Window-dressing or the management of prices for a favourable
mark-to-market valuation at year-ends, half-years and quarters has long been
a distorting feature in financial markets.
And, with bank capital adequacy ratios at stake, not to mention traders'
bonuses, it has been an increasing feature. With the onset of June 30th it
seems reasonable to expect this factor to be a reason why gold and silver
prices have generally failed to reflect escalating systemic risk in the face
of Greece's insolvency and a developing bear market in bonds. Indeed, losses
from bonds are bound to encourage window-dressing of banks' short positions
as an off-set, and they are generally short of gold and silver futures
contracts.
However, the window dressers did not have it all their way this week with
gold rallying $30 from last Friday's lows and silver by $0.55c. A look at the
markets' internals indicates that commercial traders have instead lowered
their short exposure in recent weeks, particularly in silver, potentially
limiting the damage from a 'Grexit'.
The Fed, which released its monthly FOMC statement on Wednesday, has been
forced to back off from an early rise in interest rates. The reason, though
not explicitly stated, is bond market weakness last week, which threatened to
undermine bank capital adequacy ratios. While US banks can absorb further
moderate falls in bond markets, the Eurozone banking system is especially
fragile. Short-dated bonds enjoyed a rally from last week's lows, and so have
equities and precious metals. In the case of gold and silver it has the look
and feel of a bear squeeze forcing wrong-footed hedge funds to cover their
shorts.
Greece is now becoming a serious worry. Last night, according to Reuters, ECB
Executive Board member Benoit Coeure raised the possibility that Greece's banks
might not open on Monday, with the pace of withdrawals by depositors
accelerating. This being the case, gold may move decisively above the $1200
level as Europeans are brutally reminded of the risks to their deposits in
Italy, Spain and Portugal. On the other hand, a last minute compromise would
obviously be bearish short-term for both metals.
If gold does move sharply higher the effect on silver could be electric. Open
Interest on Comex is at record highs, having climbed on a falling price, as
shown in the chart below.
In late-May when the price fell from over $17.50 to $16.25, Open Interest
started to rise, reflecting increasing accumulation of contracts on further
price falls. The short interest has come from hedge funds, which sold down
33,908 contracts (169,540,000 oz), supplied by commercial dealers balancing
their positions. This strategy for the hedge funds looked good price-wise
until silver refused to stay under $16, but could turn out to be a trap to be
sprung by a rising gold price.
In summary, prices in the very near term are going to be decided by Greece
this weekend. If a compromise is found, gold and silver will be marked down
to the point where physical buyers step in. If Greek banks remain closed on
Monday it will be an epiphany for the shorts.
Next week
Monday
Eurozone: Flash Consumer Sentiment.
US: Existing home sales
Tuesday
Eurozone: Flash Composite PMI, Flash Manufacturing PMI, Flash Services
PMI.
UK: CBI Industrial Trends.
US: Durable Goods Orders, FHFA House Price Index, Flash Manufacturing PMI,
New Home Sales.
Wednesday
UK: BBA Mortgage Approvals., GDP Annualised (3rd Est.).
Japan: BoJ Minutes.
Thursday
UK: CBI Distributive Trades.
US: Core PCE Price Index, Initial Claims, Personal Income, Personal Spending.
Japan: CPI Core, Real Household Spending, Unemployment.
Friday
Eurozone: M3 Money Supply.
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