Most Popular
1. It’s a New Macro, the Gold Market Knows It, But Dead Men Walking Do Not (yet)- Gary_Tanashian
2.Stock Market Presidential Election Cycle Seasonal Trend Analysis - Nadeem_Walayat
3. Bitcoin S&P Pattern - Nadeem_Walayat
4.Nvidia Blow Off Top - Flying High like the Phoenix too Close to the Sun - Nadeem_Walayat
4.U.S. financial market’s “Weimar phase” impact to your fiat and digital assets - Raymond_Matison
5. How to Profit from the Global Warming ClImate Change Mega Death Trend - Part1 - Nadeem_Walayat
7.Bitcoin Gravy Train Trend Forecast 2024 - - Nadeem_Walayat
8.The Bond Trade and Interest Rates - Nadeem_Walayat
9.It’s Easy to Scream Stocks Bubble! - Stephen_McBride
10.Fed’s Next Intertest Rate Move might not align with popular consensus - Richard_Mills
Last 7 days
US Presidential Election Year Stock Market Seasonal Trend - 29th Nov 24
Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past - 29th Nov 24
Gold After Trump Wins - 29th Nov 24
The AI Stocks, Housing, Inflation and Bitcoin Crypto Mega-trends - 27th Nov 24
Gold Price Ahead of the Thanksgiving Weekend - 27th Nov 24
Bitcoin Gravy Train Trend Forecast to June 2025 - 24th Nov 24
Stocks, Bitcoin and Crypto Markets Breaking Bad on Donald Trump Pump - 21st Nov 24
Gold Price To Re-Test $2,700 - 21st Nov 24
Stock Market Sentiment Speaks: This Is My Strong Warning To You - 21st Nov 24
Financial Crisis 2025 - This is Going to Shock People! - 21st Nov 24
Dubai Deluge - AI Tech Stocks Earnings Correction Opportunities - 18th Nov 24
Why President Trump Has NO Real Power - Deep State Military Industrial Complex - 8th Nov 24
Social Grant Increases and Serge Belamant Amid South Africa's New Political Landscape - 8th Nov 24
Is Forex Worth It? - 8th Nov 24
Nvidia Numero Uno in Count Down to President Donald Pump Election Victory - 5th Nov 24
Trump or Harris - Who Wins US Presidential Election 2024 Forecast Prediction - 5th Nov 24
Stock Market Brief in Count Down to US Election Result 2024 - 3rd Nov 24
Gold Stocks’ Winter Rally 2024 - 3rd Nov 24
Why Countdown to U.S. Recession is Underway - 3rd Nov 24
Stock Market Trend Forecast to Jan 2025 - 2nd Nov 24
President Donald PUMP Forecast to Win US Presidential Election 2024 - 1st Nov 24
At These Levels, Buying Silver Is Like Getting It At $5 In 2003 - 28th Oct 24
Nvidia Numero Uno Selling Shovels in the AI Gold Rush - 28th Oct 24
The Future of Online Casinos - 28th Oct 24
Panic in the Air As Stock Market Correction Delivers Deep Opps in AI Tech Stocks - 27th Oct 24
Stocks, Bitcoin, Crypto's Counting Down to President Donald Pump! - 27th Oct 24
UK Budget 2024 - What to do Before 30th Oct - Pensions and ISA's - 27th Oct 24
7 Days of Crypto Opportunities Starts NOW - 27th Oct 24
The Power Law in Venture Capital: How Visionary Investors Like Yuri Milner Have Shaped the Future - 27th Oct 24
This Points To Significantly Higher Silver Prices - 27th Oct 24

Market Oracle FREE Newsletter

How to Protect your Wealth by Investing in AI Tech Stocks

Gold, Silver Market Manipulation, CFTC Aftershocks

Commodities / Market Manipulation May 20, 2010 - 01:03 AM GMT

By: Jennifer_Barry

Commodities

Best Financial Markets Analysis ArticleOn March 25, fifteen individuals selected by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) testified to that body on proposed position limits for the precious metals markets. One big surprise was the inclusion of Bill Murphy, Chairman of the Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee (GATA). Although his organization has been blacklisted by the mainstream American media, he was able to enter some of GATA’s eleven years of research into the public record. Although only allowed to speak for a few minutes, Murphy’s testimony covered territory ranging from the “strong dollar” policy, the lack of transparency from the Federal Reserve on gold swaps, and the CFTC’s own stalled silver market investigation.


During the question and answer period, Murphy was asked for an example of precious metal manipulation, and he mentioned whistleblower Andrew Maguire. It turns out that Maguire contacted the CFTC last year because he was tired of listening to JPMorgan Chase traders brag about their manipulative profits in silver. Maguire was able to predict the silver market moves in advance in his emails to the CFTC, but despite this impressive demonstration, he was banned from testifying. A day after this testimony, Maguire and his wife were injured by a hit-and-run driver in a remarkable “coincidence.”

Another notable presenter was Jeffrey Christian of CPM Group. While much of his testimony was muddled or contradictory, it was useful in one respect: he explained that the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) only holds one ounce of gold for every 100 traded. He compared gold to markets in T-bills and currencies, which are intangibles, not commodities. Although Christian tried to claim that the COMEX gold shorts aren’t naked, as the bullion banks hold offsetting longs on the LBMA, he admitted these are “hedges of paper on paper.”

