 30-year maturity. In the Mid-curve, the T-Note suite includes 2-Yr Note (ZT), 3-Yr Note (Z3), 5-Yr Note (ZF), 10-Yr Note (ZN), and Ultra 10-Yr T-Note (TN). On December 2, 2022, daily volume of the first T-Bond futures was 388,370 contracts, while open interest reached 1,170,800 contracts. Daily volume of all CME Group interest rates futures and options contracts (IR) reached 13,786,454 lots, contributing to 54.1% of Exchange total. IR open interest was 78,244,297 lots, representing 70.4% of Exchange total. Cash Settlement Comes to Futures Market Up until now, futures contracts were settled by physical delivery of the underlying commodities. • Buyer of 1 CME Live Cattle may pick up 35 cows (40,000 pounds) from Union Stockyard in Chicago southside or take delivery at a cattle auction in Wyoming. • Seller of 1 CBOT Soybean contract would ship 5,000 bushels of the grain to a licensed grain elevator in Illinois, Iowa, or Kansas. • For CME Pork Bellies, settlement may involve title changes of warehouse receipt from seller to buyer for 40,000 pounds of the frozen meat in a cold storage. Even financial futures required physical delivery at that time. • For British Pound/USD contract, it is £62,500 in pound sterling. • For Ginnie Mae contract, it is $10 million worth of Ginnie Mae certificate. • T-Bond futures calls for delivery of treasury bonds with face value of $100,000 and maturity of no less than 15 years. As we discussed in “The Bogeyman in Financial Contracts”, there is inherent risk in the physical delivery mechanism. No matter how robust its original design is, industry evolution could outgrow capacity, rendering delivery failure under extreme market conditions. In December 1981, CME launched Eurodollar futures, the first contract with cash settlement feature. Cash settlement alone can be viewed as a financial revolution. Why? • It significantly reduces transaction cost, which in turn enhances the risk transfer or hedging function in futures. • It allows non-commercial users to participate in futures. Broader participation improves liquidity, and the price discovery as well as risk management functions. CME Eurodollar Futures Eurodollars are dollar-deposits held with banks outside of the US. There are two types of Eurodollar deposits: nontransferable time deposits and certificates of deposit (CDs). Time deposits have maturities ranging from 1 day to 5 years, with 3 months being the most common. Eurodollar CDs are also commonly issued with maturities under a year. Technically, buyer of Eurodollar future contract is required to place $1,000,000 in a 3-month Eurodollar time deposit paying the contracted interest rate on maturity date. However, this exists only in principle and is called a “Notional Value”. Cash settlement means that actual physical delivery never takes place; instead, any net changes in the value of the contract at maturity are settled in cash on the basis of spot market Eurodollar rates. Unlike T-bills, Eurodollar deposits, the underlying of Eurodollar futures, pay explicit interest. The interest paid on such deposit is termed an add-on yield because the depositor receives the face amount plus an explicit interest payment when the deposit matures. In the case of Eurodollar, the add-on yield is the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), which is the interest rate at which major international banks offer to place Eurodollar deposits with one another. Like other money market rates, LIBOR is an annualized rate based on a 360-day year. Price quotations for Eurodollar futures are based on the IMM Eurodollar futures price index, which is is 100 minus the LIBOR. In the following four decades, all financial futures are designed with cash settlement. Eurodollar futures paves the way for equity index futures, which were launched in February 1982 at Kansas City Board of Trade (KCBT) and April 1982 at CME. Without cash settlement, can you imagine how to deliver 500 different stocks on a market-weighted basis for the S&P 500 futures? Or 2,000 stocks for the Russell 2000? Happy Trading. Disclaimers *Trade ideas cited above are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management under the market scenarios being discussed. They shall not be construed as investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services. CME Real-time Market Data help identify trade set-ups and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, check out on CME Group data plans in TradingView that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
Editors' picks
CBOT:ZB1!Education
by JimHuangChicago
11
Why Good News Crashes Markets"But the news wasn't that bad, why is the market falling??" When news or economic data hits the wire, markets move. Many traders are left scratching their heads, trying to come up with an explanation for why the market tanks on good news or rallies on bad news. Don't waste your time. It turns out, news is usually just a catalyst that allows momentum traders to profit off of a position they've already established, or lays the groundwork for their next trade. As an example, take the overnight session preceding this morning's PPI print. First, size traders accumulated (bought) under VWAP. Then, they drove the price up around 12am, and proceeded to distribute (sell) for a profit above VWAP. Look at where the majority of volume was transacted, the VPOC. When this moves above VWAP, it tells you distribution may be done. What happens next? Size traders have made their money for the night, and no longer provide a bid. As soon as news or data comes out, they allow price to fall and may even sell into it. And the cycle starts over again, now at an even better (lower) price. Understanding this has helped me immensely; I sincerely hope it helps you too. Questions? Hit me up in the comments.
