Incrementum AG
In Gold we Trust 2015 – Extended Version June 25
th
, 2015
In Gold we Trust 2015 –
Extended Version
 
 After the barely averted implosion of the financial system in autumn of 2008, we are now in the seventh year of world-wide central bank experimentation
. We have all become guinea pigs of an unprecedented attempt at re-inflation, the outcome of which remains uncertain. Questionable monetary policy ventures like quantitative easing and negative interest rates are a
direct consequence of a systemic addiction to inflation
.
 Authors: Ronald-Peter Stoeferle, CMT
rps@incrementum.li Twitter @RonStoeferle
Mark J. Valek, CAIA
mjv@incrementum.li Twitter @MarkValek
 All prices are closing prices as of June, 19th 2015
The global financial architecture remains in a fragile state. Disinflationary forces have dominated since 2011. The systemic instability between inflation and deflation –
monetary tectonics – culminated in a “disinflationary earthquake” in the second half of 2014, as all industrial commodities and every paper currency lost enormous ground against the US dollar.
Widespread, chronic over-indebtedness is ratcheting up the pressure on monetary authorities to break the deflationary trend and finally generate rising price inflation rates.
 Gold has always been the best hedge against excessive inflationary efforts. We are convinced that we are now close to a decisive fork in the road: the disinflationary trend will (have to) be broken.
Rising price inflation rates are possible both in conjunction with a revival in economic activity and in a stagflationary environment.
In both cases, inflation-sensitive investments including gold and gold mining stocks will benefit.
The majority of market participants have gradually abandoned all concerns over inflation in recent years. This is reflected in exceptionally low inflation expectations and the composition of investment portfolios.
The exit from the current "low-flation" phase could prove to be the “pain-trade” for most investors. From a technical perspective, the picture is not unequivocal.
The downtrend hasn't been broken yet. However, pronounced negative sentiment indicates resignation among gold bulls.
We believe a final sell-off is possible
. During such a sell-off, the support at USD 1,140 could be tested.
 A reversal following such a test would be a reliable indication of a primary trend change in the gold market
. Based on the “big picture” analysis that is packed into this report, we see no reason for a change of course:
In gold we (still) trust
.
We are firmly convinced that gold remains in a secular bull market that is close to making a comeback. We expect to see a final trend acceleration at the end of the cycle. We thus decided to set a time horizon of three years – June 2018 – for our long-term price target of USD 2,300 to be reached.
“In GOLD we TRUST” 2015 - Extended Version
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Incrementum AG
In Gold we Trust 2015 – Extended Version June 25
th
, 2015
 
Table of contents
1.
 
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................... 4
 
2.
 
WHERE THINGS STAND .................................................................................................................................... 10
 
a)
 
Status quo ............................................................................................................................................. 10
 
b)
 
Reasons for the current correction in the gold price .......................................................................... 18
 
c)
 
The lifecycle of the international monetary order ............................................................................... 20
 
d)
 
Monetary policy: waiting for Godot ...................................................................................................... 24
 
e)
 
Who’s afraid of recession? ................................................................................................................... 26
 
3.
 
GOLD AND INFLATION ...................................................................................................................................... 30
 
a)
 
Why the gold price rises at all .............................................................................................................. 30
 
b)
 
Monetary tectonics................................................................................................................................ 35
 
c)
 
The gold-silver ratio as an indicator measuring inflation momentum ............................................... 38
 
d)
 
Monetary policy playing with fire - why inflationary momentum cannot be controlled .................... 41
 
e)
 
The evil of falling prices ........................................................................................................................ 44
 
4.
 
FROM RISK-FREE RETURNS TO RETURN-FREE RISK................................................................................... 50
 
a)
 
Bubble territory? ................................................................................................................................... 50
 
b)
 
What is seen and what is not seen: the fatal consequences of the zero interest rate policy ........... 54
 
c)
 
Zero interest rate policy and the fatal distortion of the capital structure .......................................... 56
 
5.
 
DEBT AND PUNISHMENT .................................................................................................................................. 59
 
a)
 
 About the ethics of thrift ....................................................................................................................... 59
 
b)
 
Debt trends in the developed world ..................................................................................................... 60
 
c)
 
The globalization of over-indebtedness .............................................................................................. 64
 
d)
 
Demographic headwinds are picking up ............................................................................................. 67
 
6.
 
