October 2017 Investor Letter

Strategy Performance

Investment Philosophy and Approach

The Active Asset Allocator investment strategy is designed to deliver a consistent level of positive returns over time with a strong focus on capital preservation. I follow a multi-asset investment approach, actively allocating between global equities, bonds, precious metals, currencies and cash. I always invest with the primary trend of the market and do not follow a benchmark. Instead, I manage the market risk for clients. This strategy has returned +10% per annum net of fees since inception with a lower level of risk than the average multi-asset fund. My active asset allocation approach is best illustrated in the following chart.

Gold Trader focuses on capturing the strongest and weakest parts of gold's daily cycle, buying daily cycle lows, selling daily cycle highs and holding for 10-20 trading days, depending on the cycle count. This approach allows me to effectively manage risk. The strategy aims to capture +5%-6% profit per trade while risking 2%-3% each time and has a win rate in excess of 70%.

Executive Summary

The stock market continues to climb higher on record low volatility. If this trend continues, European stocks will break out above 17 year resistance levels to new all time highs. If this breakout occurs (and holds), the Active Asset Allocator will take a position in European shares. The risk will be modest. Above 400-415 on the Eurostoxx 600 Index and I am a buyer. A meaningful close back below 400 and I will close or significantly reduce the position. I will let the charts be my guide. Apart from valuation concerns, stocks continue to exhibit bullish characteristics. I have pointed out a few areas of concern in recent Investor Letters, including a decline in the number of stocks making new highs versus new lows and have highlighted another area of potential weakness/divergence in this month's investment update. It is worthy of continued observation in the months ahead. For now, Active Asset Allocator maintains an allocation of 20% global equities / 20% EU government bonds / 15% inflation linked bonds / 5% EU aggregate bonds / 30% precious metals / 10% cash.

Turning to precious metals, Sprott Asset Management has agreed to acquire the common shares of Central Fund of Canada Limited (CFCL) and the rights to administer and manage CFCL’s assets. Upon completion of the transaction, all CFCL Class A shares will be exchanged for units in a new Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust. US$300 million in value is expected to be realized for CFCL class A shareholders, relative to 9% pre-announcement net asset value (“NAV”) discount. Good news for existing holders of Central Fund of Canada shares. The 7-9% discount has reduced to 2% and will be eliminated once the deal closes. Also please note, a Gold Trader performance update will follow shortly.

Finally, for the history buffs amongst you, I posted an article in the Research section of the website entitled "The 1929 Parallel", written by John Kenneth Galbraith and published in the January 1987 issue of The Atlantic Magazine. The article is interesting both for its content and the timeliness of its publication in January 1987.

Stock Market Update

“The combination of central banker-applied brute force (buying everything in sight) and deity-like central banker pronouncements has dampened market volatility and frisky free-lancing, but at the same time it has encouraged risk taking (in market positioning, not it business formation). We have thought, and still think, that confidence in central banks and policymakers has been unjustified and thus could erode or collapse at any time. Since the major financial institutions which comprise the financial system are still way overleveraged and opaque (in fact with record amounts of debt and derivatives at present), such a break in confidence could happen abruptly and without warning. Investors should come to grips, intellectually and viscerally, with the likelihood that most fiscal and monetary policymakers’ knowlege of the world is somewhere between “close to nothing” and “way less than zero,” and that their pronouncements and policies usually range from “silly but harmless” to “dumb and dangerous.”

— Paul Singer, Elliott Capital Management

Paul Singer, who runs one of the world's largest and most successful hedge funds, is certainly no fan of central bankers and the controlling influence they exert over financial markets, that's for sure...... and who could blame him. Since the start of 2016, the ECB has expanded its balance sheet by 57% or €1.55 trillion. They are adding another €250 billion in 2017. Not to be outdone, the Bank of Japan has expanded its balance sheet by 34% to $4.6 trillion. Notably however, the Federal Reserve has signaled its intention to start withdrawing liquidity from the banking system this month in a significant shift in policy away from Quantitative Easing (QE) to Quantitative Tightening (QT). They are starting slowly at a rate of $10 billion/month in October and increasing to $50 billion/month in 2018, market permitting.

Despite Singer's reservations, stock markets around the world are climbing steadily higher. Money flows where it's treated best and so far, stocks continue to attract record inflows, particularly into passive, indexed tracking funds. This bull market has now become the second largest in history with the S&P 500 returning +275% since March 2009 in USD terms. Only the decade-long run of the 1990's has done better, +400%. US stocks now account for 52-55% of the global equity benchmark, depending on the benchmark you follow. 

The recent climb higher has come on record low volatility. The next chart shows the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The volatility of the weekly price moves is captured in the lower half of the chart. If you look closely, you will see that volatility has reached a multi-decade low. A rise in volatility does not necessarily have to coincide with a collapse in stock prices (1996-2000 for example), but it could (2008-2009).

In 2017 YTD, global equities have returned +3.7% in euro terms. Stock markets have navigated the historically volatile month of September with ease. If they continue to trade in bulletproof fashion in October, we may see a run higher into the end of the year. Apart from valuation concerns, stocks continue to exhibit bullish characteristics. I have pointed out a few areas of concern in recent Investor Letters, including a decline in the number of stocks making new highs versus new lows. I have also highlighted another area of potential weakness/divergence below. Here is a chart of the FTSE World Index, the global equity benchmark, priced in euro terms. The Index made a higher high in 2017 but on weaker relative strength (RSI) and falling momentum (MACD). This suggests the uptrend is weakening, which usually occurs towards the end of significant moves. It is worthy of continued observation in the months ahead.

A similar divergence occurred in the US Treasury bond market before a sharp decline in prices in 2016....

While stocks continue higher, a declining number are trading above their long-term 200-day moving average. 81% of stocks were above their long-term trend in late 2016. Today, just 70% are in confirmed uptrends. Below 50% and the stock market would get into difficulty.

What if I'm wrong? What if stock markets melt up for two more years, or longer? Central banks have already printed trillions and that money is sloshing around the system. What happens if money continues to flow into equities each month with no regard for valuation? I don't expect it will happen but it might. We are operating in unprecedented times. So here is my plan.

European stocks in aggregate trade at a valuation discount to US companies. Many European stocks are household names (Siemens, SAP, Unilever, Total, Allianz, Anheuser Busch Inbev) yet are under-owned relative to their US counterparts. Eurozone stocks for example account for just 11% of the global equity index (17% if you include the UK), compared to 55% for the US.

European stocks, as measured by the Eurostoxx 600 Index, have traded in very broad range for the last 17 years. The Eurostoxx 600 Index hit a resistance zone of 400 in 2000, 2007 and again in 2015, failing to break out on each occasion. We are approaching that resistance zone again today. The Index reached 390 this week. The market may be strong enough to break through this time. A confirmed break above a 17-year resistance zone would be significant, and quite bullish for EU stocks.

If the Eurostoxx 600 Index can close at new all time highs and turn resistance into support, the Active Asset Allocator will take a position in European shares. The risk would be modest. Above 400-415 and I am a buyer. A meaningful close back below 400 and I would close or significantly reduce the position. I will let the charts be my guide.

The current asset mix of the Active Asset Allocator is 20% global equities / 20% EU government bonds / 15% inflation linked bonds / 5% EU aggregate bonds / 30% precious metals / 10% cash. If we get the breakout in European equities, I will make the following trades:

Equities: Sell 10% Global Equities, Buy 30% EU Equities

Bonds: Sell 10% EU government bonds, Sell 5% EU aggregate bonds

The revised asset mix would be: 10% global equities / 30% EU equities / 10% EU government bonds / 15% inflation linked bonds / 30% precious metals / 5% cash.

One final comment. Passive fund flows are dominating the industry. Almost $500 billion flowed into passive funds in 2016 according to Morningstar, while $200 billion flowed out of active funds last year. That is almost three quarters of a trillion dollars... In one year! One of the unfortunate side effects of this trend has been that the industry is losing talented and thoughtful leaders in active management and none come more talented than Hugh Hendry, of Eclectica Asset Management. Hendry closed his Global Macro Fund last month after suffering a tough period of sub-par performance. His Fund returned -10% YTD through 31 August. Hendry was interviewed recently on the Adventures in Finance podcast. Well worth a listen.

