The Worst Decision Investors Could Make Right Now

The Worst Decision Investors Could Make Right Now

by Jason Bodner, editor, Outlier Investor

 

The Worst Decision Investors Could Make Right Now

 

 

Right Now, Investors Are Scared

Inflation is going through the roof, and the Fed just approved a 50 basis-point rate hike at this week’s meeting. Stocks have taken a beating. Russia and Ukraine are still at war. And some people are even beginning to mutter the word recession.

As a result, some readers may be thinking about selling stocks, cashing out, and stuffing money under the mattress. And I get it. I really do. We live in uncertain times, and the media endlessly pushing panic on us doesn’t help.

But don’t go shoving your money into holes in the backyard or even just sticking it in the bank just yet. Because that’s the worst mistake investors can make right now. Let me explain why…

 

The Worst Mistake

My name is Jason Bodner. I’m the editor of Outlier InvestorI spent over 14 years on Wall Street and another four years in “The City” – London’s Wall Street. And since that time, I’ve started two hedge funds and created a proprietary stock-picking system to track the markets.

That’s given me an inside view of the way the financial system works… and shown me how to identify opportunities most people can’t see. And now I like to use my experience to help everyday investors. That’s the purpose behind today’s topic… because I can see the trap waiting for investors right now.

Despite the temptation to “play it safe” amid the current uncertainty, the worst mistake that you could make right now is to leave your money sitting as all, or even mostly, cash. As of writing, the best “high-yield” savings rate I can find is 0.75%. More often, they’re still sitting at 0.5%. Yet if we have $100,000 invested at even a 0.75% rate… over the course of a decade, we’ll only earn a paltry $7,758 on our cash. (Of course, stuffing your money under the mattress won’t make you a penny in that time frame.)

The truth is, if your money isn’t invested, then it’s guaranteed not to grow – especially with inflation hitting 8.5% as of the last Consumer Price Index (CPI) report. Inflation is the ultimate killer. Without investing, inflation will erode your cash and its buying power.

 

 

Consider This…

If inflation stays where it was just last month, then in five years, our buying power would decrease by over 40%. A nearly $10 gallon of gas could become the new normal. Now, I’m not saying that’s going to happen. But with the current trend, inflation is here for the foreseeable future. The Fed can’t raise interest rates to fight inflation too much or too quickly without shooting itself in the foot. The national debt levels are simply too extreme for it to do so. As a result, we need to acknowledge inflation as a deadly threat to our money. So if cash isn’t a good option… what should we be doing with our money right now?

 

What Should We Be Doing?

Here are a few tips for folks looking to protect and grow their money in the current environment. (Keep in mind – This is money that’s not being used for daily needs or saved up for a new car or vacation. This is the money intended for retirement or other long-term plans.)

First, if you’re working for a company that offers it, max out your 401k – especially if you have an employer contribution match. That’s when employers will match the money you deposit into your account up to a certain percentage. For example, if you contribute 6% to your 401k, your employer might match up to 3%. In that case, it’s basically free money, and you can start pulling from this account at the age of 59½.

Another great way to plan for the future is by putting money in a Roth IRA. These are the “pre-taxed” accounts that you may have heard about before. You pay taxes on the front end when you put your money into the account. But when you pull your money out in retirement – after it’s grown multitudes from your investments – you can do so tax-free. In 2022, the annual Roth IRA contribution limit is either $6,000 if you are under 50 or $7,000 if you are 50 or older.

Over the last 100 years, stocks have gone up 10% per year on average. In some years, the market goes up less. In others, it’s more. But it all averages out to 10% growth per year. If we invest just $5,000 per year from the time we’re 25 until age 65, then we could amass over $2.4 million – and not have to pay taxes on a single cent of our gain if it was held in a Roth.

That’s the power of reinvesting and compounding that growth over time. And like 401ks, investors can also start pulling from their Roth account without penalty at the age of 59½. So if you’re not yet using these two investment vehicles, I recommend getting started now.

The power of investing is an incredible thing… and you’re guaranteed to lose out to inflation if you’re not taking advantage of it. And whether it’s in a 401k or a Roth IRA, investing in dividend stocks of businesses poised to benefit from inflation will trump anything else over the long run.

 


New Opportunities Are Emerging For Citizens of The World.

Freedom and democracy may appear to be struggling to stay alive in America, but there may be a knock-out punch ready to be released. The evolution of the blockchain-enabled metaverse is going to enable the 'Citizens of the World' to gain their own Freedom by democratizing power and creating a new world with new rules, new players, and new opportunities. For 99.99% of us, the metaverse will improve our real-world lives through the democratization of power and opportunity.

Along with the major long-term trend of society towards decentralization and smaller-scale organizations, there are new opportunities developing to help 'Preparers' in the cryptocurrency sector. Businesses are beginning to issue their own Crypto Coins that can be traded on Cryptocoin Exchanges.