CME_MINI:ES1!Education
by gr8fultrading
2
Inflation & Interest Rate Series – Below 5.3% is Crucial for CPIContent: • Why CPI must be below 5.3%? • Can we invest or trade or hedge into inflation? Disclaimer: • What presented here is not a recommendation, please consult your licensed broker. • Our mission is to create lateral thinking skills for every investor and trader, knowing when to take a calculated risk with market uncertainty and a bolder risk when opportunity arises. Stay tuned for our next episode in this series, we will discuss more on the insight of inflation and rising interest rates. More importantly, how to use this knowledge, turning it to our advantage in these challenging times for all of us. Micro 5-Year Yield Futures 1/10 of 1bp = US$1 or 0.001% = US$1 3.000% to 3.050% = US$50 3.000% to 4.000% = US$1,000 See below ideas on the previous videos for this series.
Editors' picks
CBOT_MINI:5YYU2022Education
by konhow
4
US FEDERAL interest rate, ImpactionsThe Federal Reserve announces it frankly. We don't know if raising the interest rate will lead to an economic recession, and this is the only way to stop inflation! The probability of a recession is 99.9%, -According to the Head of Fixed Income in the Fund Management Division at Bank of Montreal, BMO. - Bank of Montreal this month, expected inflation to be 8.3%, and in fact, the inflation data came out the same as its prediction. The US Federal Reserve is the most tight-lipped among central banks and the preference for the dollar 🛑 Gold prices continue to decline with the rise of the dollar and expectations that the Federal Reserve will continue to raise interest rates. Powell: How much pain depends on the timeline for the 2% inflation target P owell: In the housing market, we have to undergo a correction to return to normal price growth Inflation forecasts according to the Federal Reserve: 2022: 5.4% 2023: 2.8% 2024: 2.3% 2025: 2.0% best regards [/b ]Srosh Mayi
TVC:GOLDEducation
by SroshMayi
2
How Governance Affects a Cryptocurrency's Coin Supply and PriceAs of last year, the top 3 most well-known coins - Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin - have all become "predictable" in terms of its coin supply. BTC has always had a fixed supply cap, ETH has become aggressively deflationary after its EIP-1559 upgrade started "burning" its supply, and Dogecoin is technically "disinflationary" since the rate at which the protocol issues its coins is set to slow down gradually over time. (People have estimated ~5% going downwards to 1% or less over the course of many years.) What all 3 coins have in common: 1) the supply curves for these coins are fixed and predictable 2) political leverage correlates directly with the ownership of money itself 3) the economic trajectories of each coin are basically unchangeable without some sort of centralized control Bitcoin and Dogecoin's protocol decisions are handled by the mining community (they decide which blocks to continue mining, in case there is a disagreement), and now that Ethereum has moved over to proof-of-stake, most of its major decisions will be decided by the core team itself. With proof-of-work, hash power is political leverage, with proof-of-stake, the coins itself does the same. While maxis focus on the differences between the two, at the end of the day, leverage over the system is measured in terms of how much resources you're willing to spend on your particular "vote" - it just depends on which you prefer - hash-power, or money-power. To be fair, this is how most coins operate right now since it is currently not possible to reliably do a "one person one vote" model (as is typically done in developed democracies) since identifying an anonymous wallet as a "person" is extremely difficult. So as a lesser evil, we use money-invested (aka your "stake") as means of measuring how much influence one should have on an ecosystem as a whole. (In this regard, most cryptocurrencies are similar to corporate shareholder models.) Until we have a better way of identifying people online as being "real", we're likely to be stuck with this model for a while, but not all coin systems are created equal - some will probably have better long-term viability than others. And a lot of that will be determined by how each coin handles its governance procedures. Proof-of-work systems right now have no means of reliably doing voting/governance on-chain - as a result, most coins opt to do their voting through third-party systems or platforms. While this can sometimes work, there is no "receipt" of whether the tally was legitimate or not - you just have to trust that the people conducting the polls were doing it in good faith. BTC/DOGE has never had on-chain governance and likely never will, while ETH currently possesses the potential to do, but seems unlikely now that it has also become deflationary. The "fixed supply" argument is similar to the "buy gold" argument in that there is an inherent distrust of supply curves that are "flexible" - the idea that when there is less of something it's going to be worth more is an intuitive argument that makes sense to a lot of people, at least on the surface. But ideally, you want the price of a coin to go up because there's more demand for it, rather than inflating it artificially by burning your supply - the less there is of something, the more out of reach it becomes for newcomers and people will less money, after all. So when a project puts "fixed supply" as part of its core value proposition, it's basically prioritizing the short-term appeasement of existing holders at the expense of future growth. We see a similar type of scarcity mindset (the "I got mine" syndrome) in assets like real-estate and gold as well, which are also both about to face corrections of their own. An asset starts to "bubble" when prices increase but quality goes down - then "pops" when the demand for it bottoms out as people realize that it's not worth it. Ideally, you want the economy to be flexible enough to handle swings in