A

 

GOLD: $1303.00 up $8.50

Silver: $16.44 up 10 cents

Closing access prices:

Gold $1393.00

silver: $16.94

For comex gold:

JANUARY/

NUMBER OF NOTICES FILED TODAY FOR JANUARY CONTRACT: 137 NOTICE(S) FOR 13700 OZ.

TOTAL NOTICES SO FAR: 137 FOR 13700 OZ (0.4261 TONNES),

For silver:

jANUARY

321 NOTICE(S) FILED TODAY FOR

1,605,000 OZ/

Total number of notices filed so far this month: 321 for 1,605,000 oz

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Bitcoin: BID $14,555/OFFER $14,670 UP $164 (morning)

BITCOIN : BID $14,323/OFFER $14,443 /down $50 CLOSING

end

Let us have a look at the data for today

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In silver, the total open interest SURPRISINGLY FELL BY A CONSIDERABLE 2763 contracts from 196,966 FALLING TO 194,459 DESPITE YESTERDAY’S GOOD 13 CENT RISE IN SILVER PRICING. WE HAD SOME CONSIDERABLE  COMEX LIQUIDATION AND WITHOUT A DOUBT WE WITNESSED  ANOTHER MAJOR BANK SHORT- COVERING OPERATION. NOT ONLY THAT , WE WERE AGAIN NOTIFIED THAT WE HAD ANOTHER HUGE SIZED NUMBER OF COMEX LONGS TRANSFERRING THEIR CONTRACTS TO LONDON THROUGH THE EFP ROUTE: A HUGE 1944 EFP’S FOR MARCH (AND ZERO FOR OTHER MONTHS) AND THUS TOTAL ISSUANCE OF 1944 CONTRACTS. HOWEVER THE MOVEMENT ACROSS TO LONDON IS NOT AS SEVERE AS IN GOLD AS THERE SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PLAYER TAKING ON THE BANKS AT THE COMEX. STILL, WITH THE TRANSFER OF 1944 CONTRACTS, WHAT THE CME IS STATING IS THAT THERE IS NO SILVER (OR GOLD) TO BE DELIVERED UPON AT THE COMEX AS THEY MUST EXPORT THEIR OBLIGATION TO LONDON. YESTERDAY WITNESSED  EFP’S FOR SILVER ISSUED. ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE CAN BE A DELAY OF 24 HRS IN THE ISSUING OF EFP’S. I BELIEVE THAT WE MUST HAVE HAD SOME MAJOR BANKER SHORT COVERING AGAIN TODAY.

ACCUMULATION FOR EFP’S/SILVER/ STARTING FROM FIRST DAY NOTICE/FOR MONTH OF JANUARY:

1944 CONTRACTS (FOR 1 TRADING DAY TOTAL 1944 CONTRACTS OR 9.720 MILLION OZ: AVERAGE PER DAY: 1944 CONTRACTS OR 9.720 MILLION OZ/DAY)

RESULT: A CONSIDERABLE SIZED LOSS IN OI COMEX DESPITE THE STRONG 13 CENT RISE IN SILVER PRICE WHICH USUALLY INDICATES HUGE BANKER SHORT-COVERING. WE ALSO HAD A HUGE SIZED SIZED EFP ISSUANCE OF 1944 CONTRACTS WHICH EXITED OUT OF THE SILVER COMEX AND TRANSFERRED THEIR OI TO LONDON AS FORWARDS.  FROM THE CME DATA 1944 EFP’S WERE ISSUED TODAY (FOR MARCH EFP’S AND NONE FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS) FOR A DELIVERABLE FORWARD CONTRACT OVER IN LONDON WITH A FIAT BONUS. WE REALLY LOST 819 OI CONTRACTS i.e. 1944 open interest contracts headed for London (EFP’s) TOGETHER WITH A DECREASE OF 2763 OI COMEX CONTRACTS. AND ALL OF THIS HAPPENED WITH THE RISE IN PRICE OF SILVER BY 13 CENTS AND A CLOSING PRICE OF $16.84 WITH RESPECT TO YESTERDAY’S TRADING. YET WE STILL HAVE A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF SILVER STANDING AT THE COMEX.

In ounces AT THE COMEX, the OI is still represented by just UNDER 1 BILLION oz i.e. 0.973 BILLION TO BE EXACT or 139% of annual global silver production (ex Russia & ex China).

FOR THE NEW FRONT JANUARY MONTH/ THEY FILED: 321 NOTICE(S) FOR 1,605,000 OZ OF SILVER

In gold, the open interest ROSE BY A HUMONGOUS SIZED 13,167 CONTRACTS UP TO 471,653 WITH THE STRONG RISE IN PRICE OF GOLD WITH YESTERDAY’S TRADING ($6.50). IN ANOTHER HUGE DEVELOPMENT, WE RECEIVED THE TOTAL NUMBER OF GOLD EFP’S ISSUED YESTERDAY FOR TODAY AND IT TOTALED A HUMONGOUS  11,118 CONTRACTS OF WHICH THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY SAW 10,788 CONTRACTS AND APRIL SAW THE ISSUANCE OF 400 CONTRACTS. The new OI for the gold complex rests at 471,653. DEMAND FOR GOLD INTENSIFIES GREATLY AS WE CONTINUE TO WITNESS A HUGE NUMBER OF EFP TRANSFERS TOGETHER WITH THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF GOLD OUNCES STANDING FOR JANUARY. EVEN THOUGH THE BANKERS ISSUED THESE MONSTROUS EFPS, THE OBLIGATION STILL RESTS WITH THE BANKERS TO SUPPLY METAL BUT IT TRANSFERS THE RISK TO A LONDON BANKER OBLIGATION AND NOT A NEW YORK COMEX OBLIGATION. LONGS RECEIVE A FIAT BONUS TOGETHER WITH A LONG LONDON FORWARD. THUS, BY THESE ACTIONS, THE BANKERS AT THE COMEX HAVE JUST STATED THAT THEY HAVE NO APPRECIABLE METAL!! THIS IS A MASSIVE FRAUD: THEY CANNOT SUPPLY ANY METAL TO OUR COMEX LONGS BUT THEY ARE QUITE WILLING TO SUPPLY MASSIVE NON BACKED GOLD (AND SILVER) PAPER KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE NO METAL TO SATISFY OUR LONGS. LONDON IS NOW SEVERELY BACKWARD IN BOTH GOLD AND SILVER (BIG RISE IN BOTH GOFO AND SIFO) AND WE ARE WITNESSING DELAYS IN ACTUAL DELIVERIES. IN ESSENCE WE HAVE AN ATMOSPHERIC GAIN OF 24,285 OI CONTRACTS: 13,167 OI CONTRACTS INCREASED AT THE COMEX AND A MONSTROUS SIZED 11,118 OI CONTRACTS WHICH NAVIGATED OVER TO LONDON.