For more information on my stock market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Bond Market Update

While 2 and 5 year UK and US bond yields have risen a little in recent months, 10 and 30 year bond yields remain firmly in downtrends across the world. We could be getting close to a break out higher in longer-dated government bond yields in some regions, but not yet.

Inflation-linked bonds meanwhile remain in broad multi-year uptrends. UK and US IL bonds were adversely impacted in recent months due to currency movements, but the longer-term trends remain intact. The Active Asset Allocator may tilt the exposure towards inflation hedging via ILB's, precious metals and an increased EU equity allocation and away from deflationary hedges (cash and fixed interest rate bonds) if markets start pricing in a more inflationary bias. I do not see that happening quite yet, but the trend may be turning in that direction.

For more information on my bond market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Gold Market Update

As noted in a recent Market Alert, Sprott Asset Management agreed to acquire the common shares of Central Fund of Canada Limited (CFCL) and the rights to administer and manage CFCL’s assets for C$120 million in cash and stock. Upon completion of the transaction, all CFCL Class A shares will be exchanged for units in a new Sprott Physical Gold and Silver Trust. US$300 million in value is expected to be realized for CFCL class A shareholders, relative to 9% pre-announcement net asset value (“NAV”) discount. Good news for existing holders of Central Fund of Canada shares. The 7-9% discount has reduced to 2% today and will be eliminated once the deal closes.

After a sharp -12% decline this year, the US dollar is attempting a long-overdue bounce. I am not expecting much of a rally, rather a consolidation around current levels before the next leg lower. 

US dollar trends typically last years once they get going. Following the Plaza Accord in 1985, the USD fell sharply and remained in a downtrend for 10 years. The USD Index then rallied from 1995-2001 before the next sharp decline from 2001-2008. Following a choppy move higher from 2008-2016, the USD Index has reversed sharply lower in the first nine months of 2017. I believe this is the start of a multi-year trend lower.

Gold is waking up to the USD reversal. From 2001-2008, the USD Index fell -43% from 126.21 to 71.33. During that period, Gold rallied over +600% from $250 to $1900. I think we could see something similar this time around. Gold has broken its multi-year downtrend and is now back-testing the prior resistance zone. I expect resistance to become support as gold builds the energy to launch higher over the next 12 months.

For more information on my gold market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

August 2017 Investor Letter

Strategy Performance

Investment Philosophy and Approach

The Active Asset Allocator investment strategy is designed to deliver a consistent level of positive returns over time with a strong focus on capital preservation. I follow a multi-asset investment approach, actively allocating between global equities, bonds, precious metals, currencies and cash. I always invest with the primary trend of the market and do not follow a benchmark. Instead, I manage the market risk for clients. This strategy has returned +10% per annum net of fees since inception with a lower level of risk than the average multi-asset fund. My active asset allocation approach is best illustrated in the following chart.

Gold Trader focuses on capturing the strongest and weakest parts of gold's daily cycle, buying daily cycle lows, selling daily cycle highs and holding for 10-20 trading days, depending on the cycle count. This approach allows me to effectively manage risk. The strategy aims to capture +5%-6% profit per trade while risking 2%-3% each time and has a win rate in excess of 70%.

Executive Summary

Since my last report published on 17th May (apologies for the delay in getting this one out), global equities have declined -1.1% in euro terms, Eurozone government bonds have rallied +0.4% and gold priced in euros has fallen -4.8%. Currency moves have negatively impacted Active Asset Allocator returns in recent months with the USD falling -6% and GBP falling 4% versus the Euro during that time. All is not lost however and this month I highlight my bullish expectations for precious metals for the second half of 2017 and beyond. I think gold is on the cusp of a significant move higher.

This month I also review Bob Farrell's 10 rules of investing and discuss how they apply to the markets (particularly the stock market) today. Farrell is a stock market veteran who cut his teeth on Wall Street during the 1950's and experienced many of the equity booms and busts that followed over the next five decades. Farrell crafted his 10 rules of investing based on those experiences and lessons learned.  For now, I remain defensively positioned in the Active Asset Allocator with 20% equities / 40% bonds / 30% precious metals / 10% cash.

Gold Trader Trade 14 (-2.6%) and Trade 15 (+0.6%) closed in July. Trade 16 is open and +1% so far. Click here to view the August 2017 Investor Letter.

Stock Market Update

I was reminded recently of Bob Farrell and his 10 rules of investing, wisdom he accumulated over an illustrious career on Wall Street spanning five decades. Farrell joined Merrill Lynch in 1957 as a technical analyst after completing a Masters degree at Columbia Business School where he studied under Benjamin Graham and David Dodd, authors of the investment bible 'Security Analysis'. Farrell witnessed many bull and bear markets throughout his career and crafted his 10 rules of investing based on those experiences and lessons learned. This month, I review Farrell's 10 rules and see how they apply to markets today.

1: Markets tend to return to the mean over time. Trends in one direction or another eventually exhaust themselves and price moves back to test the long-term moving average. This generally happens every few years. The epic bull run in stock markets has swung from oversold in 2009 to overbought today. Even in strong bull markets, investors should expect the long-term moving average to be tested every couple of years. Today, the S&P 500 is 20% above its long-term moving average, while the Eurostoxx 600 is 7% above its long-term trend. 

2: Excesses in one direction will lead to an opposite excess in the other direction. Markets that overshoot on the upside will also overshoot on the downside. The New York Stock Exchange publishes data for margin debt at the end of each month. Margin debt represents the extent to which investors borrow to invest in the stock market. Bull markets breed (over)confidence and confident investors borrow to invest in the stock market. Margin debt surged on three occasions since 1995 coinciding with the last three bull market peaks. Today, NYSE margin debt has never been higher. Ever!

3: There are no new eras – excesses are never permanent. There are always hot stocks and sectors of the market that attract speculative capital. Some lead to speculative bubbles but they never last. Today, internet sensations Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, Google and the cryptocurrencies Bitcoin and Ethereum fall into this category. They are attracting a lot of hot money but chasers will be punished, eventually. It always happens.

4: Exponential rapidly rising or falling markets usually go further than you think, but they do not correct by going sideways. Bullish and bearish trends generally last longer than expected. However once the trends end, they are followed by sharp reversals. The Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite and Nasdaq 100 indices are two examples of exponentially rising stock markets followed by sharp reversals. In China, this occurred in 2008 and again in 2015. In the US, the Nasdaq bubble popped in 2001 and again in 2008. Another appears not too far away.

5: The public buys the most at the top and the least at the bottom. The average investor is most bullish at market tops and most bearish at market bottoms. When the marginal buyer turns into the marginal seller, a bear market begins and endures until panic sets in, the speculative buyers have been forced to sell and investor sentiment turns pessimistic. This roller coaster of sentiment and emotion is what defines a market. 

6: Fear and greed are stronger than long-term resolve. Human emotion is the enemy when it comes to investing in the stock market. Successful investing requires discipline, patience and a cool head. Sharp declines lead to fear; sharp rallies lead to overconfidence and investor complacency. The Vix index is an excellent barometer that captures fear and greed in the stock market. Low readings in the Vix Index go hand in hand with investor confidence and limited demand for insurance to hedge against stock market declines. Spikes in the Vix Index coincide with periods of sharp selling in the stock market as panic sets in. Today, the Vix index is trading near ALL TIME LOWS.  

7: Markets are strongest when they are broad and weakest when they narrow to a handful of blue-chip names. Stock market breadth and volume are important indicators of underlying strength of a stock market advance. When participation is broad, stock market rallies have endurance and momentum and are difficult to stop. When participation is confined to just a few large-cap stocks, rallies have less credibility, momentum and strength. Today, stock market breadth remains quite firm. The Advance/Decline line (lower left chart) continues to make new highs, signalling that the majority of stocks remain in an uptrend. However, initial signs of deterioration are showing up in the number of net new highs being made on the NYSE. This occurred just prior to every correction in the past. 

8: Bear markets have three stages – sharp down, reflexive rebound and a drawn-out fundamental downtrend. The typical pattern in a bear market decline involves a sharp sell-off, an equally sharp reversal higher and then a long, slow grind lower until valuations become compelling once again. The reflexive rebound separating each decline is designed to keep the believers invested and encourage 'falling knife' catchers. 

