Gold fell again today to its lowest in a week despite continuing uncertainty about the outcome of the Brexit referendum. This is contributing to very significant high net worth and institutional demand in recent days, particularly in the UK, which is leading to “panic” and “supply issues” in the interbank gold market.
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Increasing speculation that Britain may vote to stay in the European Union and hedge fund liquidations are being blamed for the recent price falls. However, bullion dealers such as GoldCore, mints and refineries that cater to the UK market have seen minimal selling this week and in fact there has been a surge in demand again this week.
We believe the price falls are due to hedge funds and banks liquidating positions and shorting the market. As ever, there is the risk that algo and high frequency trading (HFT) may be manipulating prices lower despite very robust physical demand and increasing liquidity issues in the interbank gold market.
Informed, senior sources at the highest level of the gold bullion industry have told us that there is “panic” in the inter bank or institutional gold market. According to the sources one of whom is from a leading Swiss gold refinery, we are in a “unique trading climate” that they have never seen before. This is not just due to Brexit but to “a number of factors” and so is likely to continue even after the Brexit referendum.
The market is subject to absolutely “unprecedented conditions” and a degree of illiquidity and “supply issues” not seen even in the immediate aftermath of September 11th, Lehman Brothers and the height of the Eurozone crisis.
Refineries and mints are being advised that bullion banks may take the unprecedented step of “suspending the trading of physical gold.” Premiums have risen on larger orders creating the situation where spreads are higher on larger orders. An example of this is that a 1,000 ounce order worth $12.66 million at current prices is trading at a premium of $0.33 per ounce over a smaller order of 5,000 ounces.
Thus counter intuitively, larger high net worth and institutional orders are costing more than somewhat smaller relative orders. This has the effect of discouraging larger buy orders for physical – whether by accident or by design. There is also warnings that stop loss orders above 5,000 ounces may not be filled at agreed prices and could be filled at much lower prices. In addition, a number of large liquidity providers in the gold market have increased margins.
Bullion banks “have been panicking” and advising that soon, they may no longer be able to quote prices on large gold bar orders. This response is previously unheard of and indicates the increasing illiquidity in the large gold bar market due to a recent surge in HNW, UHNW and institutional (wealth managers, hedge funds, banks etc) demand across the world coupled with already robust central bank demand.
The increasingly illiquid physical gold market where supply cannot keep up with demand underlines the importance of owning physical bullion coins and bars – either in your possession or having direct legal title to your individual coins and bars. Bullion should be owned in your name or your company’s name and be stored directly in the safest vaults in the safest jurisdictions in the world – outside the financial, banking system.
Gold Prices (LBMA AM)
22 June: USD 1,265.00, EUR 1,122.31 and GBP 862.98 per ounce
21 June: USD 1,280.80, EUR 1,129.67 and GBP 866.72 per ounce
20 June: USD 1,283.25, EUR 1,132.08 and GBP 877.49 per ounce
17 June: USD 1,284.50, EUR 1,142.05 and GBP 899.41 per ounce
16 June: USD 1,307.00, EUR 1,161.14 and GBP 922.01 per ounce
15 June: USD 1,282.00, EUR 1,141.49 and GBP 903.04 per ounce
Silver Prices (LBMA)
22 June: USD 17.36, EUR 15.34 and GBP 11.78 per ounce (Not updated yet)
21 June: USD 17.36, EUR 15.34 and GBP 11.78 per ounce
20 June: USD 17.34, EUR 15.30 and GBP 11.85 per ounce
17 June: USD 17.37, EUR 15.43 and GBP 12.19 per ounce
16 June: USD 17.71, EUR 15.79 and GBP 12.54 per ounce
15 June: USD 17.41, EUR 15.51 and GBP 12.26 per ounce
14 June: USD 17.25, EUR 15.37 and GBP 12.17 per ounce
Gold News and Commentary
Gold Holds Two-Day Slump as Investors Count Down to Brexit Vote (Bloomberg)
Fed cautious on rates due to Brexit, hiring slowdown: Yellen (Reuters)
Gold Posts Biggest Loss in Four Weeks as Chances of Brexit Ebb (Bloomberg)
Switzerland gold exports jump 20% to 177.3 mt in May, highest this year (Platts)
Euroclear looks to apply blockchain to gold market (Coin Desk)
Prudent Brits Rush To Buy Gold Bars, Stuff Them In Home Safes (Zero Hedge)
Whatever Britons Decide, Bet on Gold Price Volatility to Profit (Bloomberg)
Why Gold, Why Now? (Holmes via Minyanville)
Economic Anxiety in Divided America (Max Keiser)
A look at the global economic malaise through Deutsche Bank (Marketwatch)
Read More Here
Recent Market Updates
– Gold Surges to $1,313/oz – Fed Concerned Re Outlook, BREXIT and May “Consider Using Helicopter Money”
– Gold Prices Higher For 5th Session On BREXIT and FED
– Gold In Euros Surges 6.5% In June and 17% YTD On BREXIT Concerns
– Soros Buying Gold On BREXIT, EU “Collapse” Risk
– UK Gold Demand Rises On BREXIT “Nerves”
– Pensions Timebomb in “Slow Motion Detonation” In UK, EU, U.S.
– Silver – Perfect Storm Brewing in the Market
– Martin Wolf: There Will Be Another “Huge” Financial Crisis
– Silver Price To Surge 800% on Global Industrial and Technological Demand
– BREXIT Gold Diversification As Vote Fuels Market Uncertainty
– Gold Forecasts Revised Higher – Citi Says “Buy the Dip”
– World’s Largest Asset Manager Suggests “Perfect Time” For Gold