YESTERDAY, WE HAD 11,125 EFP’S ISSUED.

ACCUMULATION OF EFP’S/ GOLD(EXCHANGE FOR PHYSICAL) FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY STARTING WITH FIRST DAY NOTICE TODAY: 11,118 CONTRACTS OR 1,1118 MILLION OZ OR 34.77 TONNES (1 TRADING DAY AND THUS AVERAGING: 11,118 EFP CONTRACTS PER TRADING DAY OR 1.118 MILLION OZ/DAY)

Result: A HUGE SIZED INCREASE IN OI WITH THE GOOD SIZED RISE IN PRICE IN GOLD TRADING ON YESTERDAY ($6.50). WE HAD A HUMONGOUS SIZED NUMBER OF COMEX LONG TRANSFERRING TO LONDON THROUGH THE EFP ROUTE: 11,125. THERE OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT SEEM TO BE MUCH PHYSICAL GOLD AT THE COMEX AND YET WE ALSO OBSERVED A HUGE DELIVERY MONTH FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. I GUESS IT EXPLAINS THE HUGE ISSUANCE OF EFP’S…THERE IS HARDLY ANY GOLD PRESENT AT THE GOLD COMEX FOR DELIVERY PURPOSES. IF YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE 11,118 EFP CONTRACTS ISSUED, WE HAD A NET GAIN IN OPEN INTEREST OF 24,285 contracts:

11,118 CONTRACTS MOVE TO LONDON AND  13,285 CONTRACTS INCREASED AT THE COMEX. (in tonnes, the gain in total oi equates to 75.53 TONNES)

we had: 137 notice(s) filed upon for 13700 oz of gold.

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With respect to our two criminal funds, the GLD and the SLV:

GLD:

Today, NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD

Inventory rests tonight: 837.50 tonnes.

SLV/

NO CHANGES IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV

INVENTORY RESTS AT 323.459 MILLION OZ/

end

First, here is an outline of what will be discussed tonight:

1. Today, we had the open interest in silver FELL BY A CONSIDERABLE SIZED 2763 contracts from 196,966 DOWN TO 194,459 (AND now A LITTLE FURTHER FROM THE NEW COMEX RECORD SET ON FRIDAY/APRIL 21/2017 AT 234,787) DESPITE THE GOOD SIZED RISE IN PRICE OF SILVER TO THE TUNE OF 13 CENTS  YESTERDAY. WE HAD WITHOUT A DOUBT A MAJOR SHORT COVERING FROM OUR BANKERS AS THEY HAVE CAPITULATED. NOT ONLY THAT BUT OUR BANKERS USED THEIR EMERGENCY PROCEDURE TO ISSUE ANOTHER 1944 PRIVATE EFP’S FOR MARCH (WE DO NOT GET A LOOK AT THESE CONTRACTS AS IT IS PRIVATE BUT THE CFTC DOES AUDIT THEM).  EFP’S GIVE OUR COMEX LONGS A FIAT BONUS PLUS A DELIVERABLE PRODUCT OVER IN LONDON. WE HAD CONSIDERABLE COMEX SILVER COMEX LIQUIDATION. BUT, IF WE TAKE THE OI LOSS AT THE COMEX OF 2763 CONTRACTS TO THE 1944 OI TRANSFERRED TO LONDON THROUGH EFP’S WE OBTAIN A LOSS OF ONLY 819 OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS DESPITE THE MAJOR BANKER SHORT COVERING. WE STILL HAVE A STRONG AMOUNT OF SILVER OUNCES THAT ARE STANDING FOR METAL IN JANUARY (SEE BELOW). THE NET LOSS TODAY IN OZ: 4.095 MILLION OZ!!!

RESULT: A GOOD SIZED DECREASE IN SILVER OI AT THE COMEX DESPITE THE GOOD SIZED RISE OF 13 CENTS IN PRICE (WITH RESPECT TO YESTERDAY’S TRADING). BUT WE ALSO HAD ANOTHER 1944 EFP’S ISSUED TRANSFERRING COMEX LONGS OVER TO LONDON . TOGETHER WITH THE GOOD  SIZED AMOUNT OF SILVER OUNCES STANDING FOR JANUARY, DEMAND FOR PHYSICAL SILVER INTENSIFIES AS WE WITNESS MAJOR BANK SHORT COVERING ACCOMPANIED BY INCREASES IN GOFO AND SIFO RATES INDICATING SCARCITY.

(report Harvey)

.