9: When all the experts and forecasts agree – something else is going to happen. If everyone's optimistic, there is nobody left to buy. Excessive bullish sentiment can be damaging to your financial health. If often pays to adopt a contrarian investment strategy and take a more defensive position when the herd becomes overly confident about the market's future prospects. 

10: Bull markets are more fun than bear markets. This is true for most investors and fund managers who have long-only investment mandates and are typically fully invested all the time.

For more information on my stock market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Bond Market Update

German 10-year bond yields have rallied 6 basis points since my last report while US 10-year treasury yields have fallen 7 basis points. Bonds continue to hold their own and are preparing for their next leg higher (and lower in yields) as the bull market in equities finally rolls over and a sharp equity bear market begins. The secular low in bond yields still lies somewhere in the future. 

Meanwhile, the trend in inflation-linked bonds remains steadily higher, albeit at a relatively modest pace. Currency has impacted euro-denominated returns in 2017 YTD, as weakness in GBP and USD in particular have not fed through to higher inflation-linked bond prices in local currency terms. A weakening currency will lead to rising input costs, particularly in a country like the US, which is the world's second largest importer of goods and services ($2.7 trillion in 2016). Rising input costs are inflationary. I expect the inflation-linked bond allocation in the Active Asset Allocator to make a more meaningful contribution to performance over the next few years.

For more information on my bond market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Gold Market Update

Gold is setting up for a big move, so let me lay out my expectations for what I believe will happen over the remainder of 2017 and beyond. Gold's first task is to break above $1,300, which I expect will happen in August or September. A break above $1,300 would be significant for a number of reasons. Gold made a series of higher lows in 2017 since the washout decline to $1,124 in December 2016. Gold trading above $1,300 adds support to the view that the bear market in precious metals (2011-2016) has ended and a new bull market has begun confirmed by a rising trend in the gold price.

A break above $1,300 would also be significant as it would confirm a break out of the longer-term triangle consolidation that has been in place since gold topped at $1,923 in 2011. Once we get a good close above $1,300, I expect a sharp run higher towards $1,400 or $1,500 before the next consolidation. $1,500 represented strong support in 2011 and 2012 before it gave way in 2013, so I expect gold will take some time to get back above that level. After $1,500, I expect gold will challenge and ultimately exceed the all time highs above $1,900, probably in 2019. Once gold clears $1,900, I believe the bubble phase in precious metals will begin and gold will have a monster move higher in an epic bull market that will be a sight to behold..... but let's not get ahead of ourselves. $1,300 in August/September, $1,400-$1,500 by year-end and $1,900 in 2019, which is 50% above today's gold price.

I expect the bull market in precious metals will go hand in hand with a currency crisis in the world's reserve currency, the US dollar. I have shown the following chart on a number of occasions in previous reports. It is a chart of the USD Index from 1980 to today (red and black line) and USD gold (blue). The USD Index has made a series of lower highs and lower lows over the last 37 years. After it's run higher in 2014/2015, the USD Index appears now to have topped and started another multi-year decline, which should ultimately break to new all time lows in the years ahead. 

For more information on my gold market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

May 2017 Investor Letter

Strategy Performance

Investment Philosophy and Approach

The Active Asset Allocator investment strategy is designed to deliver a consistent level of positive returns over time with a strong focus on capital preservation. I follow a multi-asset investment approach, actively allocating between global equities, bonds, precious metals, currencies and cash. I always invest with the primary trend of the market and do not follow a benchmark. Instead, I manage the market risk for clients. This strategy has returned +11% per annum net of fees since inception with a lower level of risk than the average multi-asset fund. My active asset allocation approach is best illustrated in the following chart.

Gold Trader focuses on capturing the strongest and weakest parts of gold's daily cycle, buying daily cycle lows, selling daily cycle highs and holding for 10-20 trading days, depending on the cycle count. This approach allows me to effectively manage risk. The strategy aims to capture +5%-6% profit per trade while risking 2%-3% each time and has a win rate in excess of 70%.

Executive Summary

Over the last couple of months, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google together have added $260 billion in market capitalisation. Meanwhile, the other 495 companies in the S&P 500 have lost a similar amount. Market leadership is narrowing to just a handful of names, a trend that often occurs at the tail end of a bull market. Smart investors are taking note. Paul Singer recently raised $5 billion to take advantage of opportunities when investor confidence becomes impaired and volatility spikes. Warren Buffett is sitting on 22% cash in his investment company Berkshire Hathaway. We are getting close.

Bonds have had a quiet couple of months but as long as 3% on the 10-year US Treasury and 1% on the 10-year German Bund hold, I continue to believe that the final low in yields of this multi-decade bull market lies somewhere in our future. The price action in gold could provide the clue to the timing of the turn (lower in stocks, higher in bonds and gold). Gold Trader is looking to catch the top of gold's fourth daily cycle before the final descent into a medium-term low in June. Once next month's low is in place, I expect a powerful move higher over the Summer, possibly to $1,500, as the stock market finally rolls over.

Stock Market Update

Paul Singer's hedge fund Elliott Management raised $5 billion in 24 hours last week to take advantage of a potential major investment opportunity set that could emerge "when investor confidence is impaired, recent correlations and assumptions don't work and prices are changing rapidly". Singer, one of the most successful hedge fund managers of all time, is expecting a sharp rise in volatility and some unpleasant consequences for investors in the not too distant future. He is not the only one. Warren Buffett is currently holding 22% cash - nearly $100 billion - in his investment company Berkshire Hathaway. Two titans of the investment industry are on edge and concerned about the outlook for global markets.

Back in May 2013, Paul Singer penned an excellent article describing the moral hazard that has been created by the Federal Reserve. (The full article is available in the Research section of my website at the following link: In the Wilderness). In the article, Singer lambastes the Federal Reserve for the dangerous policies they have pursued and the unintended consequences that have yet to be felt from their reckless and irresponsible actions.

“If you look at the history of Fed policy from Greenspan to Bernanke, you see two broad and destructive paths quite clearly. One path is the cult of central banking, in which the central bank gradually acquired the mantle of all-knowing guru and maestro, capable of fine-tuning the global economy and financial system, despite their infinite complexity. On this path traveled arrogance, carelessness and a rigid and narrow orthodoxy substituting for an open-minded quest to understand exactly what the modern financial system actually is and how it really works. The second path is one of lower and lower discipline, less and less conservative stewardship of the precious confidence that is all that stands between fiat currency and monetary ruin. Monetary debasement in its chronic form erodes people’s savings. In its acute and later stages, it can destroy the social cohesion of a society as wealth is stolen and/or created not by ideas, effort and leadership, but rather by the wild swings of asset prices engendered by the loss of any anchor to enduring value. In that phase, wealth and credit assets (debt) are confiscated or devalued by various means, including inflation and taxation, or by changes to laws relating to the rights of asset holders. Speculators win, savers are destroyed, and the ties that bind either fray or rip. We see no signs that our leaders possess the understanding, courage or discipline to avoid this.”

— Paul Singer, Elliott Management, May 2013.

One of the consequences of continuous central bank intervention in capital markets has been the emergence of the short volatility trade as investor confidence levels ratchet up once again. A tremendous amount of capital has been placed on bets that volatility will remain suppressed for the foreseeable future. This, at a time when the Vix Index (below) is trading at multi-decade lows. Over the past 13 trading days, the S&P 500 has traded within a range of 1.01%, the least volatile 13 days in history! Volatility spikes and rapid changes in price are what Paul Singer is preparing for.

The Vix Index is a measure of the volatility of S&P 500 index options and is considered a prescient gauge of investor confidence (when the Vix is low) and fear (when the Vix spikes higher).

Another direct consequence of continuous central bank intervention has been the reach for yield as investors are forced out of low risk cash and into higher risk investments in the search for income and a reasonable investment return. Total assets in Rydex Money Market Funds have now also fallen to multi-decade lows.....

.... at a time when stock market valuations and margin debt as a percentage of nominal GDP have rarely been higher.