Markethive.com for example will be releasing its HiveCoin (HIV) in the coming weeks. It has tremendous upside potential that is outlined in a Video by Founder Tom Prendergast, "Entrepreneur Advantage…".

Not only that, if you go to their website and register as a FREE Member, you will be given 500 HiveCoins for "FREE" along with access to several Earning Opportunities and online tools to increase your HiveCoin balance.

Be sure to check it out today – Markethive.com

Markethive

Tim Moseley

Here’s why gold is ‘the most confusing’ commodity right now

Here's why gold is 'the most confusing' commodity right now

The latest comments from the Federal Reserve triggered a massive selloff across all risk assets. But why is gold still below the $1,900 level? Here's a look at Kitco's top three stories of the week:

3. Gold and bitcoin jump as Fed's Powell takes 75bps hike off the table in June

2. Bitcoin price plummets, gold gives up gains and stocks plunge in post-Fed trading

1. Gold is 'the most confusing' of all commodities right now, here's why

 

By Anna Golubova

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

Tim Moseley

What You Need to Know About the ReferLife Co-Operative referlifeorg

What You Need to Know About the ReferLife Co-Operative
referlifeorg

referlife

ReferLife Co-Op offers a host of services and products for people who are interested in entrepreneurship and the power of referral marketing. Interested people can sign up for the ReferLife Co-Op at referlife.org and gain access to its benefits. Here's what you need to know about this cooperative business opportunity. Read on to learn more. We have highlighted a few key features of the ReferLife Co-Op below.

ReferLife Co-Operative
Those who have never heard of ReferLife Co-Operative are missing out on an exciting opportunity to earn a commission while helping people live better lives. Using their system, you can earn up to $200 for every person you refer who upgrades their business package. If you have been unable to earn enough money in your current job, this is the perfect opportunity to make an income that is more than enough to live the life you've always dreamed of.

Products
As a member of ReferLife, you'll have access to a variety of products and services. The ReferLife Marketplace is like an online member mall, with products and services from the Co-Op and participating businesses. You can also earn rewards for referring others to specific businesses. The ReferLife Marketplace is a valuable resource for those who would like to grow their business. But how can you start earning rewards from the ReferLife Marketplace?

The ReferLife Co-Operative system is a powerful, comprehensive marketing platform that gives members access to a number of useful tools. Its digital library is well-organized, and each member has access to their own control panel. This control panel enables members to manage their referrals, track their own activity, and send money to others. Members are rewarded for referring friends and family, which can add up to significant earnings potential.

Services
ReferLife.org services are designed for the convenience of both referral and co-op marketing professionals. With flexible membership packages, affiliates can build and grow their business through the ReferLife Co-Operative. Affiliates are given a variety of marketing tools and can sell, donate, fundraise, and share referrals to earn more income. They can even make money while helping people in need. If you're interested in joining ReferLife, check out the services and benefits below.

ReferLife Marketplace: This website works like a member mall. It features products and services from the Co-Op. The marketplace also lists special offers from participating businesses. As a result, associates are rewarded for referring others. And the products and services they refer are rewarded by the referrals. That means increased cash flow and business opportunities for members and associates. ReferLife is not only a referral program, it's a true partnership.

Back office
The ReferLife.org back office has everything you need to earn money online. The website also includes training for affiliate marketers. You can create your own account and earn commissions by selling products, donating or fund raising. To create a referral program, you can create a profile, select your income level, and manage your payments. You can also view your sales and referral history to see how much you've made in a month.

The back office for the ReferLife Co-Op is easy to navigate. Here, you'll find products and services you can sell to your members and receive rewards in exchange. The system is coded so that rewards are earned for making purchases through your referrals. The ReferLife Co-Op was built for members, so it has a variety of benefits for any organization. To make money online, you can use its affiliate marketing system.

referlife

Tim Moseley

Is the Fed facing a credibility problem and why is gold price the ‘punching bag’?

Is the Fed facing a credibility problem and why is gold price the 'punching bag'?

Extreme volatility in the marketplace in reaction to the latest policy shift by the Federal Reserve has many risk-on assets in a downward spiral, but why is gold — a safe-haven asset — once again 'the punching bag'?

Gold failed to hold above the $1,900 an ounce level this week as markets had a very erratic reaction to the Fed raising rate by half-a-point Wednesday while ruling out a 75-bps hike at the June meeting. The precious metal is ending the week down 1.6%, with June Comex gold futures last trading at $1,883.30 an ounce.

The Fed had one of the most highly anticipated announcements this week, and markets showed it, with the Nasdaq reversing all immediate gains and plummeting 5% on Thursday in its worst one-day sell-off since June 2020.

