With QE3, Ben Bernanke just gave Dr. Copper a shot in the arm that should carry prices to new highs.
In fact, shortly after the U.S. Federal Reserve announced its decision to launch a third round of bond buying, copper rallied to $3.84 a pound on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, up from around $3.35 in mid-August.
But that is only part of the story...
As "the only metal with a Ph.D. in economics' because of its widespread use in industrial applications copper is an excellent bellwether for the state of global economic activity.
And right now copper is predicting a major global rebound.
"Investors' expectations for global economic growth in the fourth quarter are rising and Dr. Copper is rallying," Andrew Rosenberger, senior portfolio manager at Brinker Capital told MarketWatch.
"Copper and other assets which are linked to global growth are taking the approach of rally now, ask questions later," he said.
For investors, there are lots of reasons to like copper right now.
Let's take a look...
federal reserve QE3
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QE3 Is Strong Medicine for Dr. Copper
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Fed Meeting Today: Are You Ready for QE3?
Investors have prepared for the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting today and tomorrow to end with the announcement of a third round of quantitative easing (QE3) - and that's a good bet to make.
Today's Fed meeting will likely end with more of the same information we've been hearing for months from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. It's been a year and a half since Bernanke first announced that short-term interest rates would remain near zero "for an extended period." That language will likely stay the same tomorrow, and the policy timelines could be drawn out even longer.
There is also no doubt that QE3 or some other meaningful economic stimulus measure is on its way.
Maury Harris, an analyst with UBS, declared in a recent note to clients that, "We now anticipate an announcement of another round of quantitative easing at the FOMC meeting on September 13th. We expect the easing will take the form of a six-month program of at least $500 billion, primarily focused on Treasuries."
Harris also added that, "We also expect the FOMC extends their rate guidance into 2015."
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Today's Fed meeting will likely end with more of the same information we've been hearing for months from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. It's been a year and a half since Bernanke first announced that short-term interest rates would remain near zero "for an extended period." That language will likely stay the same tomorrow, and the policy timelines could be drawn out even longer.
There is also no doubt that QE3 or some other meaningful economic stimulus measure is on its way.
Maury Harris, an analyst with UBS, declared in a recent note to clients that, "We now anticipate an announcement of another round of quantitative easing at the FOMC meeting on September 13th. We expect the easing will take the form of a six-month program of at least $500 billion, primarily focused on Treasuries."
Harris also added that, "We also expect the FOMC extends their rate guidance into 2015."
Click here to continue reading...
QE3: Get Ahead of the Fed
The U.S. Federal Reserve has consistently pointed to high unemployment as a reason to deliver more stimulus, which makes this week a perfect time to announce quantitative easing, or QE3.
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting this week is fresh off Friday's Labor Department report that nonfarm payrolls increased by 96,000 jobs last month. Economists were hoping to see an increase of 125,000 jobs.
Unemployment fell to 8.1% from 8.3% as 368,000 people dropped out of the labor force.
The employment numbers were depressing - but for investors this was always a win-win situation.
If the jobs number had blown past 125,000 that would have been good for the markets - but so is a number that missed the mark.
That's because from whichever angle the Fed and Chairman Ben Bernanke look at this, the report is more fuel for the QE3 fire.
"This weak employment report, in jobs, wages, hours worked and participation is probably the last piece the Fed needs before launching another round of quantitative easing next week," Joseph Trevisani, chief market strategist at Worldwide Markets in Woodcliff Lake, NJ told Reuters last week.
Unemployment fell even though fewer jobs were added because the labor participation rate dropped to 63.5%, its lowest level in 30 years. The amount of underemployed and unemployed people is now above 25 million and the U-6 rate, the broad total unemployment rate which many consider to be a more accurate gauge of unemployment, stands at 14.7%.
With the rally the markets had last Thursday after the European Central Bank announced its new bond-buying plan, expect the markets to continue their bullish trend when Bernanke takes action.
That means now's the time for investors to prepare to profit from QE3.
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting this week is fresh off Friday's Labor Department report that nonfarm payrolls increased by 96,000 jobs last month. Economists were hoping to see an increase of 125,000 jobs.
Unemployment fell to 8.1% from 8.3% as 368,000 people dropped out of the labor force.
The employment numbers were depressing - but for investors this was always a win-win situation.
If the jobs number had blown past 125,000 that would have been good for the markets - but so is a number that missed the mark.
That's because from whichever angle the Fed and Chairman Ben Bernanke look at this, the report is more fuel for the QE3 fire.
"This weak employment report, in jobs, wages, hours worked and participation is probably the last piece the Fed needs before launching another round of quantitative easing next week," Joseph Trevisani, chief market strategist at Worldwide Markets in Woodcliff Lake, NJ told Reuters last week.
Unemployment fell even though fewer jobs were added because the labor participation rate dropped to 63.5%, its lowest level in 30 years. The amount of underemployed and unemployed people is now above 25 million and the U-6 rate, the broad total unemployment rate which many consider to be a more accurate gauge of unemployment, stands at 14.7%.
With the rally the markets had last Thursday after the European Central Bank announced its new bond-buying plan, expect the markets to continue their bullish trend when Bernanke takes action.
That means now's the time for investors to prepare to profit from QE3.
To continue reading, please click here...