The Wall Coming for Japan

Posted on 30th July 2012 by Trevor in Uncategorized

Stagnating tax revenue and rapidly-diminishing savings rates which, as the graph below shows, have plummeted from 25% in 1989 to just above 0% today. The rate dropped precipitously in 2008 and briefly went negative in 2009/2010 before inching higher again. problems; stagnating tax revenue and rapidly-diminishing savings rates which, as the graph below shows, have plummeted from 25% in 1989 to just above 0% today. The rate dropped precipitously in 2008 and briefly went negative in 2009/2010 before inching higher again.

 

Should Japan need to fund itself externally, it is every Japan-watcher’s base-case that it will need to offer substantially higher rates in order to be able to do so and, with the mountain of debt under which Japan is currently foundering and the tiny amount of room it has before its tax revenues are eaten up by its debt-servicing costs. It currently spends over 50% of those tax revenues in such a fashion and it would only take an increase in borrowing costs to 2% for that figure to reach 100% (chart, below). At that point, you can finally stick a fork in Japan.

 

 

 

 

 

 When the Green line passes through the red Japan is going to print.

Japan population

Posted on 30th July 2012 by Trevor in Uncategorized

 A 2011 report from the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research shed some light on just how fast things could deteriorate from here: The proportion of children under 15 will shrink from 14.6% of the population in 2000 to 12% in 2021, 11% in 2036 and 10.8% in 2050. Meanwhile, those of working age (15-64) amounted to 68.1% of the population in 2000, and their proportion is expected to decline to 60% in 2020, 58% in 2035 and 53.6% in 2050.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The only clear rising trend is the aged (65 and above), who will grow from 17.4% of the population in 2000 to 25% in 2014. The number of elderly will continue to rise while the total population drops so that in 2050 the aged will account for a whopping 35.7% of a population estimated to number around 90 million. Trouble.

Finance in Focus Summer 2012

Posted on 27th July 2012 by Trevor in Blog |Finance in Focus

GOLD  — 2012~2017

Gold is not going to go up because of all the conspiracy claims nor because the real gold will conquer the paper gold. This is all about reality. Gold is a viable part of the portfolio. It will rise to the occasion when the timing is right. The very people accused of keeping it down are the very people who will turn around and send it up as well. This is just about time. Nothing more! When the time is right and people realize that the Governments have no Clothes, look out – there will be a stampede at that time. For now, that still appears headed into 2015~2017.

Gold is neutral and the next turning point will be a big one September. Monthly closing resistance remains at 1755 and the primary resistance for the next 6 months is still 1807. The primary support lies at 1570 and 1480. Thus, as long as gold remains within 1807 to 1480, it is effectively neutral, so slowly and patiently accumulate!

Under a gold standard, the yellow metal DECLINES with inflation and rises with DEFLATION precisely opposite when it is a free floating market. So let’s get this straight. Gold rallied after 1934 because (1) Roosevelt confiscated gold, and (2) devalued the dollar raising gold from $20.67 to $35.

Gold is a good investment NOT because of all the fiat nonsense, but because inflation has passed it by and there will be a huge burst of price movement. That will come when the Sovereign Debt Crisis hits the USA and that does not seem likely until the autumn of 2015.

If you take a look at a 5 year chart of the gold stock ETF (GDX) vs. the gold bullion ETF (GLD), gold mining stocks are up about 25% from where they were 5 years ago, while the price of gold is up about 145%! Gold has risen about 5.8X more than gold stocks, when it should be the other way around considering how rapidly the profitability of gold miners is surging!

Last 5 years 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We believe gold has the potential to rise 24% to $2,000 per ounce in 2013, but I also believe gold stocks will outperform gold bullion for the rest of 2012! The average gold stock has the potential to double before year-end, with some small-cap gold stocks making huge gains.  What would cause this to happen?  The Fed – If they start a new QE program or even if they specify a new program with the specific term “FLOW” of purchases to keep rates low and buy say $50 to $75 billion per month of bonds this will be the catalyst to send gold beyond 1807 on its way too $2,000 and beyond.  We have a couple of great options on how to invest in gold give us a call to find out more. 03 5724 5100

Shorter Term GOLD
Gold and silver have taken more of a back seat over the past 12 months because of their lack of performance after topping out in 2011. Since then prices have been trading sideways/lower with declining volume.

Bullish Case: Euro-land starts to crumble, stocks fall sharply sending money into gold and silver which are trading at these major support levels which in the past triggered multi month rallies.

Bearish Case: Greece, Spain and Italy work through their issues over the next few months while metals bounce around or drift higher because of uncertainty. But once things have been sorted out and financial stability (of some sort) has been created and the END OF THE FINANCIAL COLLAPSE has been avoided money will no longer want to be in precious metals but rather move into risk-on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Over the next few months things will slowly start to unfold and shed some light on what the next big move is likely going to happen to gold and silver. The price movements we have seen for both gold and silver indicate were are just warming up for something really big to happen. 

The Pew Center has released its annual summary of US pension and retirement health care (under)funding. As of 2010, the total underfunding gap rose by $120 billion from the prior year’s $1.26 trillion deficit to a record $1.38 trillion underfunding. This number consists of $757 billion in pension promises, not backed by any hard cash, representing pension liabilities of $3.07 trillion and assets of $2.31 trillion. In 2000, more than half of the states had their pensions 100 percent funded, but by 2010 only Wisconsin was fully funded, and 34 were below the 80 percent threshold—up from 31 in 2009 and just 22 in 2008. But that pales in comparison to the ridiculous spread between retiree health care liabilities of $660 billion and assets of, drum roll, $33 billion, or a funding shortage that is $627 billion, roughly 19 times the actual assets in the system! Just seven states funded 25 percent or more of their retiree health care obligations: Alaska, Arizona, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia, and Wisconsin. What this means is soon US pensioners will have no choice but to experience not only austerity unlike any seen in Europe, but broken promises of retirement benefits which will never materialize. The response will likewise be proportional.

Sadly, it is only going to get worse. So what should you do?  Take out a personal savings plan . .. general details here