Tag Archives: Dr. Copper

Every year, a vast amount of copper is used by the global economy to manufacture a wide variety of goods. It’s a major ingredient in big-ticket consumer goods like autos, appliances, electronics, and new homes. Simultaneously, copper is also gobbled up for many industrial uses including telecommunications, utilities, construction, and industrial machinery. Today’s infographic comes to us from Kutcho Copper, and it shows the red metal’s important role in the economy, as well as why it has become a famous economic bellwether.

With the renewed talk of rate hikes in December, I decided to consult the only metal with a Ph.D. in Economics - Dr. Copper, as traders like to call the metal.

Economically we are experiencing the birth pangs of the coming Great Depression and, as we get closer to the crisis that is looming on the horizon, they will become even more powerful. The warning signs are all there – we just have to be open to what they are telling us. This article identifies the many parallels between past economic downturns and what is happening right now.

Copper has just met the lower resistance line of its descending triangle pattern and should it break through that resistance the price for copper could fall like a stone. That, in turn, would have a MAJOR "watch out below" impact on the future level of the S&P 500. Let me explain.

Dr. Copper, as it is affectionately known, has been a longstanding barometer of economic growth and historically has shown a high positive correlation to the S&P 500. However, over the past several quarters there has been an increasingly large disconnect between the performance of major indices and the price of copper. With copper hitting YTD lows it suggests that there is less demand and that growth is slowing down and this, in turn, forecasts lower levels for the S&P 500. Words: 420

Heard about the "Fiscal Cliff" lately? How many times have you heard it mentioned in the last few hours? Is the media coverage about the "Fiscal Cliff" causing investors to look or focus in the wrong direction for clues to the market's next significiant move?

Gold and silver continue to receive the lion's share of press headlines and investment writers' attention. [While] our team believes this theme will continue, there are other assets which benefit from a weak dollar, especially if a weak dollar is combined with some decent economic activity. [One such asset] is copper, a base metal that, like gold and silver, [that will] appreciate with inflation and has tremendous potential for increased demand given the theme of 2012 - economic growth. [Let me explain in some detail why we think that is the case.] Words: 1150

A number of secondary indicators are showing worrisome negative divergences... indicating that the risk-reward tradeoff [for stocks] is becoming increasingly unfavorable. [As such,] the prospect of selling in May and going away is starting to sound good right now. [Let me explain.] Words: 536

I am convinced that we are still relatively early in a secular commodity bull market. In fact, with the modernization of Chindia and numerous other less-developed nations, I expect this bull market will be one for the record books. Fundamental demand coupled with inflation will push resource prices to unimaginable heights. Words: 805