The markets wonder if the Fed has made a mistake – making a recession in the U.S. inevitable, OANDA senior market analyst Edward Moya told Kitco News.

"Wall Street now believes that the Fed is on a set course of delivering half-a-point rate hikes over the next couple of meetings, and at then Jackson Hole, they'll have to decide whether to continue or change course," Moya said. "Many traders thought that the Fed needed to keep all options on the table to aggressively fight inflation. But the Fed is signaling they believe inflation is peaking. There is this fear that possibly the Fed made a mistake and might have to send the economy into a recession a lot sooner."

After stating they are "not actively considering a 75 basis-point hike, the U.S. central bank has locked itself into slightly more gradual tightening. In response, the bond market has resumed its sell-off, pushing the U.S. dollar index back close to 20-year highs, which is bad news for gold, added Moya.

This market reaction could also signify that the Fed is losing its credibility, especially after underestimating inflation as transitory last year.

"My reading is that the Fed faces a credibility problem with market participants. There's concern that the Fed could cause a recession by hiking rates," Gainesville Coins precious metals expert Everett Millman told Kitco News. "Important to consider an inverse relationship between interest rates and unemployment. Unemployment is very low right now. If markets perceive the Fed as willing to let unemployment rise to tame inflation, that is still not a great outcome. There is fear of causing prolonged periods of unfavorable conditions for risk assets."

Uranium price has a lot more runway left and needs to double for supply to meet demand – Sprott's Ciampaglia

There has been massive liquidation of risk assets in the post-Fed trading, with many investors moving into cash, Millman pointed out. "That's why all markets crashed together," he said.

It is important to remember that gold held reasonably well considering how high the U.S. dollar is. And even though gold remains vulnerable to pullbacks, Millman remained bullish.

"The pullback gives gold plenty of room to run," he said. "Plus, the highs of the U.S. dollar index could be near the top. That would be good for gold as it sets up a macroeconomic environment favorable to the precious metal. But prices are still likely to experience elevated intraday volatility."

Gold has been "a punching bag for quite some time," Moya described, adding that until the U.S. dollar comes down, the precious metal will continue to struggle.

"If we continue to see risk aversion across equities and if the dollar appreciation is not as strong as we've got used to seeing, gold should start to stabilize. There is still a big risk that we could have another major move in the bond market, and gold could still be vulnerable to the last major sell-off before things bottom out," he explained.

Key resistance for next week will be the $1,900-$1,920 an ounce, and the $1,850 level will be the first support target, which, if breached, could send prices to $1,800, Moya stated.

Markets will be extra data-dependent next week, and the critical dataset to watch will be the U.S. inflation numbers from April.

One significant risk is the longer the supply chain problems last and the war in Ukraine persists, the more it puts a drag on growth, Moya added. And China is not budging from its zero-COVID policy. "That is difficult for the inflation outlook. I am not convinced that we'll see it significantly ease," he said.

Market consensus calls are expecting the annual inflation in the U.S. to slow to 8.1% in April after accelerating to 8.5% in March.

"Consumer price inflation is the key number out of the U.S. next week and it should hopefully show inflation has passed the peak with the year-on-year rate slowing … and core inflation edging down," said ING chief international economist James Knightley. "Lower gasoline prices will be a big help, as will a drop in second-hand car prices as heralded by data from the Mannheim car auctions. However, it will be a long slow descent to get to the 2% target."

Data to watch next week

Wednesday: U.S. CPI

Thursday: U.S. jobless claims and PPI

Friday: Michigan consumer sentiment
 

By Anna Golubova

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

 

 

Tim Moseley

Reversals across many markets while gold remained resilient

Reversals across many markets, while gold remained resilient

This week the Federal Reserve addressed revisions to its current monetary policy in its attempt to reduce the current levels of inflation to an acceptable target. The statement released after the FOMC meeting, coupled with Chairman Powell’s press conference, resulted in extreme volatility in many financial sectors.

Market participants witnessed one of the strongest knee-jerk reactions and complete market sentiment reversal over 24 hours. The initial market sentiment was extremely short-lived as it was followed by a complete turnaround from the initial reaction the following trading day.

The release of the Federal Reserve’s FOMC statement, coupled with Chairman Powell’s press conference, resulted in a major rally in U.S. equities. The Standard & Poor’s 500 gained almost 3%, the largest daily gain in two years. Equities overall experienced the best Fed-day return since 2011. It significantly impacted gold, moving the precious yellow metal higher. Concurrently, the dollar had a significant decline losing almost 1%, and yields on U.S. Treasuries were also significantly declining.

Yesterday market participants had 24 hours to digest the information presented by the Federal Reserve through the May FOMC statement and comments from Chairman Powell during the press conference. This resulted in a 180° reversal from the reaction on Wednesday. U.S. equities declined sharply, declining more than Wednesday’s gains. The S&P 500, which gained almost 3% on Wednesday, declined by 3.56% on Thursday. On Wednesday, 95% of the stocks contained in that index had daily gains. However, on Thursday, over 95% of the stocks included in the index experienced sharp declines.