demand/usage, while keeping incentives aligned between all parties (investors, validators, users) at all times. It requires a very careful balancing act that exists somewhere in between fixed and infinite supply - and even better if these decisions are made through consensus mechanism rather than a unilateral decision made behind closed doors. (Tezos' self-amending protocol, combined with its on-chain governance system stands out as unique in this regard.) -- So what to do if you're an existing HODLer? Well, short to medium term, coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin will probably maintain their price as long as people come see it as a viable alternative to traditional assets as we get further into the recession -- that's the big bet that many are taking right now. But it does come with the understanding that it's probably only likely to happen once or twice more before the market saturates completely and hits its peak. Here crypto is at a disadvantage compared to assets like real-estate or tangible goods, since there's nothing forcing people to use BTC/ETH in particular - there are many other options in the market, after all. For more discussions about coin supply issues, here: www.reddit.com
COINBASE:XTZUSDEducation
by RyanTanaka
Why Rice Prices Determine the Direction of Interest Rates?Recently, I received questions asking my opinion on their borrowing cost, if they should go for fixed or float rates. We somehow know there is inflation, but not exactly sure how long it will last and how bad it will get. Because higher inflation leads to higher interest rates. While I cannot advise them as I do not have a banking license to do so. However, I can point them to the commodity markets, I hope by doing so, it can help them to understand and read into the direction of interest rates with greater clarity. Background on edible commodities: Rice is a staple in the diets of more than half of the world’s population, especially in Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. Annual production of milled rice tops 480 million metric tons, which makes it the third most-produced grain in the world after corn and wheat. An increase in rice prices or edible commodities, it will really add pressure to the existing global inflationary pressure. Hardship will be more intense especially compare to other commodities like crude oil. In short, people can still live with some inconvenience without cars, but not without food. Therefore, when food prices become much more expensive, the central banks immediate and urgent measures is to counter it by rising interest rates. Content: . Why edible commodities determine the direction of interest rates? . Technical studies . How to hedge or buy them? Rice Market: 91 Metric Tons $0.005 = US$10 Example - $0.01 = US$20 $18.00 = 1800 x US$20 = US$18,000 From $18 to $19 = US$10,000 If you are trading this market for the short-term, do remember to use live data than delay ones. Disclaimer: • What presented here is not a recommendation, please consult your licensed broker. • Our mission is to create lateral thinking skills for every investor and trader, knowing when to take a calculated risk with market uncertainty and a bolder risk when opportunity arises.
CBOT:ZR1!Education
by konhow
Why Crude Oil is Trending Higher Again, Breaking Above US$100In this tutorial, I will explain both its fundamental and technical reasons for crude oil likely to break above and stay above US$100. I am having two portfolios at all times, one for long-term investing and the other for short-term trading. For the long-term I am mindful the current global inflationary pressure is real and it may last many months or even years ahead. Therefore, my current investment mandate: • U.S. stock markets – To trade them • Commodities – To buy them Disclaimer: • What presented here is not a recommendation, please consult your licensed broker. • Our mission is to create lateral thinking skills for every investor and trader, knowing when to take a calculated risk with market uncertainty and a bolder risk when opportunity arises. For your reference: NYMEX Crude Oil $0.01 = US$10 Example: From $94.00 to $100.00 (10000-9400) x US$10 = US$6,000
NYMEX:CL1!Education
by konhow
1
Chinese Real Estate Large Cap IndexThis is an updated version of my previous "Evergrande + others" chart of Chinese real estate. Instead of including some smaller companies with longer price history, this focuses on large market cap companies. I weighted the prices against each other equally by their 42 day average, and then weighted that by the market cap: 1. Sun Hung Kai Properties (0016) HKD 268.5 billion -2.06% Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited develops and invests in properties for sale and rent in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and internationally. It...See Company Profile HKD 2. China Overseas Land & Investment (0688) HKD 252.28 billion 24.86% China Overseas Land & Investment Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the property development and investment, and treasury...See Company Profile HKD 3. China Resources Land (1109) HKD 245.3 billion 4.88% China Resources Land Limited, an investment holding company, invests, develops, manages, and sells properties in the Peoples Republic of China....See Company Profile HKD 4. China Vanke Co. (2202) HKD 235.54 billion -11.14% China Vanke Co., Ltd., a real-estate company, develops and sells properties in the Peoples Republic of China. The company operates through...See Company Profile HKD 5. CK Asset (1113) HKD 202.95 billion 13.53% CK Asset Holdings Limited operates as a property developer in Hong Kong, the Mainland, Singapore, the United Kingdom, continental Europe,...See Company Profile HKD 6. Longfor (0960) HKD 177.07 billion -20.57% Longfor Group Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, engages in property development, investment, and management businesses in China....See Company Profile HKD 7. Sino Land Co. (0083) HKD 91.07 billion 21.52% Sino Land Company