U.S. auto manufactures continues to improve with all U.S. manufactures posting double digit sales gains for the month of May although shy of analyst’s expectations. Ford Motor Company [F, $[stock F] sales rose 21% for the month of May falling short of both Barclays and Edmunds.com expectations.
European investors’ optimism for the Eurozone has reached a 3-year low according to a Sentix survey. The Sentix investor confidence for June came in at -28.9, the lowest score since May 2009, but still better than analysts’ expectations for a -30.0 survey result. Back in March of this year, the survey reached a six month high at -8.2, before the survey results declined for the next four straight months.
Breaking News Japan’s Benchmark drops.
Gold was sharply higher at the close of trade this week with the precious metal surging 3.87% to close at $1622.75 in New York. The rally marks the largest single week advance since the week ending January 27th when prices soared by more than 4.4% as it approached the $1740 level
The British Pound tumbled near year-to-date lows and took the dubious honor of worst-performing major currency on the week, falling almost four percent against the surging Japanese Yen. Disappointing UK PMI Manufacturing survey numbers capped a difficult week for the British Pound, and indeed the stage is set for further declines into an important week ahead.
In previous months, these pages have warned of slowing global growth and cited crude as the leading indicator. Crude plummeted nearly 18% in May compared with just a little over a 6% decline in the S&P 500. Reitterating the stance that crude is the leader (the ‘tell’ if you will) in the next wave of develeveraging, equities probably have much more downside in the coming months.
Global Dairy Products Report
Breaking News Out of Italy
140,000 United States producers and will visit 42,000 tracts of farm land to collect information. One of USDA’s largest survey efforts, the responses will provide the foundation for estimates in the upcoming growing year. With both data collection and data release taking place over a span of only four weeks, the results will be available beginning on June 29 in the Acreage and other reports. Farmers should watch for their survey and be sure to respond. Your information matters!
The iShares Silver Trust (SLV, [stock SLV]) is hovering around strong support at the $25.40 level.