There is also a potential negative divergence now appearing in the S&P 500 where price is breaking out to new all-time highs but relative strength and momentum indicators are failing to confirm the move. This signals that the rally could be nearing its final stages.

In his 1st May Weekly Market Comment, John Hussman showed a simple chart of the S&P 500, marking all days since 1960 where the opening level of the Index was 0.5% above the prior day's closing price and the Index was within 2% of an all-time high. On some occasions, these conditions occurred shortly before the final bull market high, while on others (August 1987 and October 2007), they occurred just a few days before or after the final market top. Food for thought.

Stock markets have enjoyed a very strong multi-year rally since 2009, and since bottoming versus gold in 2011. The S&P has handily outperformed precious metals over the last six years, following gold's strong relative performance versus US equities from 2000 until 2011.  I believe the trend is now turning once again in favour of gold. I think gold will put in a meaningful low over the next 4-6 weeks (see Gold Market Update for more information), which I expect will coincide with a top in the stock market. After that, things should start to get interesting.

European stocks (lower left chart) trade at a valuation discount relative to US stocks and the market is pricing in quite a depressed level of earnings growth for EU companies. So, there is a margin of safety priced in to EU stock markets. Chinese stocks (lower right chart) continue to face significant headwinds and the chart of the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index suggests that the downward trend will persist for some time yet. I will be tilting the regional equity bias in the Active Asset Allocator towards Europe following the next meaningful correction, but for now, I continue to recommend caution and maintain a defensive position in the Active Asset Allocator of 20% equities / 40% bonds / 30% precious metals / 10% cash. 

For more information on my stock market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Bond Market Update

The trend remains down for government bond yields across the world. Inflationary pressures are probably greatest in the United States and eventually that will be reflected in the US Treasury market. However, as long as the US 10-year yield remains below 3.0%, I think the final low in yields of this multi-decade bull market lies somewhere in our future. 

Debt, demographics and delusional central banks are combining to perpetuate this bull market in bonds. Despite the recent rise in yields, Eurozone government bond yields also remain in a multi-year downward trend. As long as 10-year German bund yields remain below 1.0%, the bond bull market remains intact.

It has been a quiet couple of months for inflation-linked bonds but the longer-term trend remains up for this under-owned asset class. Inflation-linked bonds offer attractive diversification benefits for multi-asset portfolios and perform well at times when equities and fixed interest rate bonds are struggling. I will likely increase the allocation to ILB's in the Active Asset Allocator over the course of the next 12 months.

For more information on my bond market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Gold Market Update

I closed Trade 12 of the Gold Trader strategy last week for a 2% gain (+4.4%YTD). I am looking to place another short position for Gold Trader to catch the top of gold's fourth daily cycle before the final descent into a medium-term low in June. Once next month's low is in place, I am expecting a powerful move higher over the Summer, coinciding with a top and decline in the stock market.

I am pretty excited about the prospects for Gold Trader. The strategy looks to capture 5-6% per trade while risking just 2-3% each time and has a win rate in excess of 70% based on over 10 years of data. Profits are tax-free to the client and fees are performance based. No gain, no fee. Please get in touch if you are interested in learning more.

I expect gold to bottom next month near $1,170. The possibility remains for a fast and sharp drop below the December 2016 low of $1,124 to shake out the bulls, which would provide the fuel for the next rally. Either way, once gold gets going, I expect a strong move higher towards $1,500. Gold Trader will be searching for a long position next month to get on board the move. 

For more information on my gold market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

February 2017 Investor Letter

Strategy Performance

Investment Philosophy and Approach

The Active Asset Allocator investment strategy is designed to deliver a consistent level of positive returns over time with a strong focus on capital preservation. I follow a multi-asset investment approach, actively allocating between global equities, bonds, precious metals, currencies and cash. I always invest with the primary trend of the market and do not follow a benchmark. Instead, I manage the market risk for clients. This strategy has returned +11% per annum net of fees since inception with a lower level of risk than the average multi-asset fund. My active asset allocation approach is best illustrated in the following chart.

Gold Trader and Gold PowerTrader focus on capturing the strongest and weakest parts of gold's daily cycles, buying daily cycle lows, selling daily cycle highs and holding for 10-15 trading days, depending on the cycle count. This approach allows me to effectively manage risk. The strategy aims to capture +5% to 6% profit per trade while risking 2% each time and has a win rate in excess of 70%.

Executive Summary

Wishing all Secure Investments readers a healthy and prosperous 2017! The Active Asset Allocator returned +8.9% in 2016. A full two thirds of this performance came at the start of the year during a period of heightened volatility and declining stock prices. By the end of February 2016, the 30% allocation to bonds had contributed +1% to the strategy's performance while the 30% allocation to precious metals had contributed +5%. The 20% allocation to global equities impacted performance by -1%. So, the AAA was +5% by the end of February versus -4% for the average multi-asset fund.

From March through October 2016, the AAA added another +5% with +2% coming from the allocation to global equities and +3% from precious metals. By the end of October, the AAA was +10% YTD versus +2% YTD for the average multi-asset fund. Following Trump's election victory on 8th November, money flowed out of safe haven assets and into stocks, leading to a run higher in equities in the last two months of the year and a selloff in bonds,  gold and the Euro. All in all, I am satisfied with the performance of the strategy in what was quite a difficult year to navigate. Many hedge funds delivered negative or very modest positive returns in 2016.

For Gold Trader followers, the December 2016 low marked the end of the last Investor Cycle (IC) with a new IC starting on 16th December. The first daily cycle (DC1) of this new IC peaked at $1,219 on 17th January and then dropped into a low (DCL1) on 27th January 2017 at $1,190. DC2 is now underway and I think it could be quite powerful; a $50-$100 move could be on the cards over the next four weeks. Gold Trader entered a long position yesterday (1st February 2017) at $1,204 with a stop on a close below the recent low of $1,190.

Stock Market Update

2016 began with an -16% plunge in global equities. Over the course of the year, stocks recovered so that by the time the US Election rolled around, the FTSE All World Index had crept back into positive territory. Then along came the Donald.... Following Trump's election victory, money flowed out of safe haven assets and into stocks, leading to a run higher in equities in the last two months of 2016. The US dollar also rallied sharply versus the Euro (the euro fell from $1.12 to $1.04), thereby putting quite a gloss on global stock market returns for the year in euro terms.

Historically, post-election years have not been as kind to investors and I expect 2017 will be no different. The current bull market, 8 years old in March 2017, is already the third longest in history and twice as long as the average of the last 100 years. Still holding on to second place for now is the 1921-1929 stock market bubble, which ran a few days over 8 years; while in first position is the nine year and five month run from October 1990 to March 2000, culminating in the epic internet bubble. We are getting close to the apex of this multi-year run and I believe the next bear market is just around the corner. Stock valuations have returned to prior peaks, investor confidence is back, while short interest - those betting on falling stock prices - has fallen sharply. One of the most successful hedge funds in recent years, Horseman Capital, recently scaled back their significant short position on equities after losing -24% in 2016. The bears are throwing in the towel, potentially, just at the wrong time. When investors take short positions on the stock market, they become natural buyers during stock market declines (as they cover their positions). However, when short sellers cover their trades during a rising market, there are fewer buyers around when stocks eventually turn lower and the declines can become bumpier and much more violent.

An interesting development that has occurred since the US election is the jump in confidence among CEO's and consumers, which hasn't yet, but may flow through to rising retail sales and economic growth in the months ahead. However, the key problem that trumps all others is that stocks are trading at 25 times reported earnings (which peaked in 2015) versus a long-term average of just 17 times. Stocks have traded at single digit P/E multiples in the 1940's, 1950's, 1970's and 1980's and could do so again when the next bear market arrives. In the meantime, stocks have only been this expensive on two occasions previously since 1860: the last few months of the roaring 1920's just prior to the Great Depression and at the tail end of the internet bubble in the late 1990's!

As frustrating as it has been to sit with a 20% allocation to cash (and as much as 30% for new Secure Investments clients), I continue to advise caution for now. The stock market has run 11 months without any meaningful pullback, which is very unusual. A 5% correction typically occurs every 7 months during a bull market. In the next few weeks I will outline some of the areas where I see opportunity in 2017 across equities, bonds and precious metals. 