FINANCIAL REPRESSION: ESCAPE ROUTE FROM OVER-INDEBTEDNESS? .............................................. 71
 
a)
 
The war against cash ............................................................................................................................ 72
 
b)
 
Modern “Dwindling money“: Silvio Gesell 2.0? .................................................................................. 75
 
7.
 
GOLD IN THE CONTEXT OF PORTFOLIO DIVERSIFICATION ......................................................................... 78
 
a)
 
The extraordninary portfolio characteristics of gold .......................................................................... 78
 
b)
 
The relationship between gold and interest rates ............................................................................... 83
 
c)
 
The relationship between gold and the dollar ..................................................................................... 85
 
d)
 
Opportunity costs of holding Gold ...................................................................................................... 88
 
8.
 
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE MONETARY ORDER ........................................................................ 96
 
a)
 
Bismarck and the monetary system-related fall of civilizations ......................................................... 96
 
b)
 
King dollar and the heirs to his throne ................................................................................................ 97
 
c)
 
Repatriation of gold reserves ............................................................................................................... 99
 
d)
 
 AIIB, NDB & Co.: The new challengers of Bretton Woods institutions? .......................................... 100
 
e)
 
Russia and China – gradual emancipation from the US dollar......................................................... 102
 
f)
 
Special drawing rights: monetary LSD as the currency of the future? ............................................ 105
 
g)
 
Gold-backed digital currencies .......................................................................................................... 108
 
9.
 
THE GOLDEN “LOVE TRADE“ ........................................................................................................................ 111
 
10.
 
VALUATIONS, SCENARIOS AND PRICE TARGETS ...................................................................................... 115
 
a)
 
Gold vs. monetary aggregates ........................................................................................................... 115
 
b)
 
Relative valuation by means of ratio analysis ................................................................................... 116
 
c)
 
Forecast ............................................................................................................................................... 118
 
d)
 
 A gold bug‘s nightmare ...................................................................................................................... 120
 
11.
 
GOLD STOCKS ................................................................................................................................................ 123
 
a)
 
Relative valuation of gold and gold mining stocks ........................................................................... 123
 
b)
 
Why have gold mining stocks performed so badly?......................................................................... 125
 
c)
 
Consolidation in the sector is set to continue – developers as the biggest beneficiaries? ........... 128
 
d)
 
Reasons for our confidence ............................................................................................................... 129
 
12.
 
TECHNICAL ANALYSIS – are we close to the final stages of the bottoming phase? ................................. 131
 
13.
 
CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................................. 135
 
 APPENDIX – ABOUT US ........................................................................................................................................ 138
 
Disclaimer: This publication is based on “Goldreport 2015” which has been prepared for Erste Group Research (Erste Group Bank AG) and contains additional information. The author, Ronald-Peter Stöferle, is an external advisor to Erste Group Research. The comments in this report are solely those of Mr. Stöferle and Mark Valek, both partners at Incrementum AG (www.incrementum.li).
The views contained in this report are the views of the authors alone, and are not necessarily those of Erste Group.
This publication is for information purposes only, and represents neither investment advice, nor an investment analysis or an invitation to buy or sell financial instruments.
 Specifically, the document does not serve as a substitute for individual investment or other advice. The statements contained in this publication are based on the knowledge as of the time of preparation and are subject to change at any time without further notice. The authors have exercised the greatest possible care in the selection of the information sources employed, however, they do not accept any responsibility (and neither do Incrementum AG or Erste Group Bank AG) for the correctness, completeness or timeliness of the information, respectively the information sources, made available, as well as any liabilities or damages, irrespective of their nature, that may result there from (including consequential or indirect damages, loss of prospective profits or the accuracy of prepared forecasts).
“In GOLD we TRUST” 2015 - Extended Version
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Incrementum AG
In Gold we Trust 2015 – Extended Version June 25
th
, 2015
 
We would like to express our profound gratitude to our premium partners for supporting the “In Gold we Trust” report 2015
“In GOLD we TRUST” 2015 - Extended Version
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