2.a) The Shanghai and London gold fix report

(Harvey)

2 b) Gold/silver trading overnight Europe, Goldcore

(Mark O’Byrne/zerohedge

and in NY: Bloomberg

3. ASIAN AFFAIRS

3a)THAILAND/SOUTH KOREA/NORTH KOREA

i)North Korea

b) REPORT ON JAPAN

3 c CHINA

4. EUROPEAN AFFAIRS

5. RUSSIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS

6 .GLOBAL ISSUES

7. OIL ISSUES

8. EMERGING MARKET

9. PHYSICAL MARKETS

10. USA stories which will influence the price of gold/silver

Let us head over to the comex:

The total gold comex open interest ROSE BY A HUMONGOUS 13,167 CONTRACTS UP to an OI level of 472,048 WITH THE GOOD SIZED RISE IN THE PRICE OF GOLD ($6.50 GAIN WITH RESPECT TO YESTERDAY’S TRADING). WE NOT ONLY HAD ZERO COMEX GOLD LIQUIDATION BUT WE ALSO HAD ANOTHER STRONG GAIN IN TOTAL OPEN INTEREST AS WE WITNESSED ANOTHER HUMONGOUS COMEX TRANSFER THROUGH THE EFP ROUTE AS THESE LONGS RECEIVED A DELIVERABLE LONDON FORWARD TOGETHER WITH A FIAT BONUS. THE CME REPORTS THAT 10,788 EFP’S WERE ISSUED FOR FEBRUARY AND 400 EFP’s  FOR APRIL:  TOTAL OF 11125 CONTRACTS. THE OBLIGATION STILL RESTS WITH THE BANKERS ON THESE TRANSFERS.

ON A NET BASIS IN OPEN INTEREST WE GAINED TODAY: 24,680 OI CONTRACTS IN THAT 11,118 LONGS WERE TRANSFERRED AS FORWARDS TO LONDON AND WE GAINED 13,167 COMEX CONTRACTS. NET GAIN: 24,285 contracts OR 2,428,500 OZ OR 75.53 TONNES

Result: A HUGE SIZED INCREASE IN COMEX OPEN INTEREST WITH THE GOOD RISE IN THE PRICE OF YESTERDAY’S GOLD TRADING (6.50.) WE HAD NO GOLD LIQUIDATION ANYWHERE. TOTAL OPEN INTEREST GAIN ON THE TWO EXCHANGES: 24,285 OI CONTRACTS…

We have now entered the active contract month of JANUARY. The open interest for the front month of JANUARY saw it’s open interest FALL by 119 contracts DOWN to 417. THUS BY DEFINITION THE TOTAL NUMBER OF OUNCES THAT INITIALLY STAND IN THIS NON ACTIVE MONTH IS 417 CONTRACTS X 100 OZ =  41700 OZ OR 1.2970 TONNES WHICH IS VERY GOOD.

FEBRUARY saw a gain of 8039 contacts up to 340,699.  April saw a GAIN of 2813 contracts UP to 40,222

We had 137 notice(s) filed upon today for 13700 oz

PRELIMINARY VOLUME TODAY ESTIMATED; 243,862

FINAL NUMBERS CONFIRMED FOR YESTERDAY: 215,566

comex gold volumes are RISING AGAIN

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And now for the wild silver comex results.

Total silver OI FALL BY A CONSIDERABLE 2763 CONTRACTS FROM 196,966 DOWN TO 194,459 DESPITE YESTERDAY’S GOOD 13 CENT RISE IN PRICE WHICH SEEMS TO INDICATE WE HAD ANOTHER MAJOR ROUND OF BANKER SHORT-COVERING.  NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAD ANOTHER HUMONGOUS SIZED 1944 EMERGENCY EFP’S FOR MARCH ISSUED BY OUR BANKERS (ZERO FOR ALL OTHER MONTHS) TO COMEX LONGS WHO RECEIVED A FIAT BONUS PLUS A DELIVERABLE PRODUCT OVER IN LONDON.THE TOTAL EFP’S ISSUED: 1944. IT SURE LOOKS LIKE THE SILVER BOYS HAVE STARTED TO MIGRATE TO LONDON FROM THE START OF DELIVERY MONTH AND CONTINUING RIGHT THROUGH UNTIL FIRST DAY NOTICE JUST LIKE WE ARE WITNESSING TODAY. USUALLY WE NOTED THAT CONTRACTION IN OI OCCURRED ONLY DURING THE LAST WEEK OF AN UPCOMING ACTIVE DELIVERY MONTH. THIS PROCESS HAS JUST BEGUN IN EARNEST IN SILVER STARTING IN SEPTEMBER. HOWEVER, IN GOLD, WE HAVE BEEN WITNESSING THIS FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS. WE HAD CONSIDERABLE LONG COMEX SILVER LIQUIDATION AS WELL AS TOTAL SILVER OI LIQUIDATION AS IT SEEMS THAT WE ARE HAVING SOME MAJOR BANKER SHORT-COVERING. WE ARE ALSO WITNESSING A HUGE AMOUNT OF SILVER OUNCES STANDING FOR COMEX METAL IN THIS NON ACTIVE JANUARY AS WELL AS THAT CONTINUAL MIGRATION OF EFPS OVER TO LONDON. ON A PERCENTAGE BASIS THERE ARE MORE EFP’S ISSUED FOR GOLD THAN SILVER AS IT SEEMS THAT A MAJOR PLAYER WISHES TO TAKE ON THE CROOKED COMEX SHORTS. ON A NET BASIS WE LOST 819 OPEN INTEREST CONTRACTS:

2763 CONTRACTS LOSS AT THE COMEX COMBINING WITH THE ADDITION OF 1944 OI CONTRACTS NAVIGATING OVER TO LONDON.

NET LOSS: 819 CONTRACTS

We are now in the big active delivery month of January and here the OI loss by 27 contracts down to 539. THUS BY DEFINITION WE HAVE 539 X 5,000 OZ PER CONTRACT EQUALS 2,695,000 OZ STANDING IN THIS NON ACTIVE MONTH OF JANUARY WHICH IS EXCELLENT FOR THIS GENERALLY POOR DELIVERY MONTH.