Extreme price volatility was also evident in the U.S. dollar and U.S. Treasuries and bonds. The dollar index had a significant decline of just under 1% Wednesday, followed by gains of 0.96% yesterday. On Wednesday, investors also witnessed sharp declines in U.S. Treasuries yields, followed by a complete 180° reversal yesterday. Yesterday yields on the 10-year Treasury Note advanced to 3.043%, and 30-year Treasury bonds gained 17 basis points yielding 3.176%.

However, it was gold that seemed to have price stability resulting in three consecutive days of higher pricing. As of 6 PM EDT gold futures basis, the most active June 2021 contract is currently up to $7.10 or 0.38% and fixed at $1882.80. Unquestionably this was a week that will be remembered for quite some time, considering the major price reversals on Wednesday and Thursday.

By Gary Wagner

Contributing to kitco.com

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

 

 

Tim Moseley

Soluna’s Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Mining 2022 Forecast amp Predictions

Soluna's Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Mining 2022 Forecast & Predictions

bitcoin

The Soluna team has their finger on the pulse of the crypto industry, working at the intersection of mining, sustainable development, and data centers. With this knowledge, they've provided their 2022 forecast and predictions for crypto. Here are some of the most important predictions:

ecosystem for entrepreneurs

Stronghold Digital Mining (SDIG)

This article examines the outlook for Stronghold Digital Mining (SDIG) in 2022. Currently, the company is making plans to purchase spot-market miners to minimize risks associated with relying on open-market miner purchases. In addition, the company plans to invest in mining equipment from manufacturers that have a strong track record of producing high-quality equipment. Nevertheless, the outlook is not perfect and investors should be aware of certain risks and uncertainties.

In addition to the risk factor, it is important to note that there are no major governments or central banks that regulate virtual currencies. Hence, losses are not insured. It is advisable to hedge your exposure to SDIG through put options rather than direct investment in Bitcoin. However, it's still risky to procure that many mining rigs for a single investment. Thus, it's best to focus on the fundamentals of SDIG before making a decision on the stock.

Ethereum shift to "proof of stake"

With the Ethereum shift to "proof of stake" in mind, the blockchain is moving from its existing Proof of Work consensus mechanism to a new one. The switch promises to use 99% less energy and allow the Ethereum network to scale, allowing it to reach up to 100,000 transactions per second. While this transition will likely take some time, the change is already boosting the price of ether, as the new system will make participating in the Ethereum network more convenient for everyday users.

Earlier this month, CEO of Uber said the company is considering accepting crypto payments in the future. The company is joining a growing list of other large tech companies to get involved in the space. The shift to proof-of-stake protocol is expected to free Ethereum from the tight correlation with Bitcoin. Beiko didn't respond to requests for comment. Ethereum's market capitalisation is less than half that of Bitcoin. However, it represents 60 per cent of the crypto market.

ecosystem for entrepreneurs

Bitcoin price may reach $1M by 2025

According to market analysts, the price of Bitcoin will hit $1 million by 2025. However, most of these predictions are bullish. Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency with a maximum limit of 21 million coins. As a result, a network of miners processes each transaction using vastly specialized computers. Bitcoin proponents say the network is the strongest computer network in the world. Despite its lack of centralized control, Bitcoin has the potential to skyrocket in price.

A panel of 33 market analysts from Finder predicted that the price of bitcoin will hit $192,800 by 2025. Among the prices they predicted were $206,351 by October 2021 and $406,400 by the year 2030. However, these predictions aren't backed by historical data and are just predictions. The price of bitcoin will likely rise dramatically before reaching its ultimate goal – to replace all fiat currencies.

ETH staking could become a "prime rate" of the crypto asset market

As the crypto asset market becomes more popular, ETH staking will likely continue to enjoy exceptional potential. The current staking contract, Ethereum 2.0, has 8,699,604 ETH, representing 7.32% of the total supply. It is estimated to remain locked for one year. The ETH price continues to outperform BTC on risky moves, but investor confidence may be waning into the future. ETH's price action is likely to depend on the risk environment, its use in the DeFi ecosystem, and its role in emerging Web 3.0 themes.

Staking ETH may become a "prime rate" of cryptocurrency assets by 2022, as its value increases. With the rise of the cryptocurrency market, the number of people who own ETH is growing rapidly. However, the amount of ETH in circulation is still far from the USD 3 trillion that it was last year. Ethereum alone now holds more than USD 100 billion.