For more information on my stock market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Bond Market Update

I think the rise in global government bond yields has just about run its course for now. I am looking for a rally in Eurozone government bonds, which coincides with a decline in global stock markets over the next three to six months. German 10 year government bond yields have rallied 0.50% over the last 7 months and have now reached short-term overbought levels but remain in a multi-year downward trend. Technical indicators suggest that the rally is losing strength. 

More broadly, Eurozone government bonds have rallied over 60% in recent years, so a -21% pullback is healthy. The next chart suggests that the Euro bonds are now oversold and the next move higher is just around the corner. I will be paying close attention whether bonds can break out to new highs later this year (bullish) or not.

US 20-year Treasuries have also corrected sharply, falling -18% and have now also reached an extreme oversold position. The longer-term uptrend is still in place for US Treasuries.

Inflation-linked bonds continue to hold up better than fixed interest rate bonds and I expect ILB's to continue to price in a gradual increase in inflation expectations over the next couple of years. 

For more information on my bond market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Gold Market Update

Gold is at quite an interesting juncture. For the first time in five years, gold has broken the trend of lower highs and lower lows. Gold bottomed at $1,045 in December 2015 and then rallied over $300 to a new 52-week high of $1,378 just seven months later. A sharp correction followed but gold managed to dig in and make a higher low in December 2016 at $1,124. 

For Gold Trader followers, the December 2016 low marked the end of the last Investor Cycle (IC) with a new IC starting on 16th December. The first daily cycle (DC1) of this new IC peaked at $1,219 on 17th January and then dropped into a low (DCL1) on 27th January 2017 at $1,190. DC2 is now underway and I think it could be quite powerful; a $50-$100 move could be on the cards over the next four weeks. Gold Trader entered a long position yesterday (1st February 2017) at $1,204 with a stop on a close below the recent low of $1,190.

Gold priced in euros has held up much better than USD gold, providing a natural hedge for euro-based investors. I expect USD will play catch up now so we could see gold and the US dollar rally together this Spring, which would be great news for our Active Asset Allocator strategy. There is not much to do for now but wait and see how this plays out. Sitting through a bull market is tough to do but I expect our patience will be handsomely rewarded over the next three years. 

Gold spent the majority of the time above the long-term 20-month moving average (20MMA) during the last major bull market (2001 to 2011). Gold broke below the 20MMA in 2012 and remained in a downtrend for the next four years but then turned higher once again in 2016. Gold closed below the 20MMA briefly on the recent correction but has now regained this bull market trend line. I am looking for an acceleration higher as this bull market gathers steam and broadens in popularity.

For more information on my gold market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

December 2016 Investor Letter

Strategy Performance

Investment Philosophy and Approach

The Active Asset Allocator investment strategy is designed to deliver a consistent level of positive returns over time with a strong focus on capital preservation. I follow a multi-asset investment approach, actively allocating between global equities, bonds, precious metals, currencies and cash. I always invest with the primary trend of the market and do not follow a benchmark. Instead, I manage the market risk for clients. This strategy has returned +11% per annum net of fees since inception with a lower level of risk than the average multi-asset fund. My active asset allocation approach is best illustrated in the following chart.

Gold Trader and Gold PowerTrader focus on capturing the strongest and weakest parts of gold's daily cycles, buying daily cycle lows, selling daily cycle highs and holding for 10-15 trading days, depending on the cycle count. This approach allows me to effectively manage risk. The strategy aims to capture +5% to 6% profit per trade while risking 2% each time and has a win rate in excess of 70%.

Executive Summary

Stock markets are back in rally mode following the US and Italian election results. I believe this is the final "blow off" phase to a market top which could peak at any stage between now and March 2017. Stock market valuations have once again reached an extreme only experienced in 1929, 1972, 1987, 2000 and 2007. Donald Trump's election success has been compared to that of Ronald Reagan who won the race to the White House in November 1980. Following Reagan's win, the S&P 500 rallied +14% in just a few weeks but topped out in November 1980 and then tumbled -22% over the next year. That was when stocks were trading at single digit P/E multiples. Today, they are four times more expensive.

Government bond yields are rising, particularly in the US where Trump's policies will be viewed as potentially quite inflationary. US Treasuries have declined -8% since the US election result. Eurozone government bonds have held up better, falling just -4% during the recent Trump-inspired inflation scare (but -7% since August). Euro government bonds have now reached an oversold extreme and I expect a rally in EU government bond markets to get underway shortly, likely coinciding with a top in equity markets. While the Federal Reserve has backed away from its position as lender of last resort, the ECB continues to buy everything not nailed down and has recently extended its QE programme to December 2017. 

Gold has also declined recently in tandem with other safe haven assets. Despite the recent correction however, gold priced in euros has still rallied +12% year-to-date. Based on my reading of the gold cycles, we are getting very close to the end of the current investor cycle for gold and I expect a turn higher shortly, possibly coinciding with an interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve on December 14th.  I remain defensively positioned for now with 20% equities / 40% bonds / 30% precious metals / 10% cash.

Stock Market Update

Trump's election victory has led to an +4% rally in the USD, an +8% rally in US stocks and an -8% drop in 30-year US Treasuries. 30-year Treasury yields jumped 50 basis points from 2.6% to 3.1% over the last four weeks. More broadly, global stock markets have added +5% in Euros, Eurozone government bonds have declined -4% and gold in euros has fallen -5%. What was initially considered bad news for investors ahead of the US election transformed into good news, literally overnight. The Active Asset Allocator lost -2.2% in November but has returned +8.4% year-to-date. In this Investor Update, I review the short-term impact of the Trump effect on equities, bonds, currencies and precious metals and examine what may be in store for investors in 2017. 

Will a Trump presidency make America great again? He has promised tax cuts, infrastructure spending and regulatory reform, all of which could boost US GDP over the next two years, but at a significant cost of ballooning government debts and budget deficits. His protectionist policies on trade and immigration will negate the aforementioned positives to a certain degree. Of course this is all speculation for now as Trump and his team have yet to execute on their plan. Let's take a closer look at some of Trump's proposed policies and their likely potential impact.

The headline rate of corporation tax in the US is 35%. However, the average tax rate of the largest 50 companies in the S&P 500 is just 24%. So, stock markets may be overestimating the positive impact of Trump's tax reform plan. On infrastructure spending, Trump is planning to spend $100 billion/year on much-needed repairs to America's transportation network. Spending billions of dollars on America's rail infrastructure, roads, bridges and tunnels makes sense and should provide a timely boost to US GDP growth. However, the Trump team must execute. The Obama administration attempted a similar strategy in 2009 in the midst of the Great Financial Crisis. "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009" was put in place at a cost of $800 billion to save and create jobs and invest in infrastructure, education, health, and renewable energy. The impact on job creation and GDP growth was considered relatively modest in the following years. Asset prices benefitted handsomely of course but this was largely a result of four rounds of quantitative easing rather than Obama's fiscal policy decisions.

Many are comparing Trump's recent victory to that of Ronald Reagan who won the race to the White House in November 1980. Reagan beat incumbent President Jimmy Carter on a platform of policies quite similar to those now being proposed by Donald Trump. Following Reagan's election victory,  the S&P 500 took off (see chart below) rallying +14% in just a few weeks (compared to just +8% so far since Trump's win). However, that was it for the stock market rally back then. Stocks topped in November 1980 and then dropped -22% over the next 12 months. That was when stock market valuations were trading at single digit P/E multiples. Today, stocks are four times more expensive. 

Back in 1980, the US national debt amounted to $908 billion and US GDP was $2.86 trillion (32% debt/GDP). Today, the US national debt is $19.6 trillion while US GDP is only $18.7 trillion (105% debt/GDP). It is going to be much more difficult for the Trump administration to grow the US economy by more than 2%/year during his time in Office. So far, the stock market has given Trump the benefit of the doubt, but I can't help but feel that 2017 is shaping up to be quite a different proposition, for reasons I will explain next.

