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China Security & Surveillance Technology, Inc. Third Quarter 2009 Earnings Call Transcript

Most of the answers are unintelligible and attempting to read them is a waste of precious time. I guess, we get what we pay for :-(

Silver Futures Show Markets Are Acting Strangely

Kohala: If they are hedging, these banks may not have significant net positions, but if they both dominate the short and the long side, they have ample opportunity to fluctuate the prices as they please.

Only the long term price trend would be out of their hands.

In Defense of GLD

Thanks for this article. It is refreshing to see the other side of the argument that is so often repeated by the more paranoid goldbugs.

That said, I understand the desire of goldbugs to talk people into the physical too: it ensures less liquidity in the bullion market and thus more upward pressure to the prices.
If I had the physical bullion though, my liquidity would have to come from selling spot on the LME or perhaps futures to the COMEX.
I expect that will be Einhorn's strategy too. That he opts for the switch now, means that he thinks the spike may be several years away, making the carrying cost of GLD uneconomical.

Time for a Silver ETF Renaissance?

Articles with a question mark in their title are generally a waste of time.

Groundbreaking WSJ Story on Gold

When such articles appear in the mainstream financial press, they are intended as a warning signal that the long gold trade is getting crowded and that it may be time to get out for a while.

Smart money is getting out of commodities, at least until such time that the economy shows real recovery signs and inflation becomes a reality. That might be a much as two years away.

In the meantime, owning a bit of bullion makes you feel good, but putting most of your wealth in it... pretty nervous.

Gold Rally Is Short-Lived

What is happening with the PM's is that the realisation is dawning that there is massive overcapacity in the economy, that inflation is still years away and that in the meantime cash is king.

Gold and silver could fall a bit more in the short term.

Why You Can't Day Trade Gold

Thanks Bron, for this article. You did not talk about the market-moving power of the ETF's.

With retail investors rushing in and out of GLD, has this ETF not become the tail that wags the Gold market dog?

The Politics of Gold

In fairness, according to the CSIS web site the study concludes that , yes, it could be done, but:
• The more there is an Israeli threat to the survival of the regime in Iran, the more Iran will be determined to acquire nuclear weapons. Iran would withdraw from the NPT based on the argument that it needs to acquire nuclear weapons to protect its sovereignty and any further aggression by Israel and the U.S.

• A strike by Israel on Iran will give rise to regional instability and conflict as well as terrorism.

• Iran should be engaged directly by the U.S. with an agenda open to all areas of military and non-military issues that both are in agreement or disagreement. Any realistic resolution to the Iranian nuclear program will require an approach that encompasses Military, Economic, Political interests and differences of the U.S vs Iran.

• The U.S. will have to try to make Comprehensive Verification of Iran’s Nuclear Development Program one of the priorities in any diplomatic dialogue, while trying at the same time to persuade Iran to stop its enrichment program. However, in this area the U.S. will have to walk and negotiate along a very fine line between Israel’s WMD and Ballistic Missile capabilities and the Iranian Nuclear development program. The U.S. must recognize that both are very closely inter-related and are fueling each other. So the U.S. should be prepared to address both issues simultaneously while trying not to be perceived as though it has double standards when it comes to Israel.

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Not exactly an endorsement of the idea.
In simpler language: it would be utter madness.

I think the Israelis know it and gold will have to do it without the help of another war.

Jim Rogers Shares His Thoughts on the Market

Farmland, yes, but if possible close to urban growth.

In the three BIC's by preference.

Protectionism in China - Something to Worry About

Sunnsea, please look at this again:

"The EU countries place a 20% VAT on all import goods into the zone. This is not called a "tariff" but it is a tax on imports. Their domestic producers do not pay VAT on exported products, so when ..."

But their domestic producers DO pay VAT on all their supplies and DO have to charge VAT to their customers, just like their competing importers. (what happens with their exported products is not relevant here)

In the EU markets, the importers and the domestic producers are treated equally, in accordance with WTO obligations. Neither can escape the VAT.
This is why VAT is not a tariff.

Strange Inconsistencies in the $134.5 Billion Bearer Bond Mystery

Thanks for noticing the lack of follow-up on the initial news story. (BTW, confirmed by the Italian Financial Police on their web site)

It was also reported that the bonds were accompanied by "extensive documentation" and that the two gentlemen were not held in custody.
The Japanese embassy in Rome was contacted to verify their passports. The SEC was contacted to verify the bonds.

The story is now 12 days old. Why is it that we have not heard the outcome of either verification??
Are the reporters stonewalled?

This story raises so many questions, but the biggest question is the silence in the press.

China Counterattacks With a 'Buy China' Policy

Completely agree with the author. Protectionism is self-defeating.

As Investors Bet on Rising Natural Gas, ETF in Flux

Can you explain how UNG might be approaching the limit on the number of shares it can issue?
It may help us understand the unique structure of the commodity ETF's that you speak of.

What Does ETF Money Flow Tell Us About Gold?

The AAA (or less) rating refers to the risk of sovereign default on the Treasury bonds.
As long as the US has a central bank that can print money when Treasuries fall due, the risk of default is nil.
The risk for the lenders is receiving devalued dollars.

Why I Would Sell Platinum and Buy Palladium

I do not know how flexible the car industry is, when it comes to switching catalyst metals. I understand that retooling may be needed to use palladium for diesels.
Perhaps someone knowledgeable can enlighten us on this.