Tim Moseley

Enjoying alone – the power of being alone

Enjoying alone – the power of being alone


Being alone is not constantly easy, yet spending time just with on your own holds great power.
Why, as well as just how you take care of to be satisfied alone, I will certainly tell you below and delight in analysis.

One of the most vital connection is the connection with ourselves
We respect every little thing as well as everybody and sometimes concerning every trivial point, occasionally without recognizing what for. Yet the most important connection is the relationship with ourselves. Yet because we are frequently on the move on the outside, our psyche atrophies. The frantic presence ends up being a self-runner, spinning in circles as long and so quickly that it makes us dizzy. Then we tip over and also are thrown back on ourselves.
And then we lie there …

Getaway from oneself – or being alone to create directly
There are minutes when you really feel deserted not just by the globe, but also on your own. After a separation, a loss or at a few other turning point in life, being alone can feel extremely lonesome.
Sustaining this, or rather withstanding oneself, is difficult, however important for our individual growth.

Being happy alone can be hard
We have a tendency to want to avoid undesirable things immediately: Let's get away from this gloomy place that presently knows no laughter as well as no joy, that no one brows through which is always hurrying from one to the other, so as not to need to endure as well as feel one's own feelings therefore as not to be plunged into the depths by one's own voids, we assume, numbing ourselves with stimulations as well as running faster and much faster in an effort to outrun ourselves and also the obstacles of life.

But this will not prosper. We can not flee from life's tests due to the fact that they are intertwined with us to the very depths. We must solve them.
If we escape from them, they will certainly always appear prior to us. They force us to immerse ourselves to make sure that we can develop in the strings of life as well as go our method.
For that reason, we should not intend to escape from loneliness, yet satisfy it courageously.

Why being alone is very important
Being alone is essential. Perhaps all the more important the lonelier it feels. In a world where one is completely obtainable, one ought to make oneself briefly unreachable. We do not need to sink into complete isolation and penalize ourselves with holding cell. It is just an issue of not continuously avoiding our very own encounters with interruptions in the midsts – as well as also the heights – of life.
The truth is: also the best interruption can not separate us from ourselves. We constantly remain true to ourselves. Also when we have actually not been true to ourselves and our mindsets or resolutions.
The reality is: we are never alone in the world.
It's all the even worse when this sensation really feels so real – joy just superficial and also yet any kind of human closeness seems far-off.
When everything is vibrant however shows up to us in black and white, when everything is animated however only emptiness sprouts for us, when we are worn out since the inner fire has headed out, we must throw the emphasis back on ourselves. Place our life in point of view, lean back into ourselves and also take a look at what is wrong today.

Enjoy alone? Get in touch with yourself
When our storage tank is vacant as well as only a sticky trail of oil drips behind us, we need to refuel – fill ourselves back up with ourselves. Infuse ourselves a spirit of life that speaks our voice, walks in our rhythm, defeats our beat and also provides us a cozy embrace from within.

We don't have to transform the whole globe upside down or travel around the world to do this – all it takes is time with ourselves.

Inner security when it's rainy outside
We can anchor our roots deep inside to ensure that we persevere in the storms of life. Gentle winds will certainly come, tornados will certainly come, yet hurricanes will additionally move over us, sometimes altering our whole lives.
And after that?
One thing is particular, the a lot more securely we stand in ourselves, the much less can bring us down.

Aloneness transforms
We do not always need to have the ability to bound through the world with a beaming smile, bubbling over with happiness or feeding on our own endorphin cocktail. We are allowed to be weak – however we have to be strong in order to gain new toughness. Due to the fact that real strength is to endure one's own weak point, to study it, to draw from the midsts and also to grow from it.

Aloneness is the key to ourselves
Being alone is constantly what we construct from it. The vital to transform can lie in truthfully and lovingly letting ourselves in, since after that we can open up the many (protective) shells as well as identify who we actually are. What we need and also where we wish to go.

Having time for ourselves offers us strength and also contentment
Without outside impacts we become calm. We connect with ourselves, refine the past and charge our batteries. We provide ourselves time as well as attention as well as take care of ourselves.
And in the moment when we are content with ourselves – not requiring any type of stimuli, events or verification from outside, accepting our very own shadow sides as well as not blaming any person else for our joy – an effective pressure packed with self-reliance, personal obligation and real satisfaction awakens.

Enjoying alone – this is how it works
For that reason: If life overruns you or is a self-runner as well as you no more understand whether you are following your own life or away from it, after that simply stand still.
Sit back.
Not do anything or what is good for you.
Hang on, capture yourself and also capture on your own once more when you have run as well far. Take on your own by the hand and also choose on your own up where you are – by doing this you become yourself once again and being alone ends up being not only less lonesome, however your source of strength.

