Central Banks

Let’s consider this. If you’re a central bank and you actually believe in the value of paper money and your ability to create wealth by printing it…why would you be loading up on Gold? The answer is simple: you see the writing on the wall. These guys know that the financial system is broken. They’ve known it for over a decade (Greenspan even admitted that derivatives could “implode” the market in 1999)

PIMCO Scott Mather has released a fascinating Q&A in which the key topic of discussion is the artificial push to keep rates low in developed economies, also known as central bank hubris to maintain the "great moderation" in which he clearly explains i) what this means for global fund flow dynamics (using developed country reserves and purchasing EM bonds) and ii) for the future of a system held together with glue and crutches. To wit: "Financial repression is any public policy
that is designed to influence the market price of financing government
debts, either through government bonds or the nation’s currency. Direct
methods of repression include things like setting target interest rates,
monetizing government debt or implementing interest rate caps. Indirect
methods include polices designed to change the amount of debt or
currency at a given price. Examples include requirements to hold minimum
amounts of government debt on bank balance sheets or establishing
minimum requirements for government bonds in pension funds." Just in case anyone is confused why central planning is a bad idea: "Governments may take these steps to improve their ability to
finance public debt and forestall more painful adjustment processes,
though there can be other motives, and because these methods are less
transparent, and thus less controversial, than direct tax hikes or
spending cuts. Investors should be wary of financial repression because
it is primarily a tool to redistribute wealth from creditors (citizens)
to debtors (governments) to the detriment of creditors, fixed income
investors and savers." Needless to say, central planning always fails: "It is important to realize these methods as practiced are only
partially effective and cannot go on forever, as advanced economies
continue to add significantly to their public debts despite low
financing costs. Some intensification of financial repression, fiscal
austerity, or stronger growth must occur to lower the likelihood of a
future debt crisis." Bottom line: "kicking the can" can only go on for so long before EMs (read why below) provide a natural counterbalance to an artificial market created by developed world central banks. PIMCO's advice: get out of balance sheet risky DM bonds ahead of central planning failure, and buy up every EM bond possible, or bypass paper and just buy EM currencies as "EM policymakers who have resisted appreciation will
eventually allow more appreciation over the next three to five years as
they nurture domestic consumption and their economies become less
dependent on export demand." We expect to see much more on this topic as the MSM realizes the implications of this new risk regime change.

Greek, Portuguese and Spanish debt is under pressure this morning. Greek bonds are being decimated with the 2 year government note now over 30%. Irish bonds remain stable despite Ireland’s finance minister’s reasonable assertion that some senior bondholders must share the burden of losses. European equities are also under pressure on concerns of a “Lehman moment” in the Eurozone debt crisis. The increasing talk of a “Lehman moment” in Europe is due to real concerns that a sovereign default could lead to contagion and a new global credit crisis which could send shock waves through markets and see risk assets come under pressure. This time, the situation may be worse involving as it does both large sovereign and bank debtors and given the fact that it will be both a credit and solvency crisis. Talk of “financial Armageddon” is hyperbole – at the same time there are serious risks and investors and savers should prepare by owning less risky, high quality, liquid assets that will protect from these risks and the attendant risk of a currency crises. This is clearly seen in the increasing preference of central banks internationally to favour gold as a monetary and reserve asset over the major currencies such as the dollar, the euro and pound. Eurozone Central Banks Net Buyers of Gold in 2011 for First Time Since Inception of Euro – Global Central Bank Gold Demand Increases by 43% So Far in 2011

Most have heard by now that Mexico disclosed that back in Q1 it bought 93.1 tonnes of gold, increasing its total gold holdings from 7.1 tons to a whopping 100.2 total tons, a stunning move which was disclosed to have been done "in line with prudent diversification principles of reserves management." However, what is less known is that many other central banks, chief among them Russia and Thailand were also waving the shiny yellow metal in between January and March. And just as importantly, from the World Gold Council, from where this update comes: "The latest statistics show no significant selling by the signatory central banks in Year 2 of the third Central Bank Gold Agreement (CBGA3)." So no central banks sell, yet the daytrading retail public knows better. As for the key question of whether China is adding to its meager holdings of 1,054 tons, which put it behind the GLD, not to mention France and Italy, there is no update. Recall, however, that when China announced an addition of +454 tonnes of gold in April of 2009, this indicated stealthy purchases of the metal in the 2003-2009 period. In other words, China is very likely accumulating gold and the next update will likely come some time in 2015.