February saw a gain OF 39 OI contract RISING TO 186. The March contract LOST 2877 contracts DOWN to 153,585.

We had 321 notice(s) filed for 1,605,000 oz for the DECEMBER 2017 contracts

For JANUARY:
Today, 26 notice(s) were issued from JPMorgan dealer account and 0 notices were issued from their client or customer account. The total of all issuance by all participants equates to 137 contract(s) of which 130 notices were stopped (received) by j.P. Morgan dealer and 0 notice(s) was (were) stopped/ Received) by j.P.Morgan customer account.

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To calculate the INITIAL total number of gold ounces standing for the JANUARY. contract month, we take the total number of notices filed so far for the month (137) x 100 oz or 13700 oz, to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of JAN. (417 contracts) minus the number of notices served upon today (137 x 100 oz per contract) equals 41,700 oz, the number of ounces standing in this active month of JANUARY

Thus the INITIAL standings for gold for the JANUARY contract month:

No of notices served (137 x 100 oz or ounces + {(417)OI for the front month minus the number of notices served upon today (137) x 100 oz which equals 41,700 oz standing in this active delivery month of JANUARY (1.297 tonnes). THERE IS 33.29 TONNES OF REGISTERED GOLD AVAILABLE FOR DELIVERY SO FAR.

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ON FIRST DAY NOTICE FOR JANUARY 2017, THE INITIAL GOLD STANDING: 3.904 TONNES STANDING

BY THE END OF THE MONTH: FINAL: 3.555 TONNES STOOD FOR COMEX DELIVERY AS THE REMAINDER HAD TRANSFERRED OVER TO LONDON FORWARDS.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Total dealer inventory 1,070,309.229 or 33.29 tonnes (dealer gold continues to disappear)
Total gold inventory (dealer and customer) = 9,143,181.135 or 284.39 tonnes

I have a sneaky feeling that these withdrawals of gold in kilobars are being used in the hypothecating process and are being used in the raiding of gold!
The gold comex is an absolute fraud. The use of kilobars and exact weights makes the data totally absurd and fraudulent! To me, the only thing that makes sense is the fact that “kilobars: are entries of hypothecated gold sent to other jurisdictions so that they will not be short with their underwritten derivatives in that jurisdiction. This would be similar to the rehypothecated gold used by Jon Corzine at MF Global.

IN THE LAST 14 MONTHS 70 NET TONNES HAS LEFT THE COMEX.

end

And now for silver

AND NOW THE DECEMBER DELIVERY MONTH

DECEMBER FINAL standings

CANNOT RETRIEVE COMEX INVENTORY DATA

The total number of notices filed today for the JANUARY. contract month is represented by 321 contract(s) FOR 1,605,000 oz. To calculate the number of silver ounces that will stand for delivery in JANUARY., we take the total number of notices filed for the month so far at 321 x 5,000 oz = 1,605,000 oz to which we add the difference between the open interest for the front month of JAN. (539) and the number of notices served upon today (321 x 5000 oz) equals the number of ounces standing.

.

Thus the INITIAL standings for silver for the JANUARY contract month: 321(notices served so far)x 5000 oz + OI for front month of JANUARY(539) -number of notices served upon today (321)x 5000 oz equals 2,695,000 oz of silver standing for the JANUARY contract month. This is VERY GOOD for this NONACTIVE delivery month of JANUARY.

ON FIRST DAY NOTICE FOR THE JANUARY 2017 CONTRACT WE HAD 3,790 MILLION OZ STAND.

THE FINAL STANDING: 3,730 MILLION OZ

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ESTIMATED VOLUME FOR TODAY: 65,836

CONFIRMED VOLUME FOR FRIDAY: 60,489 CONTRACTS

YESTERDAY’S CONFIRMED VOLUME OF 60,489 CONTRACTS EQUATES TO 302 MILLION OZ OR 43.4% OF ANNUAL GLOBAL PRODUCTION OF SILVER

COMMODITY LAW SUGGESTS THAT OPEN INTEREST SHOULD NOT BE MORE THAN 3% OF ANNUAL GLOBAL PRODUCTION. THE CROOKS ARE SUPPLYING MASSIVE PAPER TRYING TO KEEP SILVER IN CHECK.

Total dealer silver: 59.182 million
Total number of dealer and customer silver: 240.232 million oz

The record level of silver open interest is 234,787 contracts set on April 21./2017 with the price at that day at $18.42
The previous record was 224,540 contracts with the price at that time of $20.44

end

NPV for Sprott and Central Fund of Canada

1. Central Fund of Canada: traded at Negative 1.6 percent to NAV usa funds and Negative 1.3% to NAV for Cdn funds!!!!
Percentage of fund in gold 62.8%
Percentage of fund in silver:37.0%
cash .+.2%( Dec 28/2017)

2. Sprott silver fund (PSLV): NAV RISES TO -1.30% (Dec 29 /2017)??????????????????????????????
3. Sprott gold fund (PHYS): premium to NAV FALLS TO -0.91% to NAV (Dec 29 /2017 )
Note: Sprott silver trust back into NEGATIVE territory at -1.30%-/Sprott physical gold trust is back into NEGATIVE/ territory at -0.66%/Central fund of Canada’s is still in jail but being rescued by Sprott.
Sprott WINS hostile 3.1 billion bid to take over Central Fund of Canada

(courtesy Sprott/GATA)

END

And now the Gold inventory at the GLD

Dec 29/NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD/INVENTORY RESTS AT 837.50 TONNES

Dec 28/NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD/INVENTORY RESTS AT 837.50 TONNES

Dec 27/NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD/ INVENTORY RESTS AT 837.50 TONNES

Dec 26/no change in gold inventory at the GLD

Dec 22/ A DEPOSIT OF 1.48 TONNES OF GOLD INTO GLD INVENTORY/INVENTORY RESTS AT 837.50 TONNES

Dec 21′ NO CHANGE IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD/INVENTORY RESTS AT 836.02 TONNES

Dec 20/DESPITE THE GOOD ADVANCE IN PRICE TODAY/THE CROOKS RAIDED THE COOKIE JAR TO THE TUNE OF 1.18 TONNES/INVENTORY RESTS AT 836.02 TONNES

Dec 19/NO CHANGE IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD/INVENTORY RESTS AT 837.20 TONNES

Dec 18 SHOCKINGLY AFTER TWO GOOD GOLD TRADING DAYS, THE CROOKS RAID THE COOKIE JAR BY THE SUM OF 7.09 TONNES/INVENTORY RESTS AT 837.20 TONNES

Dec 15/NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY/RESTS AT 844.29 TONNES.

