It’s baffling….baffling, how so many completely unsupported market theories persist. There’s a trendy one to discuss in a bit which always appears when gold is weak, and it’s used to support the case why the price will fall. The thing about these theories about markets is they are always trend-related. Meaning the trend actually causes the theory, the theory doesn’t cause the trend, but it does reinforce it – thru weak handed buying. Until the weak hands get themselves totally out of whack – good old supply and demand. These theories are used to “explain” “why” a market is going up or down, because gosh, we can’t make money unless we know (after the fact) why a market is moving. In other words, when the consensus view of a market is up (perceived or actual), and especially when it’s strongly up, certain theories are trotted out. And the same for a downtrend, especially an apathetic and/or hated market, like gold in late 2015 (again perceived or actual). The reason for saying perceived or actual, is because 90% of the people don’t recognize (or refuse to believe/accept) a market has generated a major top or a major bottom until well after the fact. So these theories will even persist after the top or bottom is in, and cause people to invest based on the old theory. And the fact that the old theory was false to begin with doesn’t even matter. But it will be used as a “reason” to, for example, buy into the selloffs even after a market has topped. Like the money printing theories claimed (started?) by the gold scam artists/sellers to get people to buy gold into 2011, but especially leading right into the big September highs – and then buy ,buy, buy every selloff afterwards. Of course the selloffs were blamed on manipulation, what other reason could there be? But notice these scam artist have been proven dead wrong, and have lost a lot of credibility. Why? – because the downtrend in prices caused people to lose faith in the old theories. The theories weren’t “working” since the prices were falling. It’s the market movements, or trends, which generate the news and the theories about “why”, and it’s the public buying which reinforces the theory. And it works until it doesn’t. Why is it that at major market bottoms, there is a barrage of bad “news’, and the opposite at a top. The market moves generate the slant of the stories. But even though a lot of bad “news” is no guarantee of a bottom being in place, the bottom will certainly be accompanied by a barrage of bad “news”. And after the bottom is well in place, then the reverse happens – the old theories used as the excuse during the downtrend about “why” we shouldn’t buy will continue to persist. Until the uptrend starts changing the narrative, and the new theories slowly take hold about “why” the market is going up, therefore “why” we should buy – reinforcing the theories in a big loop. The scam artists in gold will be back in full force eventually, as the rising prices are what get people to “believe”. So according to the gold seller scammers, the falling prices are “caused” by manipulation, yet the rising prices are “caused” by their favorite theory of the day. Instead of using the extremes in the falling prices and the scariness to step up and buy, people believe in the manipulation theories and avoid the incredible buying opportunities. But the rising prices then “confirm” the theories and therefore it’s a sure thing to buy. Wow. So hopefully my contribution and a few other folks who are doing great work, will get some people to view markets in a more rational and sane manner.
And we can’t let the gold permabears off the hook. They get very boisterous and confident into the big selloffs in gold. They were out in full force late last year, but the rally has shut them up a bit. We heard all of the absolutely moronic comments they made about gold in 2015, right into the best buying opportunity since 1999. Like this idiot from the esteemed WSJ calling gold a “pet rock”. And this clown actually writes a column for the esteemed WSJ which is called “The Intelligent Investor”. Seriously? But these bearish theories will continue to be trotted out, because once again on the other side, 90% of the people won’t recognize/accept the gold bull market until well after the fact, and then more theories will emerge. But the one trendy theory which has been used for years is “gold goes down when interest rates are rising”. It was trotted out several times into the weakness in December. And it will be used again in the next selling wave. This post before the Fed meeting in December clearly lays out the effects, since 1971, which interest rates have had on gold prices. For example, in February, 1971 to July, 1974, the Fed went on a rate increase binge. They raised rates 10% points, and gold rallied from around $40 to around $200. And of course fell as the Fed dropped rates. There are people who know this, just not the totally lazy, yet esteemed WSJ and its’ Intelligent Investor.
Lastly, look at this classic article from the esteemed WSJ on 12/14/2015 – three days prior to the secular low in gold: The prospect of a U.S. interest-rate rise has heaped pressure on metal prices since the summer, but an increase this week won’t spell the end of the pain being felt by gold, copper and other metals.” So the esteemed WSJ couldn’t see the high probability of a huge secular low in gold (and commodities) sitting right in front of their Wall Streetered noses. The Fed was meeting on the 15th and the 16th – the bearishness about gold was mind boggling. And here was my belief about a major low in gold back then. So we need to keep an eye out for when the Intelligent Investor turns bullish on gold. Don’t hold your breath.
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