mintdotfinance

mintdotfinance

“Gold is money. Everything else is credit” said John Pierpont Morgan some 100+ years ago. Gold is limited in supply. Much of what can be mined has been dug up. Gold bugs opine that the only way for gold prices is up as fiat money continues to be printed with nothing but institutional promises backing them. As a result, not only is the price of gold inching up,...

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How often do US equities deliver 20%+ annual returns sequentially? The S&P 500 index representing a broad selection of US listed firms generated 24.2% in 2023 and 23.3% in 2024. Source: Visual Capitalist So, what is in store for 2025? Analyst consensus points to a 10% upside in 2025 given strong economic fundamentals, AI-led capex and productivity gains,...

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Bitcoin prices are on fire. It has surged 129% YoY with anticipation surrounding re-election of Donald Trump as the POTUS for the 2nd time. Trump is regarded as the “most pro crypto” President. Trump is poised to usher in a crypto friendly policy framework aimed at accelerating institutional adoption and positioning Bitcoin (“BTC”) as a cornerstone of the American...

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Outlook for crude oil prices in 2025 is a complex interplay of various factors. China’s fiscal & monetary policies, Trump’s energy agenda, OPEC+ strategies, and geopolitical developments will collectively sway oil prices. For now, the outlook for 2025 remains bearish. Analysts expect persistent oversupply, driven by rising non-OPEC+ production. Demand growth will...

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Henry Hub Natural Gas (US LNG) prices have surged 46.2% since November 2024, driven by colder weather forecasts, rising European gas prices, increased feed gas to U.S. LNG facilities, and expectations of stronger domestic and European demand. US LNG prices typically climb in winter as U.S. heating needs spike, with the December-March period marking a net...

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After a politically charged November, bond markets have shifted their gaze back to economic fundamentals, setting the stage for a crucial Federal Reserve meeting on December 17. Recent data—including a robust jobs report and rising inflation—have reignited debates over long-term yields and the Fed’s future rate trajectory. With the Fed’s dot plot and 2025...

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Size begets size. Records are being shattered. US Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) have attracted >USD 1 trillion inflows YTD 2024 for the first time in history. Pro-business policies under President-elect Donald Trump continues to entice investors into US equities. US stocks are at record levels. Is that a concern? Yes. But, unlike other rallies which tend to be...

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If you cannot beat them, join them. Activist funds are astute investors. Considering their investment strategies to position one’s portfolio can often lead to credible positive returns. But mind the risk as with any other investing strategies. Activist funds are circling around specific Japanese stocks that have significant potential to unlock value from...

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Rates & REITs move inversely. Higher rates dampen REITs performance. Declining rates favour REITs returns. With rates easing, are REITs at the cusp of recovery? What does 2025 hold for US real estate? The answer is best captured in two words - "Cautiously Optimistic". 2025 Commercial Real Estate ("CRE") Outlook - a survey by Deloitte - shows that ~90% of...

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Tightening supplies, fluctuating inventories, and volatile geopolitics present intriguing risk management and trading possibilities in US Liquified Natural Gas ("US LNG") markets. Colder weather forecasts, robust LNG exports, and Europe's increasing dependence on US LNG continues to reshape global energy trade. US LNG PRICES REBOUND IN NOVEMBER ON IMPROVING...

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The “Make America Great Again” ethos has set the greenback on fire. Donald Trump's re-election has the US dollar surging 2%, extending its rally since early October to a total gain of 5%. This resurgence is despite the anticipated 25 basis points (“bps”) rate cut at the November FOMC meeting. Dollar rally is driven by expectations of potential policy changes...

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This is a big week for financial markets, a long-anticipated election in the US is likely to have widely varying impacts across major asset classes. Safe haven assets such as silver stand to benefit from the uncertainty. There is also an FOMC meeting scheduled on 7/Nov (Thu) where the Fed is widely expected to cut rates by 25 basis points. A lower rate...

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Japan’s October 28 elections delivered a surprise to the market with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)’s loss of the majority in the parliament. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba now faces the challenge of securing a majority in the 465-member Diet, Japan’s national legislature, in the coming weeks. This political uncertainty has impacted the outlook for...

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Gold prices have reached another all-time high, supported by strong bullish momentum. However, the composition of buyers has shifted. While central banks fuelled the previous phase of the rally, institutional investors and retail buyers are now leading. Over the past six months, ETF inflows have totalled nearly $5 billion, and asset managers continue to build net...

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Silver’s dual role in both investment and industry makes it highly sensitive to economic slowdowns but also well-positioned to thrive during periods of strong growth. Silver prices have surged 30% year-to-date, driven by a fourth consecutive year of supply deficit, soaring demand from the expanding photovoltaic (PV) industry, and spillover momentum from gold,...

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Fed sets the rates. Rates guide treasury yields. Fed remains data dependent. Incoming data creates nuanced shifts in yield spreads. The September jobs report revealed 254,000 jobs added, significantly exceeding expectations of 147,000, with August figures also revised upward. This strong report, along with the JOLTS data from earlier in the week, indicates that...

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The Nikkei-225 is trading near 40,000 once more. The sharp decline in early August due to the BoJ rate hike has been swiftly reversed. The outlook for the Nikkei remains bullish with continued investor interest driven by market reforms as well as foreign investor interest. With the BoJ currently on pause and signalling no urgency to raise rates further, the...

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US equities soared to record highs on higher-than-expected rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve. Additional rate cuts implied by the Fed dot plot signals a goldilocks economic scenario. A booming economy coupled with low crude oil inventory levels with intensifying geopolitics could tip crude oil prices into a rally. Oil prices rose higher yesterday as hard...