Dec 14/a good sized gain of 1.48 tonnes of gold into the GLD/inventory rests at 844.29 tones

Dec 13/no changes in gold inventory at the GLD/inventory rests at 842.81 tonnes

Dec 12/SURPRISINGLY NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD/INVENTORY RESTS AT 842.81 TONNES

Dec 11/SURPRISINGLY NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD DESPITE THE CONSTANT RAIDS ON GOLD/INVENTORY RESTS AT 842.81 TONNES

Dec 8/NO CHANGES IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD/INVENTORY RESTS AT 842.81 TONNES

Dec 7/A BIG WITHDRAWAL OF 2.66 TONNES FROM THE GLD/INVENTORY RESTS AT 842.81 TONNES

Dec 6/No changes in GOLD inventory at the GLD/Inventory rests at 845.47 tonnes

Dec 5/A WITHDRAWAL OF 2.64 TONNES FROM THE GLD/INVENTORY RESTS AT 845.47 TONNES

Dec 4/A MASSIVE DEPOSIT OF 8.56 TONNES OF GOLD INTO THE GLD/THE BLEEDING OF GLD GOLD HAS STOPPED/INVENTORY RESTS TONIGHT AT 848.11 TONNES

Dec 1/NO CHANGE IN GOLD INVENTORY AT THE GLD/INVENTORY RESTS AT 839.55 TONNES

Nov 30/no change in gold inventory at the GLD. Inventory rests at 839.55 tonnes

Nov 29/a withdrawal of 2.66 tonnes at the GLD/Inventory rests at 839.55 tonnes

NOV 28/ no change in gold inventory at the GLD/inventory rests at 842.21 tonnes

Nov 27 Strange!! we gold up by $6.40 today, we had a good sized withdrawal of 1.18 tonnes from the GLD. Here is something that is also strange: we have had exactly 1.18 tonnes of gold withdrawn from the comex on 5 separate occasions in the past 30 days..explanation?

Nov 24/no change in gold inventory at the GLD/Inventory rests at 843.09 tonnes

Nov 22/no change in gold inventory at the GLD/Inventory rests at 843.39 tonnes

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Dec 28/2017/ Inventory rests tonight at 837.50 tonnes

*IN LAST 301 TRADING DAYS: 103.45 NET TONNES HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE GLD
*LAST 236 TRADING DAYS: A NET 53.83 TONNES HAVE NOW BEEN ADDED INTO GLD INVENTORY.
*FROM FEB 1/2017: A NET 212.72 TONNES HAVE BEEN ADDED.

end

Now the SLV Inventory

Dec 29/no changes in silver inventory at the SLV/Inventory rests at 323.459 million oz

Dec 28/DESPITE THE RISE IN SILVER AGAIN BY 13 CENTS, WE LOST ANOTHER 1,251,000 OZ OF SILVER FROM THE SILVER.

Dec 27/WITH SILVER UP AGAIN BY 17 CENTS, WE LOST ANOTHER 802,000 OZ OF SILVER INVENTORY/WHAT CROOKS/INVENTORY RESTS AT 324.780 MILLION OZ/

Dec 26/no change in silver inventory at the SLV./Inventory rests at 325.582

Dec 21/NO CHANGE IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/INVENTORY RESTS AT 326.227 MILLION OZ/

Dec 20/INVENTORY REMAINS CONSTANT AT 326.337 MILLION OZ (COMPARE WITH GLD)

Dec 19/SILVER INVENTORY REMAINS CONSTANT AT 326.337 MILLION OZ

Dec 18.2017//SILVER INVENTORY CONTINUES TO REMAIN PAT./INVENTORY REMAINS AT 326.337 MILLION OZ/

INVENTORY RESTS AT 326.337 TONNES

Dec 15/NO CHANGE IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV/INVENTORY RESTS AT 326.337 MILLION OZ/

Dec 14/a small withdrawal of 377,000 oz and that usually means to pay for fees./inventory rests at 326.337 million oz/

Dec 13/no change in silver inventory at the SLV/Inventory rests at 326.714 million oz/

Dec 12/WOW!ANOTHER STRANGE ONE: SILVER HAS BEEN DOWN FOR 10 CONSECUTIVE DAYS, YET THE SLV ADDS ANOTHER 1.415 MILLION OZ TO ITS INVENTORY. IN THAT 10 DAY PERIOD, SLV ADDS 9.584 MILLION OZ/

INVENTORY RESTS AT 326.714 MILLION OZ

Dec 11/WOW!! ANOTHER STRANGE ONE: SILVER DESPITE BEING DOWN FOR 9 CONSECUTIVE TRADING DAYS ADDS ANOTHER 944,000 OZ TO ITS INVENTORY. FROM NOV 30 UNTIL TODAY SILVER HAS BEEN DOWN EVERY DAY. HOWEVER THE INVENTORY OF SILVER HAS RISEN 8.169 MILLION OZ.