Limited, an investment holding company, invests in, develops, manages, and trades in properties. It operates through six...See Company Profile HKD 8. Country Garden Co. (2007) HKD 80.22 billion -49.28% Country Garden Holdings Company Limited, an investment holding company, invests, develops, and constructs real estae properties primarily in...See Company Profile HKD 9. Greentown China (3900) HKD 40.51 billion 28.98% Greentown China Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the property development and related business in China. It operates...See Company Profile HKD 10. Yuexiu Property Co. (0123) HKD 29.82 billion 40 .17% Yuexiu Property Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, develops, sells, and manages properties primarily in Mainland China and Hong...See Company Profile HKD source: fknol.com (Unfortunately they no longer sort by market cap by default. To view it you'll have to sign up for fknol's terrible website.) Here was the logic I used: 'a' = 42 day price average. 'b' = adjust b based on the market cap. if the market cap is larger, c gets smaller, market cap smaller, c larger. Market....a=42D_AVG.....b=a/Market_Cap_Billions --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 0016.......94.14................0.3506 0688.......21.49................0.08518 1109.......35.14................0.1433 2202.......18.51................0.07858 1113.......51.73................0.2549 0960.......37.36................0.211 0083.......0.3542..............0.003889 2007.......5.662................0.07058 3900.......13.34................0.3293 0123.......0.09548............0.003202 (I had to fill in the table with dots so it would show correctly.) Now, for each row, take each market and divide by 'b': 'market1'/b1 + 'market2'/b2 + ... : '0016'/0.3506+'0688'/0.08518+'1109'/0.1433+'2202'/0.07858+'1113'/0.2549+'0960'/0.211+'0083'/0.003889+'2007'/0.07058+'3900'/0.3293+'0123'/0.003202 You can also exclude the second column, skip computing 'b', and instead divide the price by 'a' and you would have a 42 day average price weighted index. Dividing a price by an average would normalize it near 1, weighting each price equally. Does it make sense? Thanks for taking a look! Misc. Analysis: Total valuation, going by the info, is roughly 1623.26 billion HKD , which is ~200 billion USD. This is not an unusually large amount, but the importance of these companies is far beyond their numerical market cap. Chinese citizens and companies purchase properties around the world, so I think this price action goes hand in hand with global real estate, possibly with this index as a leading indicator. A large global surplus of buyers in the last few decades has pushed real estate prices everywhere to unreasonable levels and now there is a deficit of buyers. Any serious bailout will distort prices and at some point it's possible that the price action becomes useless. The CCP owns a piece of every company already so I think this would be the more probable route. Good luck and don't forget to hedge your bets!
Editors' picks
0Education
by fringe_chartist
11
Jamie Dimon’s Hurricane and the Bond Market in Early JuneIn 2021, as the US central bank and the Secretary of the Treasury continued to call rising inflation a “transitory” and pandemic-inspired event, the bond market declined. Bonds watched prices rise while the economists were pouring over stale data. Meanwhile, the Fed and government planted inflationary seeds that sprouted during the second half of 2020, bloomed in 2021, and grew into wild weeds in 2022. The consumer and producer price data began to flash a warning sign in 2021, with the economic condition rising to the highest level in over four decades. The Fed and the Treasury finally woke up. While the Biden administration was already “woke,” the data awakened them to a point where late last month, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen admitted “transitory” was a mistake. However, there was no admission and self-realization that monetary and fiscal policies created the inflation, and ignoring the warning signs only made it worse. A storm forecast from JP Morgan Chase’s leader Bonds are sitting near the lows The Fed’s FOMC meets on June 14 and 15 Higher rates are on the horizon Expect lots of volatility in markets The bond market was far ahead of the Fed and the Treasury, which should have been another warning sign. Consumer and producer prices have skyrocketed, and the central bank is using demand-side tools to address the economic fallout. Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine, sanctions on Russia, and Russian retaliation have only exacerbated the inflationary pressures, as they create supply-side issues making demand-side solutions impotent. The Biden administration blames the rise in energy prices on Russia, but they were already rising before the invasion and sanctions. The shift in US energy policy to a greener path is equally responsible for record-high gasoline and other fuel prices. At the end of 2021, a conventional 30-Year fixed-rate mortgage was just below the 3% level, and in less than six months, it rose to 5.5%. On a $300,000 loan, the move increases the monthly payment by $625, a significant rise. We are in the early days of an economic storm that began with the pandemic, continued with a lethargic Fed and government officials, and was exacerbated by the first major war in Europe since WW II. We have not seen the peak of the storm clouds gathering for more than two years. A storm forecast from JP Morgan Chase’s leader Jamie Dimon, the Chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Chase, called Bitcoin a “fraud.” A few short years ago, he said he would fire any trader “stupid” enough to trade cryptocurrencies on the bank’s behalf. As recently as late 2021, he said he believes Bitcoin is “worthless.” So far, he has been dead wrong on the asset class. The financial institution he heads replaced real estate with cryptocurrencies in late May, calling them a “preferred alternative asset.” In his latest