The Dow Jones Industrials Average is a price-weighted index of 30 of America's largest publicly quoted companies including many household names like Disney, JP Morgan, Caterpillar, MacDonalds, Proctor & Gamble, Exxon Mobil and Goldman Sachs. Following the Great Financial Crisis of 2008, the Dow kicked off a new bull market, fueled to a large degree by central bank money printing on a scale never before witnessed. The rise over the next 9 years has been a sight to behold - a triple from those March 2009 lows. Times have changed however. QE has ended in the US, bond yields have rallied 100 basis points and the USD has added +10% versus the Euro since May 2016. US corporations are facing multiple headwinds at a time when corporate earnings are declining.

From a technical perspective, we are now at an interesting juncture. Take a look at the chart below. Multi-year support broke for the first time in 2015 but stocks recovered strongly for the remainder of the year. 2016 started with another sharp 15-20% correction before the bulls regained control once again. The DJIA has now rallied all the way back to the major multi-year support trend line and has broken out to new all time highs this week. Is this the start of a new multi-month rally or a bull trap? Chartists and traders around the world are watching this setup very closely. We should find out shortly.

A similar pattern is unfolding on a shorter time-frame in the S&P 500 - a break of support in October 2016 followed by a sharp rally that has just broken out to new all-time highs. In a world dominated by computer-driven algorithmic trading, these chart patterns matter. 

When the S&P 500 is trading at a P/E multiple of 25 times earnings and those earnings peaked in 2015 and have been declining ever since, the chart patterns matter even more. The last time US corporate earnings were at current levels was almost 10 years ago, back in 2007 when the S&P 500 was trading at 1,500, -32% lower than today's level.

Margin debt, which measures the extent to which investors borrow to invest in the stock market, also looks like it may have peaked. Notice that margin debt as a percentage of GDP peaked at similar levels in 2000 and 2007 coincident with the previous two stock market bubbles.

The recent break higher in the stock market has looked convincing and has reversed the sell signal in my technical studies, which triggered in October. Portfolio managers under performance pressure are chasing this move in fear of underperforming benchmarks as we approach the end of the year. I believe the recent breakout will not be sustained and, similar to last year, we will get a sharp reversal at some point between now and March 2017. So I continue to recommend a defensive position in the Active Asset Allocator with an asset mix of 20% global equities / 40% EU bonds / 30% precious metals / 10% cash.

For more information on my stock market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Bond Market Update

US Treasuries have been hit hardest during the recent correction in government bonds. The 10-year Treasury yield rallied 110 basis points from 1.4% in August to 2.5% today, sending Treasury prices falling over -10%. 30-year Treasury yields increased 1% from 2.1% to 3.1%, resulting in a capital decline of -15%. (the Active Asset Allocator strategy has no exposure to US Treasuries).

Eurozone government bonds held up better, falling just -4% during the recent Trump-inspired inflation scare (but -7% since August). Euro government bonds have now reached an oversold extreme and I expect a rally in EU government bond markets to get underway shortly, likely coinciding with a top in equity markets. While the Federal Reserve has backed away from its position as lender of last resort, the ECB continues to buy everything not nailed down and has recently extended its QE programme to December 2017.

Government debt in the Eurozone continues to grow at a faster rate than GDP. The ECB must hold interest rates below the rate of inflation so that these debts can be serviced and inflated away over time. While EU fixed interest rate bonds are approaching the end of their multi-decade bull market, the outlook for Inflation linked bonds (and gold) is brighter. Although fears of deflation continue to reverberate around the world, the echo is starting to fade. We are moving towards an environment of rising inflation. The Active Asset Allocator will continue to transition from fixed interest rate bonds to inflation-linked in 2017.

For more information on my bond market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Gold Market Update

Despite the recent correction, gold priced in euros has still rallied +12% year-to-date. Based on my reading of the gold cycles, we are now getting very close to the end of the current investor cycle for gold and I expect a turn higher shortly, possibly coinciding with an interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve on December 14th. 

The Federal Reserve last raised interest rates a year ago on December 16th 2015. Gold closed at $1,071 that day. In a shakeout move, gold dropped $20 the following day before then shooting higher by +30% over the next 6 months. I expect something similar this time round. Also, inflation wasn't a concern for the Fed last year but with Trump in the White House in January 2017, the narrative is changing.

Another difference between then and now is that USD gold looks to be making a higher low for the first time since 2011. A higher low is bull market action and will confirm a change of character for the gold market. If gold can form a low in the $1,100's, the next target will be a higher high in 2017 above $1,378. I think we will get it. A higher low followed by a higher high will get more involved in the precious metals market, a necessary development to drive gold prices higher.

Gold priced in euros has been holding up reasonably well since June 2016. Euro gold has not made a lower low despite the +7% rally in the USD over the same period. 

The time has come for gold to show its hand. If the bull market is back, gold should rally sharply over the next 6 months. If gold disappoints, something else is at hand and I will cut back exposure in the Active Asset Allocator. 

For more information on my gold market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

August 2016 Investor Letter

Strategy Performance

Investment Philosophy and Approach

The Active Asset Allocator investment strategy is designed to deliver a consistent level of positive returns over time with a strong focus on capital preservation. I follow a multi-asset investment approach, actively allocating between global equities, bonds, precious metals, currencies and cash. I always invest with the primary trend of the market and do not follow a benchmark. Instead, I manage the market risk for clients. This strategy has returned +11% per annum net of fees since inception with a lower level of risk than the average multi-asset fund. My active asset allocation approach is best illustrated in the following chart.

Gold Trader and Gold PowerTrader focus on capturing the strongest and weakest parts of gold's daily cycles, buying daily cycle lows, selling daily cycle highs and holding for 10-15 trading days, depending on the cycle count. This approach allows me to effectively manage risk. The strategy aims to capture +5% to 6% profit per trade while risking 2% each time and has a win rate in excess of 70%

Executive Summary

Despite expensive valuations, stock markets remain well bid and my technical trend indicator remains on a 'BUY'. In the short-term, equities are overbought and due for a pause or correction. If the bullish technical setup persists as we navigate past the seasonally difficult August to October period, I will add equity exposure to the Active Asset Allocator. For now, I remain patiently in defensive mode. I also am planning to tilt the regional equity exposure away from the US towards Europe, where stock market valuations are more compelling. Stay tuned. 

This month, I added 5% to UK index linked gilts and 5% to US inflation linked bonds in the Active Asset Allocator, lowering the cash position from 20% to 10%. The bond market is pricing in almost no inflation in our future and I believe that is a mistake. The Active Asset Allocator continues to hold a 20% allocation to fixed interest rate bonds but the clock is ticking on this trade and I have one eye on the exit door. On precious metals, the World Gold Council published its Q2 2016 update on Gold Demand Trends and noted a +141% year/year increase in investment demand. it's a bull market folks. I also closed out Trade 7 for Gold Trader on Friday at breakeven. I remain defensively positioned for now with 20% equities / 40% bonds / 30% precious metals / 10% cash.

Stock Market Update

My technical studies triggered a buy signal for the stock market on 15th April 2016 and it  remains in place today. Since this trigger, global stock markets have rallied +4% in aggregate. US equities have gained +4%, European stocks are unchanged while emerging market equities have added +8%. (EU bonds and gold have also rallied over the same period with bonds +4% and gold +9%). I have been reluctant to follow the buy signal for equities to date, largely due to valuation concerns. Today, the S&P 500 trades at 25 times reported earnings. The S&P 500 has traded at a valuation above 24 times reported earnings only 9% of the time since 1928. If we exclude the tech bubble and 2008 financial crisis, when corporate earnings all but disappeared, that number drops to just 2%! We are also entering the historically difficult August to October period where stock markets have suffered significant declines in the past.

However, despite expensive valuations, the market's technical picture has recently improved. The number of stocks making new lows has evaporated while the number of stocks breaking out to new highs continues to increase (lower left chart). This is a prerequisite for another leg higher to develop in what is a maturing equity bull market. Central banks around the world continue to add fuel to the fire with the Bank of Japan, ECB, Swiss National Bank and People's Bank of China being particularly active in 2016 YTD (lower right chart). 