Dec 8/A HUGE DEPOSIT OF 2.642 MILLION OZ/INVENTORY RESTS AT 324.355 MILLION OZ/

Dec 7/strange!! with the continual whacking of silver, no change in silver inventory at the SLV/Inventory rests at 321.713

Dec 6/no change in silver inventory at the SLV/Inventory remains at 21.713 million oz.

Dec 5/THIS ONE HIT ME LIKE A TON OF BRICKS: SLV ADDS 2.507 MILLION OZ DESPITE THE HUGE DRUBBING SILVER TOOK TODAY. (PRICE DISCOVERY?)

Dec 4/NO CHANGE IN SILVER INVENTORY AT THE SLV

INVENTORY RESTS AT 319.207 MILLION OZ/

Dec 1/VERY STRANGE!! WITH SILVER IN THE DUMPSTER THESE PAST FEW DAYS, SLV ADDS 2.076 MILLION OZ/???

INVENTORY 319.207 MILLION OZ/

Nov 30/no changes in silver inventory despite the huge drop in price/inventory rests at 317.130 million oz

Nov 29/no changes in silver inventory at the SLV/Inventory rests at 317.130 million oz/strange!! at drop of 32 cents and no change in inventory?

Nov 28/no change in silver inventory at the SLV/Inventory rests at 317.130 million oz.

Nov 27/NO CHANGE IN SILVER INVENTORY DESPITE A ZERO GAIN IN PRICE /QUITE OPPOSITE TO GOLD WHICH SAW 1.18 TONNES OF GOLD WITHDRAWN DESPITE A RISE IN PRICE OF $6.40

Nov 24/A WITHDRAWAL OF 944,000 OZ OF SILVER FROM THE SLV//INVENTORY RESTS AT 317.130 MILLION OZ

Nov 22/no change in silver inventory at the SLV/Inventory rests at 318.074 million oz.

Dec 2892017:

Inventory 323.459 million oz

end

WOW!!!

6 Month MM GOFO
Indicative gold forward offer rate for a 6 month duration

+ 1.85%
12 Month MM GOFO
+ 1.95%
30 day trend

end

Major gold/silver trading /commentaries for FRIDAY

GOLDCORE/BLOG/MARK O’BYRNE.

GOLD/SILVER

Happy 2nd Birthday Bail-in Tool! We Suggest Gold As The Perfect Gift

29, December

END

Cryptos falling again last night

(courtesy zerohedge)

---

Your early THURSDAY morning currency, Asian stock market results, important USA/Asian currency crosses, gold/silver pricing overnight along with the price of oil Major stories overnight/9 AM EST

end

3. ASIAN AFFAIRS

3 a NORTH KOREA/USA

NORTH KOREA/

A Hong Kong ship has just been seized after transferring oil to North Korea

(courtesy zerohedge)

Hong Kong Ship Seized After Transferring Oil To North Korea

Just days after we showed satellite images  which indicated that Chinese ships were trading oil with North Korean ships in a blatant violation of UN Security Council sanctions, South Korea said Friday that it was holding a Hong Kong flagged ship suspected of doing just that.

The Lighthouse Winmore is believed to have “secretly transferred” about 600 tons of refined petroleum products to the North Korean ship, the Sam Jong 2, in international waters in the East China Sea on Oct. 19, according to Bloomberg and the Associated Press.

The Hong Kong vessel had previously visited Yeosu port on Oct. 11 to load up on Japanese oil products and departed the port while claiming its destination was Taiwan. Instead, it transferred the oil to the Sam Jong 2 and three other non-North Korean vessels in international waters

The vessel was chartered by Taiwanese company Billions Bunker Group, which is incorporated in the Marshall Islands. According to Bloomberg, Taiwanese investigators are looking into whether any Taiwanese nationals have ties to the ship that was seized on Friday, Taiwan’s Maritime and Port Bureau says in statement on its website.

Photos from US recon satellites released earlier this week showed at least 30 illegal transactions involving Chinese vessels selling oil to North Korea on the West Sea in October. The images allegedly showed large Chinese and North Korean ships transacting in oil in a part of the West Sea closer to China than South Korea. The satellite pictures were so clear, they even showed the names of the ships.

Amusingly, Beijing on Thursday said there was no illicit trade, with defense ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang denying everything and claiming that China and its military strictly enforced the UN resolutions on North Korea.

“The situation you have mentioned absolutely does not exist,” Ren said at a regular media briefing, without elaborating.

According to Chinese customs data, the country did not export any oil products to North Korea in November.

South Korean customs authorities boarded the ship and interviewed crew members after they returned to Yeosu on Nov. 24. South Korea formally seized the ship after the UN Security Council on Dec. 22 imposed new sanctions on North Korea that allow member states to seize, inspect and freeze vessels that are suspected of transferring banned goods to or from North Korea, the official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity, citing office rules.

The ship’s 25 crew members – 23 of them Chinese nationals and two from Myanmar – are being held at Yeosu but will be allowed to leave South Korea after authorities are finished investigating them, the official said. South Korea plans to report the results of its inspection to the UN Security Council’s sanctions committee.

Whether the Sam Jong 2 returned to North Korea after receiving the oil could not be confirmed.

* * *

The Treasury Department last month sanctioned six North Korean shipping and trading companies and 20 of their vessels. The North Korean ship seen accepting oil transfers in the photos released by the Treasury Department was identified as the Rye Song Gang 1.

Ship-to-ship trade with North Korea at sea is prohibited under the round of UN sanctions adopted on Sept. 11. A subsequent round of sanctions aimed at restricting the North Korean energy trade was passed earlier this month.

President Donald Trump criticized China in a tweet published last night:

Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump

Caught RED HANDED – very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen!