comments on markets across all asset classes, Mr. Dimon issued a warning. Quantitative tightening that will ramp up to $95 billion in reduced Fed bond holdings and the Ukraine war led him to tell market participants, “You’d better brace yourself. JP Morgan is bracing ourselves, and we’re going to be very conservative with our balance sheet.” He began by saying, “You know, I said there’s storm clouds, but I’m going to change it…it’s a hurricane.” Mr. Dimon believes QT and the war create substantial changes in the global flow of funds, with an uncertain impact. The leading US bank’s CEO is prepared for “at a minimum, huge volatility.” His forecast on cryptos aside, the warning is a call to action. There is still time to hedge portfolios and establish a plan for the coming storm. Volatility is a nightmare for passive inventors, but it creates a paradise of opportunities for nimble disciplined traders with their fingers on the pulse of markets. Bonds are sitting near the lows Quantitative tightening not only removes the put under the bond market that had supported government-issued fixed income instruments since early 2020, but it also puts downward pressure on bonds and upward pressure on interest rates further out along the yield curve. The long-term chart of the US 30-Year Treasury bond futures highlights the decline to the most recent low of 134-30, declining below the October 2018 136-16 low, and falling to the lowest level since July 2014. At the 135-20 level on June 10, the bonds are sitting close to an eight-year low, with the next technical support level at the December 2013 127-23 low. The Fed’s FOMC meets on June 14 and 15 The market expects the US Federal Reserve to increase the Fed Funds Rate by 50 basis points this week at the June meeting. The move will put the short-term rate at the 1.25% to 1.50% level. The Fed remains far behind the inflationary curve, with CPI and PPI data at an over four-decade high and coming in hotter each past month. While the central bank determines the short-term rate, the bond market has been screaming for the Fed to catch up, warning that inflationary pressures were mounting. The bottom fell out of the long bond futures in 2022 as the Fed began to tighten credit. However, the Fed’s economists will only put the short-term rate at 1.50%, with inflation running at many times that level. A 75 basis move to 1.75% would shock the market, which is not a path the Central Bank wants to follow. Higher rates are on the horizon The Fed may have awakened, realizing it must use monetary policy tools to address inflation, but the central bank remains groggy and slow to adjust rates to levels that would choke off rising prices. The economists do not have an easy job as they face supply-side economic problems created by the war in Ukraine. Had they been more agile in 2021 and nipped the rising inflation in the bud with a series of rate hikes, the US Fed would be better positioned to address what has become a no-win situation. The war has caused energy and food prices to soar with no central bank tools to manage the situation. Last week, gasoline rose to a new high, crude oil was over $120 per barrel, natural gas was over $9.65 per MMBtu, and grain prices remained at elevated levels. Rate hikes and lower bond prices are not likely to cause prices to fall as US energy policy, sanctions on Russia, and Russian retaliation are supply-side issues that leave the central bank with few answers. Higher food and energy prices will keep the inflationary spiral going and will continue to push bond prices lower. Expect lots of volatility in markets The US and the world face an unprecedented period that began with the 2020 global pandemic. Artificially low interest rates and the government stimulus that addressed the pandemic were inflationary seeds. The pandemic-inspired supply chain bottlenecks exacerbated the inflationary pressures. A shift in US energy policy increased OPEC and Russia’s pricing power in traditional energy markets. Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine has turbocharged the economic condition, making a solution challenging for the central bank. The current US Treasury Secretary, and former Fed Chair, Janet Yellen, once said that monetary policy works together with the government’s fiscal policies. In the current environment, fiscal policy and the geopolitical landscape have become the most significant factors for rising inflation. Jamie Dimon is worried, and the head of the leading US financial institution is battening down the hatches on his balance sheet for a storm. Even though he was mistaken about cryptos, we should heed his warning and hope he is wrong. Markets reflect the economic and geopolitical landscapes, which are highly uncertain in June 2022. Hedge those portfolios, and make sure you develop a plan for any risk positions. Expect the unexpected because 2022 is anything but a typical year in markets across all asset classes. Fasten your seatbelts for what could be a wild and turbulent ride over the coming months. -- Trading advice given in this communication, if any, is based on information taken from trades and statistical services and other sources that we believe are reliable. The author does not guarantee that such information is accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. Trading advice reflects the author’s good faith judgment at a specific time and is subject to change without notice. There is no guarantee that the advice the author provides will result in profitable trades. There is risk of loss in all futures and options trading. Any investment involves substantial risks, including, but not limited to, pricing volatility , inadequate liquidity, and the potential complete loss of principal. This article does not in any way constitute an offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any investment, security, or commodity discussed herein, or any security in any jurisdiction in which such an offer would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.