During subsequent public statements, Christian seemed to regret these statements. He attempted to minimize the significance of his testimony by claiming that all trading professionals were aware of the minimal metal backing of the LBMA. However, if this were true, why did CFTC commissioners ask him to expound on the inner workings of the London bullion market? Even the LBMA’s own website muddies the waters, describing unallocated accounts as the “most commonly used method of holding metal,” when the investor holds only a paper claim.

Considering Christian’s history of backing the bullion banks’ interests no matter how convoluted the logic, I’ve wondered how independent CPM Group really is. Their website claims that CPM separated from Goldman Sachs in 1986, but could CPM still be entwined with its former parent company?

In a recent Lehman Brothers investigation, Hudson Castle - a spin-off firm of former Lehman employees - was found to have only the facade of autonomy from that failed investment bank. Hudson Castle existed to shift risks off Lehman’s books as the bank’s “alter ego.” Is it possible that CPM Group is acting as a covert shield for Goldman Sachs’ commodity business, defending the bank and developing “research” that assists Goldman’s trading strategies?

Precious Metal Pretense

While I'm sure many trading professionals do know that the LBMA trades predominantly paper claims for gold, or unallocated accounts, the fallout from Christian's testimony indicates that the public is NOT aware of this fact. Even trade websites like Mineweb.com refer to the LBMA as a “physical delivery market,” implying that transactions are settled in bullion.

On the retail level, small investors are regularly confused about the differences between allocated and unallocated bullion. This is not surprising considering the misleading phrases used in descriptions of everything from pool accounts, to precious metal certificates, to ETFs. Investors are often charged “storage fees” for unallocated metal as if the bank or mint was actually holding bullion, rather than offering an unsecured claim on the assets of that institution. Panic sets in when individuals decide to take delivery of “their” metal, only to be met with long delays and multiple explanations for them. Since institutions know that only a small fraction of participants will ever ask for custody of the bullion, only a tiny amount of metal has to be kept on hand for withdrawals.

Naturally, representatives of these institutions have been busy with damage control, asserting that investors should trust the stability of the system. After all, it has lasted for decades, and is managed by regulators and auditors.

Considering the numerous financial scandals this decade, these arguments are weak. Bernie Madoff was permitted to commit his crimes for decades by US regulators. Arthur Andersen no longer exists due to its negligence during Enron audits. It seems there is a new revelation about financial corruption every week, so I don’t have much faith in the virtue of banking, either.

While contrarian financial websites have long questioned the integrity of precious metal ETFs and other dubious investments, suddenly mainstream media like CNBC have joined the chorus. Investors are increasingly becoming aware of the deceptions in the system and are taking action. Hedge funds like Greenlight Capital are switching to bullion and taking delivery. Due to the euro crisis, retail coin demand in Europe has exploded 10 fold year-over-year. Even central banks from China to Argentina are swapping their paper assets for metal.

Rise of the Dragon

Long term readers will be aware of my lack of respect for US regulatory bodies, including the CFTC. The Commission claims to want the facts on the precious metals markets, but they banned whistleblower Andrew Maguire from testifying. Ted Butler, whose research into these markets is unparalleled, was only allowed to address the CFTC in a private meeting. Instead, the regulators allow people like Christian to present, whose analysis is so nonsensical that Chairman Gary Gensler had to correct it during the hearing.

However, there seems to be a rift inside the Commission lately between the Bart Chilton faction who wants more transparency and position limits and the opposing faction – probably led by Gensler - who wants to make cosmetic changes without impacting the big banks much. I believe that the Maguire revelation forced the hand of the CFTC, and that's why this agency has decided to investigate potential manipulation of the silver market by JPMorgan Chase.

Nevertheless, a few scapegoats and some fines will not restore regulatory credibility. Unless some senior executives serve jail time, this lack of integrity will severely harm the financial sector in the US and UK.

Over the longer term, legitimate traders will look for exchanges which enforce the rules equitably, moving their business elsewhere.

I expect the big winner will be China. I believe the Chinese plan to turn the yuan into a reserve currency, and Shanghai into a major financial center by the end of 2020. China has taken steps to improve the convertibility of the yuan, completing more currency swaps with trading partners, and initiating international bond sales. They’ve started to clean up corporate governance, and levy capital punishment for white collar crimes. As investors flee corrupt Western exchanges like the LBMA and COMEX, China will become the new standard for financial honesty and transparency.

by Jennifer Barry
Global Asset Strategist
http://www.globalassetstrategist.com

Copyright 2010 Jennifer Barry

Hello, I'm Jennifer Barry and I want to help you not only preserve your wealth, but add to your nest egg. How can I do this? I investigate the financial universe for undervalued assets you can invest in. Then I write about them in my monthly newsletter, Global Asset Strategist.

Disclaimer: Precious metals, commodity stocks, futures, and associated investments can be very volatile. Prices may rise and fall quickly and unpredictably. It may take months or years to see a significant profit. The owners and employees of Global Asset Strategist own some or all of the investments profiled in the newsletter, and will benefit from a price increase. We will disclose our ownership position when we recommend an asset and if we sell any investments previously recommended. We don't receive any compensation from companies for profiling any stock. Information published on this website and/or in the newsletter comes from sources thought to be reliable. This information may not be complete or correct. Global Asset Strategist does not employ licensed financial advisors, and does not give investment advice. Suggestions to buy or sell any asset listed are based on the opinions of Jennifer Barry only. Please conduct your own research before making any purchases, and don't spend more than you can afford. We recommend that you consult a trusted financial advisor who understands your individual situation before committing any capital.

Jennifer Barry Archive

© 2005-2022 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.


Post Comment

Only logged in users are allowed to post comments. Register/ Log in