China seeks to widen gold market - Financial Times

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/49c6bbac-9f2a-11df-8732-00144feabdc0.html

China seeks to widen gold market

By Leslie Hook in Beijing
Published: August 3 2010 19:27 | Last updated: August 3 2010 19:27

"China has moved to liberalise its gold market further, increasing the number of banks allowed to trade bullion internationally and announcing measures that will encourage development of gold-linked investment products. The move by Beijing’s central bank comes as the country’s investors pour record amounts of money into gold, in a trend that is becoming a significant factor on global prices."

Bob Chapman on Discount Gold and Silver Trading Radio 23 July 2010

July 24, 2010 excerpt of Bob Chapman's International Forecaster
http://www.theinternationalforecaster.com/International_Forecaster_Weekly/Talk_of_Recovery_Hides_Collapse

"The only answer, as we pointed out before, is for the nations to have a meeting, execute global currency revaluation and devaluation and placing gold perhaps at $10,000 an ounce to back the dollar or some substitute currency. If the choice was the dollar then we’d have to have to see just how much gold the US really has. What it doesn’t have it would have to purchase. In that process the Federal Reserve should be relieved of its charter and its functions returned to the US Treasury. That would stop the unlimited issuance of money and credit." - Bob Chapman on The International Forecaster July 24, 2010

Was AIG, In Addition To Being The Riskiest Company In The World, Also A Precious Metals Manipulator? - ZeroHedge.com

Was AIG, In Addition To Being The Riskiest Company In The World, Also A Precious Metals Manipulator?
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 06/30/2010 22:46 -0500
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/was-aig-addition-being-riskiest-company-world-also-precious-metals-manipulator

Solari Report Digest 13 by Catherine Austin Fitts - June 29, 2010

Solari Report Digest 13 June 29, 2010
Saving the Family Farm, Currency Warfare Then and Now, Leases, Leaks, and Liabilities
Guests: Jim & Linette Crosby, Jim Norman, Franklin Sanders
Social support and private equity save the Crosby Mint Farm after foreclosure. Currency warfare then and now with Franklin Sanders. Leases, leaks, and liabilities in the Gulf of Mexico with author Jim Norman.
I n November of 2008 Solari began reporting the story of Jim Crosby and his sister Linette and their farm, Crosby Mint Farm, the oldest growing and producing mint farm in the United States. Their saga began after a single late loan payment in 2006, after which their creditors cancelled their loans and began foreclosure on the farm.

Despite a protracted battle to save the farm and giving up $150,000 worth of inventory and equipment, as well as $340,000 in cash, the bank proceeded with its effort to evict the Crosby’s from their farm. Amazingly, after losing the farm to foreclosure, Jim and Linette were able to win it back with the support of thousands of customers and friends across the country and a private angel investor.

Their experience is a spirited story of economic warfare with a happy ending and speaks to a debt and banking system that actively works to destroy healthy businesses; the value of building retail markets and circulating private equity as well as the value of having a strong network of friends, family, and supporters.

You know the old saying "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it?" When it comes to trade and currency wars, history has been repeating itself for centuries and for those masters of market manipulation, they’d rather you didn’t know what they're up to.

Understanding financial history can effectively transform one from being a victim to an active player in the world and set one on the path of self-determination. Precious metals continue to grow in importance to the financial system and household wealth, understanding how they are used to balance accounts between nations is a key piece of this transformation.

Franklin Sanders of The MoneyChanger provides some history on the flows of gold and silver between east and west and Catherine explains how that relates to ongoing effort today to get Asian and North American investors to buy precious metals ETFs instead of the real thing.

The recent disaster in the Gulf of Mexico has few silver linings if any. The ecological and economic devastation to the Gulf region is only just beginning to be felt and will be with us for a long time to come. In the flurry of blame being flung none stands more tarnished than BP, whose creation and handling of the oil spill has brought waves of ire against the company increasingly known for it’s negligence and greed.

To help us understand the Gulf Oil Spill, what it is and how it happened, and what it means to our environmental, political and economic ecosystems Catherine spoke with veteran reporter Jim Norman, author of The Oil Card: Global Economic Warfare in the 21st Century. They address the question of BP’s liability for damages which are estimated to exceed $25 billion dollars, and what the disaster might mean for the future of oil development in the Gulf region.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Silver, ‘Gold’s Little Brother,’ May Advance to $23 by next year - Bloomberg

Pallets of silver bullion await export. Photographer: John Guillemin/Bloomberg
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-06-22/silver-may-surge-as-gold-s-little-brother-lures-buyers-commerzbank-says.html
Silver, ‘Gold’s Little Brother,’ May Advance to $23
06/23/2010 00:03:39
Silver may surge to as much as $23 an ounce next year, the highest price since 1980, as investors seek a cheap alternative to gold and a global economic recovery boosts industrial demand, according to Commerzbank AG.