Editors' picks
CBOT:ZB1!Education
by Andy_Hecht
13
Inflation is high, Why gold price falling?As traders, of course.. We know that when inflation is too high, safe haven prices such as gold will soar. But that only applies before 2009. Before bitcoin was launched for the first time. Not many traders know, that market participants such as banks, big institutions, fund managers, and big companies trust bitcoin as a safe-haven, which actually competes with gold. When inflation is too high, market participants will move their money between bitcoin and gold. So this is one of the reasons why gold falls when inflation is too high. We can clearly see from the short-term chart above, that gold is bearish but bitcoin is bullish, and vice versa, the unidirectional correlation between bitcoin and gold. However, when the USD is optimistic about strengthening, both will be equally bearish. It can be concluded that both are the same as hedging asset. Also, we can use COT data from CFTC and LME to know gold and crypto sentiment and correlation. Coinbase and JPMorgan can also be considered. But I'll discuss this separately in the next explanation. Hopefully this can help anyone, so that it can be considered for trading in gold and bitcoin. Practicing how to understand market behavior is much better than just understanding.
SAXO:XAUUSDEducation
by DNP-FX
Interest rates, Inflation and how to trade it.Hey Traders, Massive week this week fundamentally for the Forex market. 3 big interest rate decisions being released so I thought there was no better time than now to have a chat about what it is, what it indicates and finally, how traders profit from it. Fed and BOE almost guaranteed to hike rates, RBA is sitting unsure. Have a watch of the video and I am more than happy to have a discussion in the comment section! As always, have a fantastic trading week and I wish you all many profits.
Education
by the5erstrading
4
FANG vs Inflation This post was a request to my Indices and Inflation post. It compares how the FANG stocks fair compared to inflation. Included stocks are: GOOG, MSFT, AAPL, FB, NFLX, AMZN and TSLA (Not sure if TSLA is truly FANG but I am sure people want to know how it fairs). I have also added QQQ as a baseline comparable. QQQ's three biggest holdings in order from highest to lowest are AAPL (11.27%), MSFT (10.11%) and AMZN (7.79%). The stocks were compared via Pearson Correlation to the US' monthly inflation rate. The statistical results are summarized in the chart below. As an overview, a negative value means that an inverse relationship exists, as one increases, the other decreases. A positive result means that a synergistic relationship exists, one increases, the other increases. The extent to the relationship is rated on a scale from 0 to 1. 0 being there is no relationship at all and 1 being an almost identical relationship. This is demonstrated by the R value. In statistics, depending on the situation under study, we like to see at least a 0.350 to 0.500 with qualitative phenomenon to determine it significant. I will use 0.350 as my benchmark for significance. Results: - Generally, it appears as the FANG stocks are neutral to inflation. This means that their growth likely will remain fairly consistent despite an inflationary climate; however, TSLA : is exempt from this, with an R value of positive 0.583. This indicates a significant positive relationship which would imply that TSLA would increase as inflation increases. TSLA hit the market in 2010. It has seen its fair share of inflation, but it has not experienced inflation to the extent that MSFT or AAPL has. Which brings me to: MSFT: is the most neutral stock to inflation and has the most reliable results. MSFT's IPO was in the 80s and it hit the market in 1986, a time of super high inflation. MSFT has lived through many instances of extreme inflation and thus, I trust the results here. AAPL hit the market before MSFT, in 1980. It has an inverse relationship with inflation. Which means, as inflation increases, AAPL stock decreases. It is interesting to see that this is not shared with MSFT. As far as inflation is concerned, MSFT seems to be more of a stable stock than AAPL. FB I would interpret these results with caution as FB hit the market in 2012 and has not seen the type of inflation as the other stocks. IT also completely bypassed the tech bubble burst and the 2007/2008 crisis. Everything else is fairly neutral/not significant and I would deem them to be inflation neutral with no significant relationship existing between inflation and growth. Why is this a thing for tech stocks? I am not sure, leave your comments with your thoughts on this! I would be interested in hearing them. Thanks for reading!
