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THE WEEK AHEAD
Bullion desk experienced choppy week on the back of gloomy issue of Greek bailout. Gold continued trading low with the second weekly loss. German, Italian and Greek leaders expressed optimism that an accord can be reached at a Brussels meeting of euro-area finance ministers on Feb. 20. China pledged to invest in Europe’s bailout funds and sustain its holdings of euro assets. Paulson & Co., the hedge fund founded by billionaire John Paulson, cut its stake in the SPDR Gold Trust for the second straight quarter by 15% while billionaire investor George Soros increased his holdings. BNP Paribas SA raised its 2012 gold forecast to $1,850 an ounce from a previous forecast of $1,775. They hiked its silver forecast to $37.50 an ounce from $35.75.Holdings in Deutsche Bank’s physical gold exchange-traded funds decreased 191 ounces to 1,047,844 ounces as of Feb. 14. After facing the longest slump of 2012. Global demand for gold in 2011 rose to 4,067.1 tonnes (t) worth an estimated US$205.5 billion - the first time that global demand has exceeded US$200 billion and the highest tonnage level since 1997. Demand for bullion in China jumped 20 percent to 769.8 metric tons in 2011, while consumption in India declined 7 percent to 933.4 tons, according to a report from the World Gold Council. Jewelry demand in China increased every quarter in 2011 and was the biggest such market worldwide in the second half, it said. On a quarterly basis, China was already the biggest consumer in the three months to Dec. 31, with demand at 190.9 tons compared with India’s 173 tons, the council said. For the week coming by we expect the Silver to trade weaker while Gold is expected to hold the grounds choppy.
Traders being cautious and liquidates positions on the back of Greece decision to be made this week which can as well be seen at the lesser liquidity at the bullion desk. Net-long positions in Silver rose by 2,081 contracts, or 9 percent, from a week earlier whereas Gold had a net long position fell by 10,087 contracts, or 6 percent, from a week earlier. SPDR Gold Trust, the biggest exchange-traded fund backed by bullion increased its gold holdings by 2.639 tonne being at 1281.285 tonnes whereas worldwide Gold ETF holdings increased by 0.03% being at 76797939 ounces. Global Silver holdings declined 0.58% at 565880462 ounces. iShare, the world’s largest silver backed ETF reduced its holdings by 108.71 tonns.
Last week passed with bursting of investor confidence resulting into yellow metal’s first second weak week continuing the liquidation. With the last weekly technical break out bullions could maintain the bulls running with the critical resistance break up but the profit booking at the higher prices resulted into retracing the gains.
Gold being mean at COMEX whereas MCX Gold ranged low with 0.7% weekly loss failed to trade below 28000. Silver traded in a choppy range gaining 0.7% at the COMEX losing for the second time in last six weeks; Silver lost 1.7% at MCX.
For the week coming by we expect the Gold prices to continue trading lower backed by weaker signals at Eurozone but the weaker technical of Silver indicates it to be the seller of the week with the next target being 55000 while COMEX Silver is expected to touch $31.60. Gold is expected to trade in a range of 27900-28250 at MCX whereas COMEX Gold is expected to trade within $1690-1765 this week.
Economic News
Week passed by we could witness the progressive efforts at the European front to save the Greece from bankruptcy which got supported by China. Developing world witnessed lower inflation rates posing them to reduce the bank rates. For the week coming by we expect the global economy to advance in the positive direction backed by strong equity front as well as progress at the European front.
U.K. retail sales unexpectedly rose for a second month in January by rising 0.9 percent from December, when they rose 0.6 percent. But the jobless claims rose in January to the highest level since January 2010 and unemployment held at the highest rate for 16 years in the fourth quarter at 8.4 percent as the economy contracted by 0.2 percent.
Euro-zone got certain kickbacks as Moody’s Investors Service cut the debt ratings of six European countries including Italy, Spain and Portugal and said it may strip France and the U.K. of their top Aaa ratings. Euro-Area Economy Shrinks for the First Time Since 2009 wherein Euro-area GDP fell 0.3 percent from the prior three months, the first drop since the second quarter of 2009. Greek Economy Shrank 6.8 Percent in 2011 compared with a 6 percent contraction estimated in the government’s 2012 budget.
European Industrial Output Declines 1.1% from November, when it remained unchanged.
German investor confidence surged to a 10-month high in February rose to 5.4 from minus 21.6 in January.
India Inflation Easing to 26-Month Low Adds to Rate-Cut Case
Australian Employers added 46,300 workers in January, the most since November 2010
Brazil will cut 55 billion reais ($32 billion) from this year’s budget to allow interest rates to fall, while increasing investment to boost growth in the world’s second-biggest emerging market.
Japan’s central bank unexpectedly added 10 trillion yen ($128 billion) to an asset-purchase program and set an inflation goal after an economic slide fueled criticism it has been slower to act than counterparts.
President Barack Obama called for $1.4 trillion in fresh revenue from Americans at the top of the income scale, New York Manufacturing (Empire Manufacturing) expanded in February at the fastest pace since June 2010, to 19.5 from 13.5 in January,
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment dropped to 72.5 from 75 in January, a one-year high, The cost of living in the U.S. rose less than forecast in January by rising 0.2 percent after no change the prior month, The index of U.S. leading indicators rose in January by 0.4 percent followed a 0.5 percent rise in December, the strongest back-to-back gains in almost a year.
Economic slate seems empty in the upcoming week majority of them are as follows: Week starts with Euro group meeting on Monday which will decide the fate of Greece, followed by Euro-zone consumer confidence on Tuesday, on Wednesday with Euro-zone Flash PMI and US Existing Home Sales, on Thursday we have US Jobless Claims, Friday ends the week with U. of Michigan confidence and US New Home sales.
Recommendation
Sell
Trend
Down
Weekly Support
28000-27800
Weekly Resistance
28300- 28500
Recommendation
Sell
Trend
Down
Weekly Support
55250-54000
Weekly Resistance
57000-58500
Recommendation
Buy
Trend
Up
Weekly Support
398-390
Weekly Resistance
413-420
Recommendation
Buy
Trend
Up
Weekly Support
955-940
Weekly Resistance
985-1000
Recommendation
Sell
Trend
Down
Weekly Support
5150-5100
Weekly Resistance
5240-5275
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