Gold Eases as Dollar Firms

26-Jun (USAGOLD) — Gold has retreated into the range on renewed worries after German Chancellor Merkel was quoted as saying, “I don’t see total debt liability as long as I live.” This should not have come as any surprise to anyone as Germany’s objections to shared debt is pretty well documented at this point. Nonetheless, it sets a pretty adversarial tone for the EU summit and the euro fell to match the 3-week low at 1.2442. The corresponding rise in the dollar, put the yellow metal back on the defensive.

Spanish borrowing costs rose sharply on speculation that Moody’s plans to downgrade the country to junk status. Meanwhile the subordination issue related to the Spanish banking bailout continues to be debated and pressure is on Germany to forgo the senior status of any ESM loan to Spain because of the impact it would have on private bondholders and future attempts to sell bonds.

In the UK, pubic sector net borrowing was much higher than expectations in May, due to a drop in income tax receipts. BoE Governor Mervyn King was quick to blame the worsening of the UK economy on the eurozone crisis.

Any optimism associated with the first monthly rise in the Case-Shiller home price index in 8-months was offset by misses in the Richmond Fed index and consumer confident in June. As the US economy continues to founder, and the Obama administration continues to deflect by criticizing Europe, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble struck back saying, “Herr Obama should above all deal with the reduction of the American deficit. That is higher than that in the euro zone.”

Schäuble is understandably agitated by US kibitzing. While the US maintains the ‘exorbitant privilege’ of being able to print an endless numbers of dollars, the EMU was designed to have much tighter monetary controls. Europe can’t simply print its way out of debt as the US can.

• US Consumer Confidence falls to 62.0 in Jun, below market expectations of 63.2, vs negative revised 64.4 in May.
• Richmond Fed Index tumbles to -3 in Jun, below market expectations, vs 4 in May.
• US S&P Case-Shiller home prices index for 20-cities (nsa) +1.3% in Apr to 135.8, vs 134.1 in Mar.
• Germany GfK Consumer Confidence ticked higher to 5.8 for Jul, above expectations of 5.6, vs 5.7 in Jun.
• Italy retail sales (sa) -1.6% m/m in Apr, vs negative revised -0.8% in Mar; -6.8% y/y.
• UK Public Sector Net Borrowing rose to -£15.6 bln in May, vs downward revised -£19.9 bln in Apr.
• Singapore Manufacturing Production +6.6% y/y in May, vs positive revised -0.2% in Apr.
• Hong Kong Trade Balance -HK$35.6 bln in May, vs -HK$42.9 bln in Apr.

Yesterday we launched our Summer Special, “Angels & Kings”, featuring five different hard-to-find Pre-1900 European gold coins. Coins are offered in both Circulated Extra Fine and Brilliant Uncirculated options, in very limited quantities. Product is discounted well below normal pricing, and coupled with gold’s pullback to the lower end of its current trading range, makes for a nice buying opportunity. Several products are already sold out, so call our trading desk if you have an interest.

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$100,000 income: No big deal anymore

By Craig Guillot | Bankrate.com – Mon, Jun 25, 2012

According to Labor Department statistics, the average inflation rate for 2011 was the worst since 2008, with consumer prices rising 3.1 percent, compared to an average of 1.6 percent in 2010. Much of this was fueled by energy costs (up 15.2 percent for the year) and food costs (up 3.7 percent for the year). Just to keep up with standard inflation, a $100,000 salary in 1990 would have to be $172,103.29 in 2011.

“What would have cost you $100,000 in 1976 would cost you $381,000 today. That’s just the inflation, and there are so many other things that have grown very expensive,” says Mari Adam, Certified Financial Planner and president of Adam Financial Associates in Boca Raton, Fla.

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JK View: No inflation? HA! Great article in terms of putting income vs. cost of living into perspective. This article points to the disconcerting trend that if you do happen to be an earner of more than $100K, its almost impossible to make meaningful contributions to savings. And what money you do manage to save can’t earn anything sitting in a bank. The stock market remains volatile, yet range-bound. And all the while, asset allocations to gold remain overwhelmingly small in terms of overall holdings of the general population. All told, not only are the majority of us losing ground in terms of what our income will buy, we’re losing ground over time in terms of what our savings will buy. So long as this paradigm remains in place, gold needs to be considered as a savings alternative. In the example above, if $100,000 was saved in gold in 1990, it would be worth just shy of $400,000 today, far outpacing standard inflation.

25-Jun (Bloomberg) — India boosted the amount of government bonds foreign investors can purchase by $5 billion, seeking to bolster demand for the rupee after it tumbled to a record low against the dollar.

Foreign institutional investors can now purchase $20 billion worth of government securities, up from $15 billion, the Reserve Bank of India said in a statement today. Long-term overseas buyers such as sovereign wealth funds, central banks and pension funds will be allowed to invest in the debt directly to broaden the base of investors, the Reserve Bank also said.

…The rupee is Asia’s worst performer of the past year, having tumbled 21 percent versus the dollar, and its decline has contributed to an inflation rate that the central bank deemed last week too high to allow an interest-rate cut.

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20-Jun (Reuters) — Conservative leader Antonis Samaras was formally sworn in as Greek prime minister on Wednesday after centre-left rivals agreed to back a government led by his New Democracy party.

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