NASDAQ:MSFTEducation
by Steversteves
18
Energy & Inflation - The Chickens Come Home to RoostThe worldwide pandemic gripped the markets two years ago, throwing the global economy into a brief tailspin. In hindsight, the decline in markets across all assets seems like the blink of an eye. At the time, it felt like an eternity. Crude oil explodes and becomes very volatile Natural gas at an unseasonal high Coal reached a new record peak US energy policy lit the fuse Ukraine and inflation are pouring fuel on the fire Energy demand evaporated, sending landlocked NYMEX crude oil below zero for the first time since trading began in the 1980s. Seaborne Brent petroleum fell to the lowest price of this century at $16 per barrel. Natural gas dropped to a twenty-five-year low at $1.432 per MMBtu, and coal prices fell under $40 per ton. Central Bank liquidity and government stimulus that stabilized the economy ignited a recovery that began lifting prices. Two years later, the meltdown turned into a melt-up as raging inflation and the first significant war on European soil since World War II turned one crisis into another. The chickens came home to roost in the energy markets as prices went from famine to feast for producers and feast to famine for consumers. Crude oil explodes and becomes very volatile In March 2022, crude oil rose to the highest price since 2008 and blew through the $100 per barrel level as a hot knife goes through butter. The monthly chart shows that after probing above $100 in late February, nearby NYMEX crude oil futures rose to $130.50 in March, before pulling back to just below the triple digit price at the end of last week. The quarterly chart shows that the energy commodity rose for the eighth consecutive quarter in Q1 2022. Nearby Brent crude oil futures, the benchmark for European, African, Middle Eastern, and Russian petroleum, exploded to $139.13 per barrel in March before pulling back to the $104 level on the June futures contract. While crude oil corrected from the high, the price has been highly volatile, with $10 daily trading ranges becoming the norm instead of the exception. Natural gas at an unseasonal high The natural gas market moves into the injection season in late March as heating demand declines. March tends to be a bearish time in the natural gas market because of the energy commodity’s seasonality. The monthly chart shows that nearby natural gas futures rose to a high of $5.832 in March, the highest level during the month that ends the withdrawal season since 2008. On April 1, the price was over the $5.70 per MMBtu level, more than double the level at the start of April 2021. Coal reached a new record peak Coal, the fossil fuel that environmentalists consider a four-letter energy commodity, rose to a new record high in March. The monthly chart of thermal coal futures for delivery in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, shows the price reached a record $465 per ton in March before correcting to the $265.40 level. Meanwhile, the price remained above the previous record high from July 2008 at $224 per ton. US energy policy lit the fuse As the energy demand made a comeback from the lows during the second half of 2020, the change in US administrations planted very bullish seeds for fossil fuel prices. The shift in US energy policy was symbolic and real. On his first day in office on January 21, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order canceling the Keystone XL pipeline, fulfilling his campaign pledge to address climate change. Environmentalists and progressive Democrats called the US addiction to hydrocarbons an existential threat. In 2021 and 2022, the administration banned drilling and fracking for oil and gas on Alaska’s federal lands and tightened regulations on hydrocarbon production. All the while, the demand for gas, oil, and coal was rising. OPEC+, the international oil cartel, and its partner Russia maintained production cuts as they received a gift from the US administration. In March 2020, USD petroleum output led the world at 13.1 million barrels per day. The shift in US energy policy to favor alternative and renewable fuels and inhibit hydrocarbon production and consumption handed the pricing power back to OPEC+ on a silver platter. After decades of striving for energy independence, the US surrendered it in a matter of months. As the price rose, the Biden Administration continued to pander to its party’s progressive wing with green energy rhetoric while begging the cartel to increase output thrice. On each occasion, OPEC+ not so politely refused, and the oil price continued to rise. Meanwhile, natural gas and coal shortages pushed those commodities to multi-year highs. The bottom line is that while addressing climate change is a noble cause, it is a multi-decade project. The US and worldwide consumers continue to depend on the hydrocarbons that power the globe. The shift in energy policy planted very bullish seeds where oil wells, gas fields, and coal mines once produced the energy commodities on US soil. An unexpected event made the prices combustible. Ukraine and inflation are pouring fuel on the fire In previous articles before the invasion, we wrote that the February 4 meeting between China’s President Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin was a “watershed event.” The $117 billion trade agreement was secondary to the “no-limits” support deal. Twenty days after the leaders shook hands at the Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony, Russia invaded Ukraine launching a bloody and devasting war that created a massive schism in the geopolitical landscape. Sanctions on Russia, retaliatory measures, and heated rhetoric ignited an explosive fuse in fossil fuel markets. In crude oil, the price rose as Russia is a leading producer. Supply concerns pushed the Brent and WTI futures markets into backwardations where deferred prices were lower than prices for nearby delivery. The price eclipsed the $100 per barrel level for the first time since 2014 and reached the highest price since 2008. Asian and European natural gas prices were trading at much higher levels than the US Henry Hub price before Russia’s invasion. Meanwhile, European natural gas