The next chart is quite revealing and one to which I am paying close attention. It shows the performance of consumer cyclical versus consumer staple stocks. Consumer cyclical stocks rely heavily on the business cycle and include industries such as retail, automotive, housing and entertainment. Consumer staples tend to perform better during recessionary periods and include non-cyclical industries such as food, telecom, utilities and healthcare. So when the trend is rising, Cyclicals are outperforming Staples, and stock markets tend to do quite well. When the trend reverses and Staples outperform Cyclicals, markets tend to struggle. The chart took a sharp decline in late 2015 signalling that all was not well for stock markets and true to form, they have struggled so far in 2016. However, Consumer Cyclicals have started to show some relative strength in recent months and may be about to break out above the down-trending 50WMA. This would be quite a bullish development and allow me to become more constructive on the outlook for equities.

In another positive development, a significant 78% of stocks on the NYSE are now trading above their long-term 200DMA, signifying broad participation in this recent stock market rally.

In the short-term, equities are overbought and due for a pause or correction. If stock markets can hold firm over the next couple of months and my technical studies remain favourable, I will increase the equity allocation in the Active Asset Allocator. I also am planning to tilt the regional equity exposure away from the US towards Europe, where stock market valuations are more compelling. Stay tuned. 

For more information on my stock market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Bond Market Update

This month, I added a 5% allocation to UK index linked gilts and a 5% allocation to US inflation linked bonds, lowering the cash position in the Active Asset Allocator from 20% to 10% to fund the purchases. The bond market is pricing in almost no inflation in our future and I believe that is a mistake. Printing money always leads to inflation, eventually. We have experienced 7 years of asset price inflation (rising equity and property prices) and are starting to see increasing signs of wage inflation this year. In the United States, while inflation linked bonds continue to underperform Treasuries, technical signs of a change in trend are at hand. Relative strength (RSI) and momentum (MACD) indicators are improving in favour of inflation-linked bonds and price should follow suit later this year.

Inflation linked bonds are also rallying in the United Kingdom and the recent 15% drop in GBP should accelerate this trend. Falling unemployment, wage inflation and continued loose monetary policy by the Bank of England should provide an additional tailwind.

Central banks have already driven government bond yields to zero or below and are now examining alternative ways to distribute a continuing flow of newly printed money. Accelerated fiscal spending and/or direct payouts to the public (helicopter money) are potentially on the cards. Trends in wage inflation have also started to rise in the US recently. I expect the bond market to start pricing in a more inflationary outlook and inflation linked bonds should be a beneficiary. 

The 35+year bull market in fixed interest rate (rather than inflation-linked) bonds is in its final innings. We could be entering the final blow-off phase, which, when it ends, will unleash pain and chaos across multiple asset markets, but we are not there yet. Rising bond yields, when they do come, will lead to significantly lower prices for long duration fixed interest bonds and equities alike. (Stocks are simply a claim on a future stream of cash flows, discounted at the prevailing market rate. When that interest rate goes up, the present value of a stream of cash flows declines. it is simple mathematics). The Active Asset Allocator continues to hold a 20% allocation in fixed interest rate bonds but the clock is ticking on this trade and I have one eye on the exit door.

To learn more about the full range of investment services available at Secure Investments, please contact Brian by email at brian.delaney@secureinvest.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Gold Market Update

The World Gold Council has published its quarterly report on gold demand trends for Q2 2016 with some interesting highlights. The report details a 15% increase in overall gold demand year/year driven by a +141% increase in investment demand. The main buyers continue to come from India and China, though US investor demand is also on the rise. Gold supply increased +10% with total mine supply +5% year/year.

The increasing appetite for gold is evident in the next chart where you can see that gold is rising at a faster rate than either of the prior two times when gold broke out above its long-term 20-month MA. Investors want in and are increasingly happy to pay higher prices to get their bullion.

Gold outperformed stocks from 2000 to 2011 before entering a bear market that ended last year. Gold has started to outperform the S&P 500 once again this year, a trend that I expect will remain in force for at least the next 2-3 years and perhaps quite a bit longer.

The gold miners are leveraged plays on the price of gold. The index of gold and silver miners has already rallied +192% since the low made on 19th January 2016. The miners are a notoriously volatile sector of the market but for those with patience and an iron stomach, fortunes will be made in this sector before the bull market ends.

For more information on my gold market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or 086 821 5911.

June 2016 Investor Letter

Strategy Performance

Investment Philosophy and Approach

The Active Asset Allocator investment strategy is designed to deliver a consistent level of positive returns over time with a strong focus on capital preservation. I follow a multi-asset investment approach, actively allocating between global equities, bonds, precious metals, currencies and cash. I always invest with the primary trend of the market and do not follow a benchmark. Instead, I manage the market risk for clients. This strategy has returned +11% per annum net of fees since inception with a lower level of risk than the average multi-asset fund. My active asset allocation approach is best illustrated in the following chart.

Gold Trader and Gold PowerTrader focus on capturing the strongest and weakest parts of gold's daily cycles, buying daily cycle lows, selling daily cycle highs and holding for 10-15 trading days, depending on the cycle count. This approach allows me to effectively manage risk. The strategy aims to capture +5% to 6% profit per trade while risking 2% each time and has a win rate in excess of 70%

Executive Summary

Chaotic trading overnight following the UK referendum decision to leave the EU is feeding through to US markets this afternoon. The Active Asset Allocator is earning its stripes today with an 80% allocation to bonds, cash and gold. Gold rallied +$100 overnight. For equities, buying the dip works in a bull market. However, we may now have transitioned from bull to bear, so I continue to advise caution here and avoid the temptation to catch a falling knife.

Stock Market Update

The results of the Brexit Referendum are in and the UK has voted to leave the European Union, leading to chaotic trading overnight. Equity and currency markets have experienced dramatic declines as investors scramble to re-position portfolios. A LOT of capital is invested in equity exchange traded funds (ETF's) that trade in Europe and in the United States and I expect additional waves of selling this afternoon once the NYSE opens for business. The Active Asset Allocator is earning its stripes today and benefiting from the heightened market turmoil with an 80% allocation to safe haven assets. Gold rallied +$100 overnight.

The FTSE All World Index, the global equity benchmark, fell -4% this morning. The decline is barely visible on the chart. Suffice to say, there is plenty of room for additional selling. Buying the dip works in a bull market. However, we may now have transitioned from bull to bear, so I continue to advise caution here. The relative strength of the stock market rally in recent weeks is now deteriorating as measured by the relative strength index (RSI) in the top section of the chart below, while price has been unable to break out to new highs. My own technical studies, which turned bullish in April 2016, have also deteriorated in recent weeks. If stocks turn lower from here, my Technical Trend Indicator (TTI) will trigger another 'Sell' signal shortly.

Volatility is accelerating higher just when the stock market appears to be running out of steam. The Vix Index jumped from 14 to 22 over the last four weeks (this chart does not include this morning's surge in volatility). Investors are getting nervous, tension is rising and speculators are starting to pay up for portfolio insurance. Volatility spikes go hand in hand with stock market corrections and another may be just around the corner.

Sterling rallied +4% versus the euro in the run up to the Brexit vote but has given it all back and more today. The longer-term trend remains down for GBP versus EUR and I expect we will see £0.90/€1.00 later this year.

I am more focused on the outlook for the US dollar than sterling over the next three to five years. The USD is the world's reserve currency and large moves in USD have significant implications for the performance of global equity, bond and commodity markets. I continue to believe that the trade-weighted USD Index has put in a medium-term top and will trend lower over time. 

For more information on my stock market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Bond Market Update

Despite an increasing percentage trading at negative yields, government bonds continue to attract capital as part of the flight-to-safety trade. And why not? The ECB is buying EU government bonds at a rate of €80 billion per month and is actually set to run out of bonds to buy under the current programme in less than two years (and in one year's time for German bunds). As long as the ECB stands as the buyer of last resort, yields will continue to compress. Potential fractures to the Union will place increasing pressure on ECB President Mario Draghi and we my begin to see bond yields rise in the weaker Eurozone peripheral countries, but for now, the bull market lives on.

For more information on my bond market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or 086 821 5911.

Gold Market Update

It's a bull market folks. There is nothing to do but sit tight and avoid getting shaken out of your position. I received 20 different updates from investment managers this morning on Brexit, the potential risks and advice for investors. Not a single one mentions gold as a suitable investment. That will change, probably at much higher precious metals prices. In the meantime, the Active Asset Allocator is well positioned to take advantage of what I expect will be a very powerful bull market over the next 3-5 years.

