‘Monetary policy the only game in town’

“We have always had a position in gold. When you think about the largest central banks in the world, they have all moved to unlimited printing ideology. Monetary policy happens to be the only game in town. I am perplexed as to why gold is as low as it is. I don't have a great answer for you other then you should maintain a position.”

So says Hayman Capital’s Kyle Bass. Gold had a decent day yesterday – gaining around $20. The yellow metal needs to climb above $1,600 if we’re to get any kind of serious buying momentum. Silver scrambled back above $28 on the back of gold’s gains, with $30 a tougher resistance point for the bulls. A “sell the rallies” mentality continues to dominate in both metals, however.

The yen is causing ructions in the currency market, with the US dollar close to its strongest level since May 2009 against the yen, following the Bank of Japan firing its “bazooka” last week in an attempt to stimulate the Japanese economy. Trading of Japanese Government Bonds (JGBs) was actually suspended today as prices fell sharply – with investors understandably un-eager to leave themselves exposed to a weakening yen. The FT (subscription required) notes that the country’s bond market is now second only to Greece in terms of volatility.

Major currencies are taking it in turns to devalue: sterling recorded heavy losses in 2008, which was followed in 2009 by the Japanese yen and US dollar (the “safe haven” currencies of choice during the 2008 crisis), with the euro the notable loser in 2010 and 2011, and the yen again scraping the bottom of the barrel last year. So if the last few years are any guide, sterling’s next up on the devaluation dance card, followed by the US dollar.