prices exploded to a new record peak in March. The chart of ICE UK natural gas futures speaks for itself with the explosive move to a record peak in March. LNG changed the US natural gas market over the past years, expanding its reach beyond the North American pipeline network. LNG now travels the world by ocean tankers, making US domestic prices more sensitive to worldwide levels. In the wake of Russian aggression and European sanctions, Europe is attempting to wean itself from its addiction to Russian natural gas, increasing the need for US LNG imports. The increase in demand has put upward pressure on US natural gas prices and downward pressure on inventories, which were over 14% below the five-year average for the week ending on March 25, 2022. In the coal market, China and India have had a healthy appetite for the dirtiest fossil fuel. Moreover, rising oil and natural gas prices put upward pressure on coal, a less expensive alternative. Meanwhile, rising inflation is causing production costs to rise as labor, equipment, and all other aspects of extracting fossil fuels and all commodities from the earth’s crust have skyrocketed. Rising energy prices are a root cause of increasing inflation, but it has become a vicious cycle that also impacts energy output costs. The February US inflation data ran at the highest level in over four decades. Last week, the US President announced the release of one million barrels per day from the US strategic petroleum reserve. Taping the supplies could run 180 days, making it the most significant use of the SPR in history. Meanwhile, over the past decades, most SPR releases have not pushed prices lower, and some have caused rallies in the oil futures market. US energy policy planted bullish seeds for fossil fuel prices in early 2021. It did not take long for the chickens to come home to roost. Now that consumers are pay $4, $5, $6, and $7 per gallon for gasoline, the administration calls higher prices the Russian President’s fault, a convenient political ploy. The perfect bullish storm in energy began long before Russian troops rolled over Ukraine’s border. The Russian leader and sanctions poured fuel on an already raging inflationary fire in the energy markets. However, US energy, monetary, and fiscal policies were the original arsonists. The base prices for oil, gas, and coal will remain elevated for as long as the eye can see. Buying dips is likely to be the optimal approach to the sector. Since corrections in commodities markets can be brutal, adjust your risk-reward horizons to reflect wide price variance. -- Trading advice given in this communication, if any, is based on information taken from trades and statistical services and other sources that we believe are reliable. The author does not guarantee that such information is accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. Trading advice reflects the author’s good faith judgment at a specific time and is subject to change without notice. There is no guarantee that the advice the author provides will result in profitable trades. There is risk of loss in all futures and options trading. Any investment involves substantial risks, including, but not limited to, pricing volatility , inadequate liquidity, and the potential complete loss of principal. This article does not in any way constitute an offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any investment, security, or commodity discussed herein, or any security in any jurisdiction in which such an offer would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.
NYMEX:CL1!Education
by Andy_Hecht
GOLD'S NEXT MOVE?Little educational post for you guys! If my analysis is correct & the current uptrend is Wave 5, an effective way to estimate how far this last bullish cycle will go is to go back & look at Wave 1, when Gold first started its uptrend in 2006. Wave 1 & Wave 5 tend to be very similar in how many PIPS they move, with a few hundreds PIPS difference which is very accurate for higher TF analysis. I have done this on my chart & it shows me where Wave 5 will possibly end before correcting itself over the next few years! Do this for yourself & you'll find the results you're looking for. I have covered out the price it could go to as it'll only be exclusive on the Market Breakdown Report for Investors. Markets are looking juicy for the foreseeable future🦾
OANDA:XAUUSDEducation
by BA_Investments
Be ready for a very Agressive Federal reserve..!The real economy slows down according to Fed chair Jerome Powell since November 2021..! Inflation is at a record high in the past 4 decades and could become double-digit (above 10%) in 2022 if the Federal Reserve keeps pumping liquidity in the system..! If you review my articles about inflation since May 2021, you will see how this pattern was detected before it happens..! Current situation: we have passed the gate of Hyperinflation thanks to the passive Fed, Now we should wait and see how aggressive Fed will act??? When the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) changes the interest rate, it impacts both the economy and the stock markets because borrowing becomes either more or less expensive for individuals and businesses. Any impact on the stock market to a change in the interest rate changes is generally experienced immediately, while, for the rest of the economy, it may take about a year to see any widespread impact. Higher interest rates tend to negatively affect earnings and stock prices (with the exception of the financial sector). For further information read the below article: www.investopedia.com Best, Moshkelgosha DISCLAIMER I’m not a certified financial planner/advisor, a certified financial analyst, an economist, a CPA, an accountant, or a lawyer. I’m not a finance professional through formal education. The contents on this site are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, accounting, or legal advice. I can’t promise that the information shared on my posts is appropriate for you or anyone else. By using this site, you agree to hold me harmless from any ramifications, financial or otherwise, that occur to you as a result of acting on information found on this site.
FRED:CPIAUCSLEducation
by Moshkelgosha
22