Tim Moseley

Gold firmer but loses altitude as USDX bond yields spike up

Gold firmer but loses altitude as USDX, bond yields spike up

Gold prices are posting modest gains in midday U.S. trading Thursday but the bulls are fading fast after solid early gains have been erased. The precious metals markets are being buffeted today by strong gains in the U.S. dollar index and a big spike up in U.S. Treasury yields. June gold futures were last up $5.70 at $1,874.30 and May Comex silver was last down $0.037 at $22.33 an ounce.

Traders Thursday were still digesting the Federal Reserve move Wednesday afternoon to raise its key interest rate, the Fed funds rate, by 0.5%, which was expected by the marketplace. After some initial exuberance by the marketplace that the Fed was becoming less hawkish on U.S. monetary policy, traders and investors came to their senses and realized nothing has changed: the Fed will have to remain aggressive and hawkish in its fight to tame inflation that is presently still out of control.

The key outside markets today sees Nymex crude oil futures prices down and trading around $107.00 a barrel after trading above $111.00 earlier today. The U.S. dollar index is solidly higher at midday and hit a new 20-year high. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note is presently fetching 3.082%, which is a 3.5-year high. It’s been quite a while since Treasury bond futures prices were down over 3 full points in a day.

Gold remains on track as Federal Reserve lays out path for 50-bps rate hikes – State Street's Milling-Stanley

Global stock markets were mixed overnight, with European shares mostly up and Asian shares mostly down. U.S. stock indexes are sharply lower at midday and have taken back all of Wednesday’s big gains and then some. The keener risk aversion in the marketplace should keep a floor under the safe-haven metals prices at their present levels.

The Bank of England is at its regular monetary policy meeting raised its interest rate by 0.25%. The BOE raised its annual inflation forecast significantly, to 10.25%. A rate hike was expected but the inflation forecast was a surprise on the upside.

Traders and investors are now awaiting Friday morning’s U.S. employment situation report for April. The key non-farm jobs number in the report is expected to come in at up 400,000, which compares to a rise of 431,000 in the March report.

Technically, June gold futures see a downtrend is place on the daily bar chart. Bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at last week’s high of $1,935.50. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,800.00. First resistance is seen at $1,900.00 and then at today’s high of $1,910.70. First support is seen at Wednesday’s low of $1,861.10 and then at this week’s low of $1,849.70. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.0

May silver futures see a steep price downtrend in place on the daily bar chart. The silver bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $24.00 an ounce. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at the December low of $21.445. First resistance is seen at $23.00 and then at today’s high of $23.245. Next support is seen at Wednesday’s low of $22.135 and then at this week’s low of $22.12. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.5.

May N.Y. copper closed down 495 points at 427.90 cents today. Prices closed near the session low today. The copper bears have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. A price downtrend is in place on the daily bar chart. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 450.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at the December low of 411.65 cents. First resistance is seen at Wednesday’s high of 438.55 cents and then at today’s high of 442.00 cents. First support is seen at Wednesday’s low of 424.00 cents and then at this week’s low of 419.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.0.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

Tim Moseley

HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR EMAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR EMAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

 

Since the dawn of social media marketing, it’s been purported that email marketing will cease to be of any value as a marketing strategy. On the contrary, email continues to be one of the most popular digital channels that marketers can use to communicate with customers and subscribers, bringing in significant ROI for businesses worldwide. 

According to Statista, daily email users will climb to 4.6 billion by 2025. Despite the growth and prominence of mobile messengers and chat apps, e-mail is an integral part of everyday online life. Email is a great way to connect with busy clients on the move, eating breakfast, commuting, at work, in bed, or just about anywhere with billions of users per day.

Furthermore, the number of emails sent and received globally has increased since 2017. While roughly 319.6 billion emails were estimated to have been sent and received each day in 2021, this figure is expected to increase to over 376.4 billion daily emails by 2025.

Email Marketing

Email marketing has managed to defy its predicted demise and remain central to digital communication, and continues to grow in acceptance. Notably, email has seen higher click-through rates than social media regarding online advertising.

Past studies and marketing statistics have found that 4.24% of visitors from email marketing will make a purchase compared to only 2.49% of visitors from search engines and 0.59% from social media. 

The email has been around for decades, and the concept of email autoresponders as a strategic marketing tool was invented by the Founder and CEO of Markethive, Thomas Prendergast. He subsequently refined and established the system and the concept of Automated Marketing which we now call Inbound Marketing.

 

Optimize Your Email Campaigns

As the number of emails sent and received each day increases globally, data experts agree that more than 120 business and consumer emails are sent and received by the average person. It would be fair to say not all those emails are read or even opened. 

Given the statistics above, it's crucial to reevaluate your email marketing campaigns periodically and look for ways to make your emails stand out. To capture your recipient’s attention, you need to craft an intriguing subject line, purposeful salutation, and opening sentence.