China is responsible for more than 90% of North Korea’s foreign trade and oil supplies.

end

3 b JAPAN AFFAIRS

c) REPORT ON CHINA

China tests its new hypersonic weapon which will render the USA THAAD system powerless

(courtesy zerohedge)

4. EUROPEAN AFFAIRS

Italy’s President has dissolved Parliament and new elections are called for in March.  Do not expect any changes in government

(courtesy Mish Shedlock/Mishtalk)

Italy’s President Dissolves Parliament: “The Current Situation Is One That Fuels Populism”

Authored by Mike Shedlock via www.themaven.net/mishtalk,

Italy’s economic woes and political woes go hand-in-hand.New elections are coming up but a hung parliament is likely.The Wall Street Journal reports Italy’s President Calls National Elections as Country Grapples With Economic Pain.

Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella dissolved parliament Thursday and called elections for early March, a vote that will highlight the economic and political problems still stalking Europe and the country’s role as the weakest flank in the currency union.

The vote—the latest in a series of momentous elections in Europe—will be in line with the overwhelming trends of 2017, featuring a fractured electorate, continued pressure from populist movements and predictions of a struggle to form a cohesive government.

Its economy is 6% smaller than at the start of 2008, making it the only G-7 economy not to have returned to its pre-crisis size.

In a speech a decade ago as head of Italy’s industry association, Luca di Montezemolo, former chairman of Fiat SpA, listed 10 urgent reforms Italian businesses wanted from the government, including a leaner bureaucracy and lower taxes. “I could give that same speech today,” he said in an interview.

The downturn has left deep scars in Italy’s social fabric. More than 4.7 million Italians live in absolute poverty, nearly double the number a decade ago, according to Italian statistical agency Istat.

With youth unemployment at 35%, an entire generation of young people remains jobless or subsists on poorly paid, short-term contracts. Even as the brain drain that has afflicted much of southern Europe begins to ebb, thousands of Italian university graduates continue to emigrate each year.

With no group likely to reach a majority, a hung parliament is highly probable. Lorenzo Codogno, former director general of the Italian Treasury Ministry, assigns a 75% probability to such an outcome.

Return of Silvio Berlusconi

The current situation is one that fuels populism. Support for Matteo Renzi’s party has collapsed.

However, Renzi and former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi conspired to change the rules for the specific purpose of blocking Beppe Grillo’s Five Star movement.

The elections could have been called earlier but they were purposely delayed to benefit Berlusconialthough the 4-time prime minister still cannot become prime minister again himself due to a tax fraud conviction.

Eurosceptic?

Previously, Berlusconi was viewed as a Eurosceptic, but his tune comes and goes with the wind. Currently, the Five Star movement is the only party pushing hard to have a decisive vote on Eurozone membership.

Regardless, Italy has had corrupt governments after corrupt governments. It’s rules and regulations are hugely problematic.

Economic Freedoms

Italy and France are not ranked highly in terms of economic freedom. For details, please see Economic Freedom: Best and Worst Countries, US Timeline History .

Don’t expect the next election to solve any economic problems.

END

5. RUSSIAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN AFFAIRS

The USA and Israel reach a “secret plan” on how to contain Iran

(courtesy zerohedge)

US And Israel Reach “Secret Plan” To Counter Iran

One month after we reported  that Israel would take the unprecedented step of sharing intelligence with Saudi Arabia as the two countries ramped up efforts to curb what they perceive as “Iranian expansion” in the region, on Thursday Israel’s Channel 10 reported that Israel has also pivoted to the US and reached a similar plan to counter Iranian activity in the Middle East. As Axios adds, U.S. and Israeli officials said the joint understandings were reached in “a secret meeting” between senior Israeli and U.S. delegations at the White House on December 12th.

Speaking to Axios, a senior U.S. official said that after two days of talks the U.S. and Israel “reached at a joint document which included understandings on countering Iranian actions in the region.”

The U.S. official said the document goal’s was to translate President Trump’s Iran speech to joint U.S.-Israeli strategic goals regarding Iran and to set up a joint work plan.

On the Israeli side, the team was headed by national security adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat and included senior representatives of the Israeli military, including the Ministry of Defense, Foreign Ministry and intelligence community. The U.S. side was headed by national security adviser H.R. McMaster and included senior representatives from the National Security Council, State Department, Department of Defense and the intelligence community.

• Covert and diplomatic action to block Iran’s path to nuclear weapons – according to the U.S. official this working group will deal with diplomatic steps that can be taken as part of the Iran nuclear deal to further monitor and verify that Iran is not violating the deal. It also includes diplomatic steps outside of the nuclear deal to put more pressure on Iran. The working group will deal with possible covert steps against the Iranian nuclear program.
• Countering Iranian activity in the region, especially the Iranian entrenchment efforts in Syria and the Iranian support for Hezbollah and other terror groups. This working group will also deal with drafting U.S.-Israeli policy regarding the “day after” in the Syrian civil war.
• Countering Iranian ballistic missiles development and the Iranian “precision project” aimed at manufacturing precision guided missiles in Syria and Lebanon for Hezbollah to be used against Israel in a future war.
• Joint U.S.-Israeli preparation for different escalation scenarios in the region concerning Iran, Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.

After the (not so) “secret” meetings, senior Israeli officials confirmed the U.S. and Israel have arrived at strategic understandings regarding Iran that would strengthen the cooperation in countering regional challenges. The Israeli official added that “[T]he U.S. and Israel see eye to eye the different developments in the region and especially those that are connected to Iran. We reached at understandings regarding the strategy and the policy needed to counter Iran. Our understandings deal with the overall strategy but also with concrete goals, way of action and the means which need to be used to get obtain those goals.”

Meanwhile, apparently unconcerned by the Saudi-Israeli-US axis that has formed to contain his nation, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that US President Donald Trump would fail in his hardened stance towards Iran, saying Tehran is stronger than during the time of Ronald Reagan.

“Reagan was more powerful and smarter than Trump, and he was a better actor in making threats, and he also moved against us and they shot down our plane,” Khamenei said in a speech carried on state television.