Stocks are higher in Europe after gains in Asia despite losses on Wall Street yesterday. Gold and silver are showing tentative gains after 1% declines yesterday. With America set to have the largest budget deficit of any of the developed economies, a whopping budget deficit of 10.8pc of GDP this year alone, gold and silver’s medium term prospects remain positive. The IMF has warned that the U.S. lacks credibility regarding its debt and must implement stringent austerity measures. This is one of the primary factors which strongly suggests that, contrary to the consensus, a double dip recession looks increasingly likely in the U.S. This would be negative for the dollar and US treasuries and lead to higher gold and silver prices due to safe haven buying. Central banks are questioning the dollar and the euro as reserve currencies due to the massive liabilities and debt levels confronting the US and the Eurozone (see News below). This is set to lead to central banks continuing to be net buyers of gold for the foreseeable future

With all due respect to that Nassim Taleb dude who popularized the term “Black Swasn”, Black Swan events are both overrated and the term is sloppily bandied about by those who may not be putting the requisite thought into just how utilitarian the knowledge of Black Swans actually are. Since you can’t accurately predict, nor back test against, nor adequately hedge against such events, exactly what good is a Black Swan discussion. Well, I can answer that question.

You really can't make this shit up: "The economy is in a much stronger position to handle” rising oil prices, Tim Geithner said today during a Bloomberg Breakfast in Washington. “Central banks have a lot of experience in managing these things." We are, all of us, now doomed.

Recently, BOE head Mervyn King came out with a very surprising warning to his compatriots, accompanied with an apology that our own Ben Bernanke will never offer, namely: "I sympathise completely with savers and those who behaved prudently
now find themselves among the biggest losers from this crisis." Of course, the US central bank believes it has completed its third mandate job now that the US stock market, not to mention commodities, are starting to be reminiscent of the parabolic phase of the Harare stock market. But back in Europe, even as the EURUSD is surging (killing the dollar, and the primary driver behind US stocks) now that it is accepted that the continent will proceed with its latest full on ponzi scheme and have the EFSF acquire insolvent bonds, even as the ECB proceeds to raise rates, things are getting worse. This is precisely what King warned about in a speech that not surprisingly got absolutely no coverage in the US. Luckily, here is Simon Black's take on the very surprising speech by King which confirmed that the only beneficiaries of Bernanke's policies continue to be the top 1% that make up the financial oligarchy.... as always.

While we await for the Treasury Department to actually update its complete September TIC LT flow data tables, here is some of the data we can compile with what has been released so far. China is now once again solidly ahead of the Fed in terms of total Treasury holdings, owning $883.5 billion USTs in September, a $15 billion increase from August, of which $10 billion came from an increase in non-Bill holdings, and the balance from Short Term, which at $21 billion have risen to the highest since... April 2010. This is peanuts. The Fed will surpass this total by Thursday. The bigger surprise came from Japan, which added $28.4 billion in Treasury debt to a total of $865 billion, of which just $3.5 billion was from ST holdings. The broke UK moderated its torrid pace of gobbling up US debt and added just $10.7 billion in US paper to bring its new total to $459 billion. Notably, in September hedge funds (Carribean Banking Centers) sold $14 billion of Treasuries as they took the proceeds and invested it all in Apple to force the biggest short squeeze in history (note the number of HF adding Apple as of Sept. 30, shares which they have almost certainly disposed of since). The biggest surprise by far in today's TIC update had little to do with Treasury holdings but instead had everything to do with Agencies, the security most in peril courtesy of the massive fraud perpetuated by MERS and the robosigners. To wit: foreign official institutions (primary central banks) dumped a massive $31.4 billion in Agencies: a record number since the TIC data has been reported in 1978. This was offset marginally by Agency purchases by other foreigners of $23 billion, although the dump by central bankers what everyone will be focused on. This is certainly news that PIMCO and all the other RMBS investment funds did not need to see today.

Very much as expected courtesy of 100% correlations, and following the earlier drubbing in the EURUSD, gold is now falling after the central banks of America, Europe, and Asia have all issued press releases they are henceforth ceasing all currency debasements and will never monetize debt ever again. Seriously, though, following the parabolic move higher earlier, as the widely predicted and expected correction is taking place (see Rosenberg's note from yesterday), which has brought gold to the level last seen two long days ago, all the new price does is provide a cheaper entry point to a self-created gold standard. Thank you LBMA.

