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The John Brimelow Report
Time to buy (Thanks, FT)
Friday, April 16, 2004
Indian ex-duty premiums: AM $10.72, PM $10.66, with world gold at $399.60 and $399. Enormous; far above legal import point. So too are the premiums over world gold indicated by the Shanghai Gold Exchange. Perhaps these were the influences which enabled gold to push over $400 in the early hours of the morning NY time.
With the yen stabilizing the flurry of interest on TOCOM is dying down. Volume dropped 42% to equal only 21,915 Comex lots, and open interest was static (up 107 Comex equivalent). (NY yesterday was estimated to have traded 63,000 lots.)
Some of the dealer-commentators are beginning to temper their confidence in a further slide. Mitsui-Sydney says of yesterday:
"Again last night gold was pressured to the downside, what was noticeable was a mixture of fund buying & selling. Some perhaps thinking we have found a floor…"
A thought amplified by their London colleagues:
"Heavy fund selling has been the feature of the week for gold and silver. We estimate one fund has liquidated close to 2mio ozs of gold over the past few sessions. The market is however holding key technical levels. 396 area basis June was the break out point on March 12, we have a long term trend line coming in at 394.70 and thereafter we have the 200 day moving average at 391.
There has been two-way activity noted at the lows from the funds and…Further support is coming from buoyant physical demand…."
A few of the technicians are also having second thoughts. Yesterday the JPMorgan Securities "Metals & Energy Technical Strategist" shorted gold:
"Short Gold at 397 risking 403 targeting 380"
Today they sound rueful:
"a move back through 401 would suggest a squeeze could develop towards 407/410 before renewed weakness sets in…We suggested selling at market yesterday just in case the trendline break saw a rush of selling, but I guess in hindsight we have seen a big move already."
Over the last couple of days, gold has been exhibiting the hall-mark signs of a large Predator short seller in position, with see-offs being seen after the London AM fix, before the Comex open, on the open, and particularly on the Comex close. Judging by the physical premiums, retreating from this short might be awkward.
Notably falling silent is a noted gold bear, who merely circulated this morning’s euphoric FT anti gold editorial. See:
http://news.ft.com/servlet/Con…420385759&p=1012571727126
I will not be publishing on Monday.
JB