Alternatives to Fortescue Metal’s Nationalistic Fervor Over Iron Ore

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on May 14, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) Now that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has cleared Andrew Forrest of violating laws against anti-competitive business practices, the CEO of Fortescue Metals Group (FSUGY) (FSUMY) wasted no time … Read more

Speculators Abandon Their Bearish Posts Against the Australian Dollar

Policy divergence has officially begun, yet markets face the interesting possibility of an Australian dollar (FXA) that refuses to weaken further against the U.S. dollar for now. Source: FreeStockCharts.com The above chart shows that the Australian dollar weakened for just one full day in the wake of the rate hike from the Federal Reserve. AUD/USD … Read more

Market Jitters Evident in the Reaction to Australian Jobs Data

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on December 10, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) On December 10th, the Australin Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported Australia’s jobs data for November, 2015. The results were in-line with existing trends: {snip} Adjusted for seasonality, the unemployment rate decreased … Read more

Getting Ready to Tip-Toe Around the Euro

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on December 2, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) The European Central Bank (ECB) next makes a statement on monetary policy on December 3, 2015. The market is apparently eagerly anticipating an announcement from ECB President Mario Draghi that delivers … Read more

Small Statement Changes Bolster Dovish Policy from the Reserve Bank of Australia

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) rolled out the copy and paste machine for its December statement on monetary policy. I found just two snippets of differences from the November statement that are worth noting: This time around, the RBA fingered weaker demand as a driver of lower commodity prices. In the last statement, supply, … Read more

A Bottom For Commodities – The Reserve Bank of Australia Says No; Fortescue Says Yes

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on November 19, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) “…the changing nature of China’s development implies that the potential for commodity prices to rise from here is somewhat limited.” – Christopher Kent, Assistant Governor, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) at … Read more

Another Look At the Reinforcing Dynamics of the Iron Ore Industry

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on November 16, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) Clyde Russell is a columnist who often writes about iron ore for Reuters. His latest piece, “Who’s behaving rationally in iron ore, steel? Everybody and nobody,” discusses some common themes and … Read more

Little Cliffs Natural Resources Still Talks Like the 900-Pound Gorilla

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on November 3, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) Cliffs Natural Resources (CLF) reported earnings last week on the morning of October 29, 2015. {snip} Source: FreeStockCharts.com From my perspective, the always colorful commentary from Chairman, President, and CEO Lourenco … Read more

Is A New Storm Finally Brewing for the Australian Dollar?

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on August 24, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) “But lest there be any uncertainty about this, let me be clear, again, that the exchange rate remains high by historical standards…we think that investors are underestimating the likelihood of a … Read more

The Australian Dollar Rallies Sharply On Strong November Jobs Report

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on November 11, 2015. Click here to read the entire piece.) {snip} Statistics Australia reported a large jump in jobs for the month of October, 2015. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped from 6.2% to 5.9%. This is the lowest unemployment rate … Read more