Gold Is Bernanke’s Conundrum

In December, 2009, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke insisted that gold’s surge was not signaling increased inflation expectations because it was simply following along with the general rise in commodities. Now that gold stands head and shoulders above the commodity pack, Bernanke is expressing his bewilderment at gold’s strength. Gold is still not a signal … Read more

Gold Is Good, But Do Not Forget Silver

In December, Bernanke observed that gold prices reflected general commodity prices and did not indicate rising inflation expectations (in the U.S.). As gold makes new all-time highs, it is now outpacing many other commodities. Many commodities have declined sharply in recent weeks due to fears about the sustainability of global growth. Gold has diverged due … Read more

Potential Trouble Brewing: Dollar Breaks Out While Gold and Yen Hold Steady

The U.S. dollar index is only trading back to levels from last summer. However, from a technical standpoint, the dollar has broken out: the short-term downtrend has ended, and the current move has considerable upside potential. *Chart created using TeleChart: The chart above shows that the dollar’s break below the 200DMA in May led to … Read more

Bernanke On Gold: Higher Prices Reflect Commodity Fundamentals, Not Higher Inflation Expectations

During recent re-confirmation hearings for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, U.S. Senator Jim Bunning – a frequent critic of the Federal Reserve – asked Bernanke several questions about gold prices. Bunning’s questions appear targeted at prodding Bernanke into acknowledging that inflation expectations are much higher than the Federal Reserve’s current estimation. Bunning also uses high … Read more