Something funny (and quite revolutionary) happened during the CBGA's (Central Bank Gold Agreement) year ending this Sunday - the group of 15 signatory banks sold a mere 6.2 tonnes of gold, a massive 96% decline from the year earlier, according to provisional data.This means that unlike in the past, when it was central banker prerogative #1 to sell some gold and every year just to keep all the longs on their toes, this year the trend has finally changed. As the FT reports, "the sales are the lowest since the agreement was signed in 1999 and well below the peak of 497 tonnes in 2004-05." And yes, we do love the FT's brilliant summation of the change in mindset: "In the 1990s and 2000s, central banks swapped their non-yielding
bullion for sovereign debt, which gives a steady annual return. But now,
central banks and investors are seeking the security of gold." Hm, when all of Europe (as well as America) is a smoldering heap of bearer bonds that will never get paid, and China is putting up a building today, only to blow it up yesterday, and boast a GDP growth rate of one gajillion, the FT may want to change the bolded assumption. Back to the Captain Obvious narrative of the original article: "The lack of heavy selling is important for gold prices both because a
significant source of supply has been withdrawn from the market, and
because it has given psychological support to the gold price. On Friday,
bullion hit a record of $1,300 an ounce." So market zero supply, and demand that is growing exponentially, means higher prices, eh? All those Voodoo 101 classes, and Poison Ivy college loans sure are paying off in droves...

Despite missing this most recent paper by Buiter at its first publication three weeks ago, it represents the bedtime reading for this evening as it is just as relevant now as it was then. In it, the Citi strategist asks "who will control the deep pockets of the central bank?" and does so from the perspective of a game of "chicken" in a prisoner dilemma context. Buiter summarizes the problem as follows: "As long as neither the monetary authority nor the fiscal authority gives in, the deficit is financed by public debt issuance. With the public-debt to GDP ratio rising without bound, an eventual catastrophe occurs: the sovereign defaults and banks holding large amounts of sovereign debt may collapse, triggering a financial crisis and a deep slump. Following default, the fiscal authority loses access to the government debt markets, at least for a while. The resulting need to instantaneously balance the government’s primary budget means sharp public  spending cuts and tax increases. This would be the "collision" outcome. The outcome where the monetary authority gives in and monetises public debt and deficits is called Fiscal Dominance. Monetary dominance is the outcome where the fiscal authority gives in and cuts public spending and/or  raises taxes to stabilise or reduce the public debt to GDP ratio to prevent a sovereign default." Buiter does a dramatic deconstruction of this theoretical principal to the practicality of Europe, in a truly fascinating and must read analysis. His conclusion is that the "analysis emphasises that the Eurosystem can absorb much larger losses without risking its solvency or undermining the effective pursuit of its price stability target. We don’t, however, argue that the resources of the Eurosystem should be used in this quasi-fiscal manner. Openness, transparency and accountability suffer when the central bank is used/abused for quasi-fiscal purposes, and the legitimacy of the institution can be undermined." Alas, this only means that fiscal stimulus fundamentalists like Krugman will now start pushing for monetary replacements to traditional policy. And with that QE2 (and its myriad of imminent associated alphabet soup programs) is even more of a certainty.

The move in the EUR has just hit ridiculous levels, with the nearly 300 pip intraday move comparable only to the EURCHF surge seen yesterday after quadruple SNB intervention. And frazzled US quants, having no clue what to do, decide to once again turn on the EUR signals pushing the market higher, with a 10% chance of a green close. Make no mistake - this is reciprocal liquidation, where morning margin calls in all other pairs were met by EURUSD covering of shorts,exacerbated massively by what is now almost certain ECB (not SNB) intervention. The negative here is that Germany will look at the Eur response and pitch its naked short ban to all other European countries, which will now gladly accept the proposal, myopically hoping for another 1-2 bp move in the EURUSD. We believe there may well be an announcement of a Europe-wide naked short covering ban this weekend, coupled with the imposition of a transaction tax.

Volatility in Euro trading is now reminiscent of bucket shop penny stocks. After plunging to the mid 1.22, the EURUSD is now back to green for the day. This is due primarily to panicked buying by various central banks every time the EUR drops to support levels, a fact now fully transparent to the entire market. More importantly, the EURJPY which is much more critical as a carry funding source to buy stocks, is almost back to unchanged, which in turn has forced a spike in the market to retrace nearly half its losses in under an hour. If anyone believes stocks track any fundamental news flow, our condolences. As disclosed last week, any stock trade, especially of the short variety, now faces the world's biggest moneyprinters in the world and high priests of Keynesianism as a very malevolent counterparty.

And so we get one step closer to the end. Look for bond yields in Europe, and especially the Bund, to roll over and accelerate to infinity as investors realize what monetary prudence capitulation is. Amusingly, the KomIntern won - comrades Lenin, Stalin, Marx, Engels, and all others who grace the dark pages of US historybooks, would have been celebrating if only they were alive today: May 9, in addition to "victory over fascism" day, is now also "victory over capitalism and free markets day." Rejoice comrades!