For more information on my gold market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or 086 821 5911.

April 2016 Investor Letter

Strategy Performance

Investment Philosophy and Approach

The Active Asset Allocator investment strategy is designed to deliver a consistent level of positive returns over time with a strong focus on capital preservation. I follow a multi-asset investment approach, actively allocating between global equities, bonds, precious metals, currencies and cash. I always invest with the primary trend of the market and do not follow a benchmark. Instead, I manage the market risk for clients. This strategy has returned +11% per annum net of fees since inception with a lower level of risk than the average multi-asset fund. My active asset allocation approach is best illustrated in the following chart.

Gold Trader and Gold PowerTrader focus on capturing the strongest and weakest parts of gold's daily cycles, buying daily cycle lows, selling daily cycle highs and holding for 10-15 trading days, depending on the cycle count. This approach allows me to effectively manage risk. The strategy aims to capture +5% to 6% profit per trade while risking just 1.5% each time and has a win rate in excess of 70%.

Executive Summary

Following the worst start to the year for equities in recorded history, we have just experienced one of the sharpest recoveries off the lows since records began. This rally has been so strong in fact that my technical studies have just triggered a buy signal for the stock market for the first time since September 2013. This month, I review the recent improvement in the stock market's technical setup and outline my plan of attack for the weeks ahead. For now, the Active Asset Allocator remains defensively positioned, 20% equities / 30% bonds / 30% PM's / 20% cash.

This month I also explain why I remain bullish on bonds and expect an additional 15-20% upside for the 10 year duration bond ETF I hold in the Active Asset Allocator and provide a brief update on the ongoing bullish developments in the precious metals sector as this bull market shifts into gear.

Stock Market Update

My technical studies have just triggered a buy signal for the stock market for the first time since September 2013. Equity valuations today are approaching an extreme only witnessed near prior stock market peaks and US corporate earnings are now in a declining trend. Despite these cautionary flags, continuous central bank intervention has created the perception that stock market investing is a low risk endeavor and a buy-the-dip mentality on every correction has taken hold. This will not end well. In the interim, price trumps opinion. My Technical Trend Indicator (TTI) is smarter than I am and keeps me on the right side of the prevailing stock market trend. In this monthly update, I consider my plan of attack for the weeks ahead.

“Based on valuation measures having the strongest correlation with actual subsequent market returns across history, equity valuations have approached present levels in only a handful of instances: 1901 (followed by a -46% market retreat over the following 3-year period), 1906 (followed by a -45% retreat over the following year), 1929 (followed by a -89% collapse over the following 3 years), 1937 (followed by a -48% loss over the following year), 2000 (followed by a -49% market loss over the following 2 years), and 2007 (followed by a -57% market loss over the following 2 years). A few lesser extremes occurred in the 1960’s and 1970’s, followed by market losses in the -35% to -48% range.”

— John Hussman, Hussman Funds, 18th April 2016.

In this long-term chart of the S&P 500, I have highlighted the prior instances in 2000 and 2007 when the stock market topped and rolled over, followed shortly thereafter by a bearish cross of the 50WMA below the 100WMA. This coincided with the onset of a bear market in equities and a declining trend in US corporate earnings. In 2016 YTD, we have already experienced a sharp -14% drop in stocks followed by an equally sharp +16% rally. However, there has been no bearish cross yet of the 50WMA below the 100WMA and the S&P 500 currently trades above both trend lines. Meanwhile, US corporate earnings have begun to slide, highlighted in the lower section of the chart below. This should be expected and is consistent with the maturing phase of an ageing equity bull market, which is now over seven years old.

Margin debt, a measure of the degree of speculation evident in the stock market, also appears to have peaked and rolled over. Prior peaks in margin debt have coincided with past peaks in the stock market. So today, we have a combination of stocks that are trading at expensive valuations, a weakening trend in US corporate earnings and a declining trend in margin debt. That's the bad news.

Despite this backdrop, equities have powered ahead in recent weeks. In February 2016, only 15% of stocks on the NYSE were trading above their 200DMA. Today, this figure has jumped to a much healthier 69%. If stock markets can consolidate their recent gains over the next couple of weeks while a majority of stocks continue to trade above the 200DMA, the bulls will remain in control.

In another positive development, the NYSE Advance/Decline Line (lower left chart), which captures the trend of rising stocks versus declining stocks over time, has recently broken out to new all time highs. This suggests that price should follow suit shortly. Volume flowing into advancing versus declining stocks is lagging however and has yet to break out (lower right chart) to new highs. So, we still have some mixed signals here (click on charts to enlarge).

As markets have rallied, stocks making new lows have also all but disappeared, which is another requirement before a bull market can resume.

So from a technical perspective, the outlook for equities has improved, but there are still many reasons for caution. Remember, 2016 started with the worst negative stock market performance in history, so it's only natural that the first rally following this correction should be powerful. The markets are overbought in the short-term and a correction of some degree should now be expected. The extent of the correction will determine when and by how much I will increase the equity allocation in the Active Asset Allocator. Stay tuned, we should find out soon enough.

For more information on my stock market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or at 086 821 5911.

Bond Market Update

The ECB is attempting to stimulate economic growth and generate inflation in the order of 2% annually by printing money, buying bonds, funding some EU country deficits and potentially using some form of "helicopter money" for EU citizens. The road ahead is concerning but we have not yet reached an inflection point where ECB policies trigger an acceleration in the rate of inflation and a path towards higher government bond yields. Draghi has committed to doing "whatever it takes" which means he is willing to drive 10-year EU government bond yields into negative territory. 

The Active Asset Allocator currently holds a 20% allocation in EU government bonds (IEGZ). The regional split of this bond fund is 32% France, 27% Italy, 19% Germany, 17% Spain, 5% Netherlands. The fund has a yield of 1.4% and a duration of 10 years. If ECB policies are successful, the yield on IEGZ should reach zero or negative implying 15-20% upside return potential from here. I plan to increase the allocation to inflation linked bonds (IBCI) and reduce the allocation to fixed interest rate bonds (IEGZ) later in 2016. Of course, the overall allocation to bonds will reduce if/when I increase the allocation to equities in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned.

For more information on my bond market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or 086 821 5911.

Gold Market Update

Gold closed above the 20-month moving average (20MMA) in February 2016, confirming a new bull market had begun. As long as gold continues to trade above the 20MMA, bull market rules will apply - we buy and hold and do not get shaken out of our position. The 20MMA closed on Friday at $1,170 and should start trending higher shortly.

Silver's bull market kicked off a month later, as this more volatile precious metal closed above its 20MMA in March 2016. Silver's 20MMA closed on Friday at $15.60, so above this price, bull market rules should also apply. 

The one fly in the ointment for both precious metals (silver in particular) is the extent of the speculative long position that has been accumulated by hedge funds and those betting on higher prices for the precious metals. The latest Commitment of Traders report shows an all time record net long position by speculators in the silver market.

Commercial traders (the mining companies and bullion banks) take the opposite side to the speculators and are always net short the metals to varying degrees, depending on price, to hedge their production. The Commercials are often referred to as the "smart money" as they are able to manage the gold and silver price in the short-term, knocking down the price and covering their short trades when the speculators get overly stretched on the long side. We are potentially at this point now, particularly in the silver market. The Commercials do not always win and have been forced to cover at much higher prices in the past. As always, I will be guided by the price action as it unfolds. Above the 20MMA, it's a bull market.

I expect the precious metals bull  market to benefit from an overall declining trend in the US dollar over the next 3-5 years. The USD has been perceived as a safe haven currency since the 2008 financial crisis and has benefited handsomely from significant inflows into various US growth assets, driving price and valuation to extreme levels. As valuations normalize, I expect the USD to decline on a trade weighted basis.

Confirming the bull market in precious metals, the gold and silver miners are rocketing higher. The gold and silver mining index is already +111% from their recent lows. The miners are notoriously volatile. However, for those willing to close their eyes and hold on, I expect BIG rewards here. The miners are too volatile for the Active Asset Allocator but are confirming my bullish view on the sector.

For more information on my gold market analysis, please get in touch. You can reach me at brian@secureinvestments.ie or 086 821 5911.