Martin Armstrong, Dollar, Gold, SM What Next ?
It really does feel like we’re stuck in no mans land again. Dollar drifting up, gold drifting down, and now Martin Armstrong (radio interview in post below) believes people are no longer going to turn to gold. He believes the biggest surprise next year will be a rallying dollar as interest rates increase, along with a soaring stock market. Depressing stuff for a PM investor. He has a hell of a lot of experience, so I take it seriously.
One thing is bugging me at the minute – the dollar chart. It’s very clear to me where the cycle should be taking us in the next several years. I’ve posted many times on how I see it. But the dollar isn’t playing ball at the moment. It’s traded back above its MA(200). That’s something it didn’t do in the last 2 cyclical downturns. Is it possible we climb much higher in the next year or two before the real plunge ? Is it possible we have to have a parabolic (even more parabolic) stock market and every metric stretched so far beyond belief that we get a crash so big that it resets everything we know and understand about modern banking and financial systems ? A sovereign debt crisis that blows up the entire global financial system. Maybe, maybe not. Here are the dollar charts for the last 40 years, then a zoomed in look at the last 2 dollar bear markets and our current chart. What do you think ?
The Swiss Franc/US Dollar ratio chart is a good guide…
If the MA(50) fails for gold, we’re heading for $1200 and that triangle apex I posted about a while ago. Skating on thin ice at that point. I’m questioning my thesis all the time, which is something you have to do, unless you want to get caught out. At this point I still believe we’re marching higher with PMs and miners next year, but a big SM/banking/sovereign debt crisis could vaporise pretty much everything except physical. Stay alert and be prepared for this ‘low volatility’ environment to end suddenly at any time.
I think there’s a risk in overthinking this right now. This is a transitional time – potentially an important breakout occurred, and now the backtest (if that’s all it is) is nearly complete. For me this is the most painful time, but the time where waiting for resolution is most important. Generally I’m seeing signs that the miners are likely to break higher rather than lower – soft gold price (holiday week in China following the usual end-of-month turmoil associated with Comex position rollover) yet the miners are showing strength, and bouncing off the 200dma which also looks like the back-test line to me. USD looks terrible, this dead-cat bounce notwithstanding.
As far as Armstrong’s opinions, I think that’s all they are – in my experience the worst thing I can ever do is let the opinions of others influence my decisions. Technical patterns, breakouts, breakdowns, backtests are one thing, but vague generalities without specific timeframes just induce uncertainty for me.
At the end of the day I put more faith in my own experience and the well-articulated and supported assessments of Spock, Graddhy and Rambus, than I do in Armstrong.
Very well stated PT …and I believe that IS the best approach….Its ALL in the charts !
Thanks Northstar…It is precisely because you are questioning your thesis regularly that you are one of the most valued posters here.
Your case is well built for the Bull Market in PMs…Nothing is broken at this point…If 1200 … still nothing broken.
Thanks for your well reasoned and balanced analysis…
Great stuff
Cheers both. I guess I’m just very used to considering every possible scenario. PT – I agree in principle, but it’s just worth being aware of the views of those with good experience. Chart analysis is a mixture of art and science, but the scientist in me means that I’ll always be testing and questioning my ‘preferred outcome’. As you say Fully, nothing broken at this point and the bullish case remains valid. I’ll be much happier if the dollar goes below (and stays below) that MA(200).
Fair comments Northstar – I agree, it’s a good idea to overcommit to a model and then refuse to acknowledge evidence that contradicts it. But so far I think the evidence is in favor of the bullish case here, at least for the near term. All the ratios (GDX:GLD, SIL:SLV, GDXJ:GDX,SIL:GDX) are also looking, or starting to look bullish right now.
Also wanted to add that I’ve really enjoyed the work you’ve posted here. Good stuff.
Thanks 🙂
Thanks Northstar. Great post and comments.
Thanks 🙂
Currently there is only one legitimate alternative Fiat currency to the $US and that is the Euro. The direction of US Dollar Index is dominated (roughly 50 – 60%) by the (Deutsche Mark) Euro so if there is chaos in Europe the $US is going to benefit. Europe has been troubled repeatedly since the 80’s reunification of Germany, Yugoslavian War, Greek Solvency, Syrian refugees, Brexit,Terror attacks the list goes on. The Swiss Franc, British Pound and Yen are not as influential as the Euro. The Yuan is poised to challenge the $US but until then if there is chaos in Europe the Dollar Index is going to move in the $US Dollar favor. Gold is going to move accordingly. Trends are useful but anticipating events in Europe not so much.
Good points there Red Label.