The metal may advance to as much as $21 an ounce by the end of this year, about 12 percent higher than yesterday’s close, Eugen Weinberg, head of commodity research, wrote in a report, dubbing the metal “gold’s little brother.” Compared with gold, silver may be considered low priced, Weinberg wrote.

Gold surged to a record $1,265.30 an ounce yesterday as investors sought to preserve their wealth against declining currencies, and China’s decision to drop the yuan’s dollar peg boosted commodity prices. There’s rising demand for silver, or “poor man’s gold,” the Perth Mint said earlier this month.

“Gold is still a priority for investors” who are looking for shelter from growing economic uncertainty, Ng Cheng Thye, a Singapore-based director at Standard Merchant Bank Ltd., said by phone today. There’s also “a good chance for silver to rally higher,” possibly to $20 an ounce, Ng said.

Silver for immediate delivery traded at $18.8213 an ounce at 4:43 p.m. in Singapore, 11 percent higher since the start of the year. Gold, which has risen 13 percent in 2010, was at $1,239.75 an ounce.

Weinberg’s targets add to signs of increased investor interest in precious metals. Assets in the SPDR Gold Trust, the biggest exchange-traded fund backed by bullion, have risen 15 percent in 2010 to a record 1,307.96 tons. The Perth Mint said Europe’s debt crisis was spurring demand.

‘Low-Cost Alternative’

“As with gold, silver is also considered to exhibit stabilizing characteristics when it comes to value,” Weinberg wrote in yesterday’s report. “Silver is reasonably priced compared to gold and constitutes a low-cost alternative.”

The ratio between gold and silver had risen to about 65 compared with an average of 59 over the past “several years,” the report said. “We expect this ratio to swing back, leading to potential for silver,” Weinberg said.

An ounce of gold for immediate delivery bought about 65.81 ounces of silver today, compared with the 2008 low of 47.55 ounces and the decade average of 61.99 ounces, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

Silver sales would be boosted by an expected recovery of industrial demand, with the metal used in solar cells, mobile- phone covers and photography, the report said. Global demand may increase by as much as 50 million ounces by 2011, it said.

Economic growth in China, already a net importer of silver, would also boost sales, Weinberg wrote. China’s import demands are likely to increase, “having a positive impact on the price,” the report said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kyoungwha Kim in Singapore at Kkim19@bloomberg.net

Ted Butler's Exclusive Interview on the Precious Metals Weekly Wrap Up on King World News June 18, 2010 interview by Eric King

http://kingworldnews.com/kingworldnews/Broadcast_Gold+/Entries/2010/6/19_Ted_Butler_on_the_Metals_Market.html

Ted is interviewed each week exclusively on KWN and is followed by many institutions including Sprott Asset Management. Whistleblower Andrew Maguire who has been following Ted’s writings for years credited Ted Butler as being the inspiration for coming forward to the CFTC with his complaint against JP Morgan’s alleged metals market manipulation. Ted has researched the commodity markets actively for three decades and is internationally well known for his writings on silver, gold, commodities and his COT (commitment of traders) report.

CLICK HERE for a written explanation of the COT (Commitment of Traders) report.

"Ted Butler has done more to bring the Commitment of Traders issue to everyone interested in this aspect of the metals market than anyone I know! Additionally, Ted has tirelessly used his expertise in reading and clarifying the COT to help others interested in this matter to better understand and appreciate its significance." David Morgan Silver-Investor.com

A Golden Response To Economic Declines - Bob Chapman "The International Forecaster" A MUST READ!

http://theinternationalforecaster.com/International_Forecaster_Weekly/A_Golden_Response_to_Economic_Declines

A plan for the euro, a response to declines is made with gold, pension benefits exposed, BP will default, Baltic Dry Index gets drier, oil deluge to flow for years, Fannie and Freddie to delist from exchanges, banks missing TARP payments.

Note how gold explodes whenever the euro takes a dive. Those of you who think that the euro is going much lower in the near future had better think again. The explosion of gold whenever the euro goes down will alone give the Illuminati powerful reasons to support the euro, as will the potential for a devastating trade imbalance that will aggravate the US debt problem from a balance of payments perspective. Gold is now rising with the dollar because it is now competing with the dollar for safe-haven money, even when the stock markets are tanking. Gold will win this battle eventually once it is clear that the US economy is going to go under, and that event is not far off. Silver may catch up with gold based on the ridiculous gold to silver ratio alone, but could suffer if the stock market starts to tank, since the combined attack from J P Morgan Chase and the ensuing downward expectation for commodities demand could take their toll. Gold will continue strong in the current environment no matter what due to the unsolvable sovereign debt crises that have become evident around the world.

Remember what J P Morgan himself said: "Gold is money, period." And soon it will be the only money that has any value, period. Gold, silver and their related shares are the only place to be. Stay clear of paper gold and silver and buy physical only and take possession. These paper gold and silver Ponzi schemes, like GLD, SLV, OTC derivatives and mint certificates are going to be exposed soon. The Sprott Gold Bullion Fund is a viable possibility if you want to buy some paper gold, otherwise go physical only. Very shortly, JP Morgan will be sued in class actions by big players that have been criminally screwed in the silver markets, and this could be the catalyst that finally blows the whole precious metals fraud wide open. So load up! Don’t forget as well, for those who want inherent leverage, do not forget the gold and silver shares that is where the most money is made with moderate risk.