Almost two-thirds (59%) of B2B marketers say email is the most effective channel, and marketing through email is the most effective tactic. The same group of B2B marketers surveyed claimed there are some dynamic tactics they can take to make their emails even more effective. 

For example, according to Experian, 56% of email marketers who use emojis in their subject lines have a higher open rate. When used in subject lines, emojis stand out and separate your email from the mountains of other emails. 

 

 

Adding emojis to headlines started in 2015 and has become more prevalent in subsequent years. Studies have shown that emotional content can increase the effectiveness of a marketing campaign by as much as 70%. Emojis show a facial expression related to the message conveyed or an icon related to the product or brand.

Emojis help break the language barrier as they generally hold the same meanings. They also create a more visual element and can retain your customer's attention. They can generate urgency or trigger emotions when used in a subject line, particularly for B2C.

Be sure to keep it relevant to your email subject and not overdo the number of emojis. More than two will look spammy and can put people off. You will need to discern what works for your brand and audience. In some cases, emojis might not be the best option. 

Industries considered serious like law, accounting, and B2B may see it as unprofessional. However, your industry shouldn’t dictate what may work for your emails. Many emojis could be suitable, like calculators, clip boards, stop signs or dollar symbols, etc. There are many options to find the right emojis for your company.  

Appboy conducted a poll and found that people enjoy emojis in general. More than 64% like or love emojis, compared to only 6% who dislike them. Consumers are exposed to emojis regularly in their everyday life: 87% use them in their texting and messaging, and 68% receive a message with emojis from friends or family once a day or more.

The good news for marketers is that 39% of participants thought the emoji touch in emails from brands was fun. Although there has been a steady rise in emoji-focused email campaigns, 60% said they received emails from brands only once a month, and 35% have never received an emoji campaign. 

 


Image source Optinmonster

 

Tips For Using Emojis In Your Email Marketing

  • Use sites such as Emojispedia to find emojis. Simply copy and paste the emojis you want to use in your email subject line.
  • Don’t use emojis just for the sake of using them. Make sure the emojis are relevant to your audience.
  • When using emojis, tone and context do matter. Use emojis that complement your message.
  • Ensure your audience responds well to emojis before sending them in emails to all your subscribers. A/B test emails with and without emojis allow the difference in open rate to help you determine what is working.
  • Finally, don’t go overboard. While emojis are fun to use, it’s easy to overdo them. Maybe just reserve them for special occasions.

By using emojis in the correct context, you could create the top email subject lines in your industry. Not only do emojis capture interest, but they can boost your email's response rate, too.

 

Why Are Engaging Email Introductions Important?

Now that we’ve caught the recipient's attention with a fetching and novel subject line, a robust email introduction encourages your reader to continue scanning the body of your message. 

The best emails have an engaging greeting and opening sentence that secures the recipient’s interest and buy-in. Ideally, a captivating introduction ultimately leads readers to take action. 

A thoughtful email opening sentence is helpful when asking recipients to:  

  • Click on a link
  • Respond to a question
  • Participate in a survey
  • Provide additional clarity
  • Review a document or other information
  • Provide business-related support
  • RSVP

A compelling opener sets the tone for your message, and it can also entice recipients to spend more of their time with the message and help your email sidestep the terrible “trash bin.”

 

Six Strong Ways To Start An Email

Below is a list of email greetings and opening sentences that keep recipients and their time a priority.

Appropriate Salutations

1. Dear %%Name%%
This email greeting is an appropriate salutation for formal email correspondence. It’s typically used in cover letters, official business letters, and other communication when you want to convey respect for the recipient. Personalization can improve open rates by up to 26%

Although honorifics like “Mr.” and “Mrs.” were once accepted, they risk misgendering or erroneously assuming the reader’s marital status. So, just use either first name or full name to be on the safe side.

2. Hi or Hello
As far as email greetings go, an informal “Hi” followed by a comma is acceptable in most work-related messages. If a slightly more formal tone is preferred, consider the salutation “Hello.” 

Although this is considered an informal greeting, it also conveys a straightforward and friendly tone.

3. Greeting A Group Of People
When writing an email message to two or more people, you have a few options. “Hi everyone,” “Hi team,” or “Hi %%department name%% team” are informal yet professional ways to greet a group of people.

They also avoid gender-specific addresses to a group, like “Hi guys,” “Hi ladies,” or “Gentlemen,” which might not accurately describe the recipients.

Engaging Email Opening Sentences

4. I hope your week is going well, or I hope you had a lovely weekend
These are effective email opening sentences because they acknowledge your reader first and help build rapport with a colleague you already know or with whom you want to develop a friendly working relationship. 

5. I’m reaching out about . . . 
Beginning an email with “I’m reaching out about . . . ” is polite and direct and clarifies the purpose of the email. With hundreds of email correspondences transmitted in a single business day, this approach shows you’re being conscientious about the recipient’s time by getting straight to the point.

