Gold/Oil Ratio spikes

Milton Friedman underscored that "inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon." The current economic recession has made deflation the primary concern of central bankers, and rightfully so. The risk of systemic failure of the international financial system weighs heavily on the best and brightest bankers and economists. They may lead us out of the current financial crisis, but investors should be forewarned about the ugly consequences of the current fiscal and monetary plans in place. Look no further than the shifting crude oil and gold pendulum for a glimpse of the future.



The Gold/Oil Ratio has started a steep climb that is starting to look ominously similar to the the period leading up to the great stagflation of the 1970s. Alternatively, it could be the more benign shift to a period of weak crude oil prices, as in 1986 when the Gold/Oil Ratio also skyrocketed. Investors are hoping for the latter scenario, but there has to be considerable concern about the busy U.S. printing press. Inflation is obviously not an immediate concern, but the sudden shift in the relationship of gold and oil commodity values tells us that an unwelcome monetary storm may be brewing ahead. If the gold/oil ratio rallies further it will be concerning.

Below are graphs of the growth of U.S. monetary base and U.S. core-CPI (excluding food and energy). The grey bars represent recessions.

Loonie weakness + gold strength = IGT

If the recession risk in the U.S. heightens, despite the recent Fed easing, investors can continue to build gold weightings in their portfolio. The implication of a weaker Canadian dollar also lends itself to trading the iShares COMEX Gold Trust (TSX:IGT). The gold trust has been outperforming the iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Fund (TSX:XGD), and represents a more profitable option for Canadian investors as the loonie weakens in a bullish bullion environment.