Please CLICK HERE to Continue reading this article at Bob Chapman's The International Forecaster..

Paulson & Co, the $34 billion hedge fund group run by John Paulson has 1/3 its assets in gold related assets

Posted by Stacy-Marie Ishmael on Jun 10 21:42. Comment.
Gold-denominated investments in Paulson & Co, the $34bn hedge fund group run by John Paulson, have more than doubled underlying returns in the group’s funds for clients, the FT reported. More than a third of Paulson’s total assets under management, including all of Paulson’s personal investments, are denominated in gold share classes, said people familiar with the funds.

Silver Is Now A Good Time to Buy? - Casey Research.com

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article20359.html

How much physical silver should you have? There’s no right answer and one size will not fit all. But we do recommend holding more gold than silver. Our suggestion for your precious metal holdings is roughly 80% gold and 20% silver.

Silver Bullion is Dirt Cheap Mike Malloney & David Morgan Give Great Investment Advice at the Silver Conference

Mike Malloney Talks About The Currency Crisis & The Gold Standard

"Gold for Begginers" All You Need To Know About The Precious Metals - Tyler Durden

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/gold-beginners-all-you-need-know-about-precious-metal-ubs

"Gold For Beginners" - All You Need To Know About The Precious Metal From UBS
Submitted by Tyler Durden on 06/15/2010 09:48 -0500

A must read presentation from UBS' global commodity research analyst Julien Garran and PM trading srategist Edel Tully. Their summary view: "How should we think about gold? This has to be one of the favorite questions of nearly every investor we encounter, and despite our lack of specialized knowledge and our relative focus on the emerging universe we very often get dragged off into speculative discussions on the nature of gold demand and what gold prices are “telling us”. If we had to summarize the conclusions on gold in a single phrase – keeping in mind that this is a bit of an exaggeration, and one to which Julien and Edel might well take exception – we would say “forget about the fundamentals”. When we talk about investment demand, there are two main drivers: inflation and risk. I.e., gold does well when buyers are worried about inflation prospects, debt monetization and the debasement of national currencies, and also does well in an environment of heightened volatility and fear about the global economy."

And some specific questions relating from recent macroeconomic developments:Can eurozone become a net seller in view of their funding needs?

The question on the central bank side is certainly one that has been asked many, many times over the past few months, i.e., whether Greece or Portugal would look to offload some of their gold holdings. But first, we have to remember that the European central banks are confined through the central bank gold agreement as to what gold they can sell each year; currently they are limited to 400 tons per annum for the next five years, so that means 400 tons this year. So far we’ve only seen about 41 tons since September, so clearly there is a good bit of room within this year’s quota should central banks look to sell.

However, I would be quite surprised if we did see selling momentum coming through from the European central banks. If we think about it logically, right now is not exactly a good time for a central bank to start selling gold holdings. Rather, tight now is when the central banks should maintain their gold holdings. If you look for example at the World Gold Council’s website, it lists all the reasons why a central bank should own gold. And looking at it from another angle, if we were to see some selling activity in the west it would not surprise me at all if those Asian central banks who are underweight in gold take on part of this load. So in essence you could see a shift in gold moving from west to east.

And will China announce its ongoing gold buys any time soon?

You may remember that China announced in April last year that it effectively had doubled its gold holdings. This was reflected in the change in the template between 2003 and 2009. So even if China is increasing its gold reserves today, we would have to expect that we wouldn’t find out for a long period of time, just as we saw last year. Typically, China is a self-sufficient market; it’s the largest producer of gold, and last year we didn’t see the Chinese coming onto the international market to a large degree.

This changed in December 2009, when we saw a large amount of Chinese buying of physical gold coming out of the domestic market; this lasted until February of this year. Part of this can be attributed to the Chinese New Year, where typically we would expect a decent gold buy and also a decent platinum buy. Chinese purchases went quiet in the latter half of February, spiked up again briefly in March and have been quiet again since then.

So you have to ask yourself why the Chinese would now be coming onto the international market to source gold; it does perhaps indicate that there’s not enough domestically-produced gold available. You can draw your own conclusions from here, but generally I think it’s fair to say that the market consensus expects China to increase its gold holdings over the coming years.

Catherine Austin Fitts speaks at a GATA conference in Washington 2-8-10

GATA Washington Conference - Catherine Austin Fitts from Chris Powell on Vimeo.

Former Assistant U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Catherine Austin Fitts, a member of GATA's Board of Directors Speaks about politics & the economy. Monday, February 8, 2010 check out http://www.solari.com/ for more information from Catherine Austin Fitts

What does Soros really think about gold?

http://www.minyanville.com/businessmarkets/articles/gold-etf-george-soros-federal-reserve/1/28/2010/id/26591