For now, the Iranian’s Trump-tautning has remained unanswered. The problem is that if Iran continues to dare the US, and its new regional allies Israel and Saudi Arabia, now that there is a regional axis meant to “contain” Iran by any means necessary, it won’t take much for the US, and especially Israel, to respond accordingly.

end

Corruption and high prices have taken a toll on the Iranian government as rare protests grow

(courtesy zerohedge)

Rare Anti-Government Protests Grow In Iran, Reports Of Jammed Satellite TV Networks

Rare protests in multiple cities across Iran, especially in the country’s second largest city of Mashhad, gained momentum on Thursday and Western media and pundits are beginning to take note. Though it appears the main protest locations have been consistently described as being in the hundreds and not yet reaching mass numbers, observers say they are likely to grow in size and in intensity as economic grievances over high prices, corruption, and mismanagement have reached a boiling point.

The largest and most covered protests were held in Mashhad on Thursday. Map via World Atlas

Notably, dozens of videos were uploaded to social media channels Thursday showing demonstrators primarily in Mashhad in northwest Iran chanting “death to [President] Rouhani” and “death to the dictator”. Mashhad is considered one of the holiest and most conservative places in Shia Islam, causing some pundits to conclude that if such aggressive anti-government demonstrations can take place there, they could take place anywhere throughout Iran. Other places named by the semi-official ILNA news agency and social media reports where demonstrations have occurred are in Razavi Khorasan Province, including Neyshabour and Kashmar.

And there are some indications that authorities in Tehran are preparing for a broader crackdown to prevent protests from spreading. Though unconfirmed, Carl Bildt, the co-chair for the European Council on Foreign Relations cited on Thursday afternoon  “Reports of signals of international satellite TV networks jammed in large cities of Iran. Would be sign of regime fear of today’s protests spreading.” And well-known opposition outlets further reported that over 100 protesters were arrested in Mashhad.

BBC Persian✔@bbcpersian

این ویدئو را یکی از مخاطبان از تجمع اعتراضی امروز مردم در #مشهد فرستاده. فرماندار مشهد تظاهرات و تجمع اعتراضی امروز در این شهر را غیرقانونی خوانده و گفته است که نیروی انتظامی با تجمع‌کنندگان “بسیار با مدارا” برخورد کرده است.

Ground footage of Thursday’s protests in Mashad, northeast Iran.

Frances Townsend✔@FranTownsend

Incredible! Huge anti-regime protest in #Mashad#Iranhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4xOG5tpd3w&sns=tw … via @youtube

4:37 PM – Dec 28, 2017

Frances Townsend✔@FranTownsend

Mass protest in #Mashad#Iran calling for the death of the dictator Rouhani https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzUpuzuX1C0&sns=tw … via @youtube

Though Iranian president Rouhani’s signature achievement – the 2015 nuclear deal brokered with the United States and other world powers – resulted in the lifting of most international sanctions in early 2016, this has yet to bring the broad economic benefits the government had promised was coming.

A Reuters summary of the dire economic situation nationwide is as follows:

Unemployment stood at 12.4 percent in this fiscal year, according to the Statistical Centre of Iran, up 1.4 percent from the previous year. About 3.2 million Iranians are jobless, out of a total population of 80 million. Mashad governor Mohammad Rahim Norouzian was quoted by the semi-official ISNA news agency as saying that “the demonstration was illegal but the police dealt with people with tolerance”.

He said a number of protesters were arrested for “trying to damage public property”. Videos posted on social media showed riot police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse crowds.

Norouzian was quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA that the protests were organized by “enemies of the Islamic Republic” and “counter-revolutionaries”.

Also interesting is that demonstrators are reportedly criticizing Tehran for being so heavily invested in Syria at a time when Iran is squeezed domestically, while chanting “leave Syria, think about us.”

Various reports over the last couple years of the war have put estimates of Iran’s military expenditure in Syria at ranges from $6 billion a year to $15-$20 billion a year (which includes financing Hezbollah and other regional militias) – a considerable sacrifice considering Iran’s mounting debt and massive unpaid bills.

i24NEWS English

✔@i24NEWS_EN

#Iran protests: this might be #Rouhani‘s chance to force the economic reform he’s been long clamoring for, @MeirJa tells @talexander_i24

Israeli as well as Iranian opposition commentators have generally appeared giddy with excitement at the prospect that protests could spread inside Iran.

RFE/RL✔@RFERL

Protesters took to the streets of Iran’s city of Mashhad and other towns to voice their anger over high prices and unemployment. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowds. VIDEO

US government funded broadcasts and media outlets like Radio Free Europe also closely covered the unrest Thursday.

On Wednesday Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged that the nation was going through a period of difficulty with “high prices, inflation and recession”, and rallied officials to resolve the problems quickly.

Protests in various locations have been sporadic since October, and before that the most significant mass demonstrations took place in 2011, concurrent with the so-called Arab Spring movement, and throughout 2009 as part of the widely covered “Green Movement” in response to the presidential election.

 end

6. GLOBAL ISSUES

7. OIL ISSUES

end

8. EMERGING MARKET

 end

And now your more important USA stories which will influence the price of gold/silver

DOW: DOWN 118.29 OR .48%

NASDAQ DOWN 46.77 OR .67%

TRADING IN GRAPH FORM FOR THE DAY

Early stock trading this morning/ yields again fall along with the dollar

(courtesy zerohedge)

I will try and see you TUESDAY night

THROUGHOUT THE HOLIDAYS AND THE FIRST WEEK OF THE NEW YEAR, I WILL BE VERY SPORADIC IN MY COMMENTARIES

I WILL AT LEAST PROVIDE FOR YOU THE COMEX DATA AS I FEEL THAT IS ESSENTIAL

I WISH EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR.

HARVEY