Stating your intent also avoids miscommunication or confusion about what you need from the reader. 

6. Thanks for . . . 
Expressing gratitude is another way to put the reader first. If the email you’re writing is in response to an email or action by the recipient, acknowledging that at the start builds on workplace companionship.

 

Six Ways Not To Begin An Email

The salutations and opening sentences below carry a stiff tone and, in some cases, suggest a careless approach. If your goal is to come across as genuine and thoughtful, it’s best to avoid these phrases. 

Salutations To Avoid

1. To whom it may concern
Although “To whom it may concern” seems like a professional salutation, it’s impersonal and overused. It suggests that you didn’t care to confirm who your recipient is or whether your message pertains to them.
This also applies to the email greeting, “Dear Sir or Madam.” In this case, the gender-binary greeting is dated and could be considered noninclusive.

2. Hi %%Misspelled Name%%
Confirm that you've used the correct spelling when using the recipient’s name in an email salutation. Typos happen, but misspelling a person’s name sends a red flag that you didn’t write your message with care or attention to detail. 

3. Dear %%ENTER NAME HERE%%
Misspelling a recipient’s name in an email greeting should be avoided, as should another salutation blunder: entirely forgetting to enter their name into a prewritten template.

Using an email template without any personalization in the hope of captivating your reader will likely be ineffective. If you must use a templated message for efficiency, always double-check that you’ve changed any placeholders in the salutation with the recipient’s correctly spelled name. 

Opening Sentences To Avoid

4. Can you do me a favor?
When you don’t know the recipient and email them for the first time, an opening sentence like “Can you do me a favor?” can feel abrupt and has a self-serving tone. 

Instead, consider an email opening sentence that concisely explains the problem you’re hoping to solve with their assistance, like “I’m reaching out about . . . ”

5. I know you’re busy, but . . . 
This email introduction, at best, assumes the reader’s time is precious. At worst, it suggests that you’re aware of that fact, but you deserve their attention nonetheless. 

Regardless of your relationship with the reader, avoid this introductory sentence and briefly explain why you’re messaging them.

6. Let me introduce myself
This email opener is typically used for email recipients for the first time. Beginning an email with “Let me introduce myself” is like narrating your introduction, and it sounds declarative but wastes time. Instead, cut to the chase. 

Additional tips for an engaging email introduction

  • Know your audience. The email salutation and opening sentence for your message should reflect your relationship with the audience. Consider whether you’re writing for a client, a professional acquaintance, or a close colleague. 
  • Make your purpose clear. When the purpose of your email is unclear, it can leave the reader confused or frustrated. To avoid missing this critical factor, try incorporating the intention of your email into the opening sentence.

It’s essential to realize what you need to do to get the attention of your customers when their inboxes are already saturated with messages. Take the time to think about improving your email marketing strategy to ensure your emails rise above the clutter.

Markethive – The Holistic Approach

Email marketing is the undisputed leader in terms of ROI. From a marketing perspective, the statistics on reach and engagement show email open rates are generally 20-30%, unlike the organic reach on Facebook at only 2-6%. (i.e., the number of your fans who see your posts in their Newsfeed)

Likewise, click-through rates (CTR) from email are generally in the 3% range, while CTR on LinkedIn is in the 0.6% range. However, email marketing is not in competition with social media, nor are they separate entities. Combined, they offer a more holistic approach and provide a seamless experience for customers. 

Markethive offers a comprehensive, inclusive platform integrating a social interface, remote broadcasting to other social media and digital sites, and inbound marketing mechanisms that bring brands and customers together. 

Email delivery is a top priority at Markethive and a powerful aspect of our inbound marketing system. It has earned the reputation of producing an emailing system that delivers your messages to 97% of your recipients’ accounts with 100% delivery to their INBOX.

The Markethive email autoresponder system is free when you join Markethive and is built for beginners through to Entrepreneurs and Business Owners at any level. There are no limitations on the amount or size of your list of subscribers and no upcharges. 

Email reaches your customers one-on-one, and the social aspect of Markethive is ideal for driving customers as communities. Markethive has paired them together for the most effective and dynamic marketing strategy.

 

What’s Coming To Markethive? 

The current email autoresponder in Markethive sends a series of emails out linearly. Segments are sequenced to be delivered every day, alternate day, or whatever day you choose when configuring your email campaign. 

The great news is that we have an alternative new email system being developed, consisting of more in-depth programming that will make the delivery of your emails more dynamic and intuitive. The program will identify what emails were opened and send out the following email aligned with the first email. 

The recipient's actions within that email will determine which type of email will subsequently be delivered to them. If the email is not opened, it will not follow up with a second email. So the system will fork off the original email depending on any given outcome. 

The report on your email delivery will have more concise data displaying how many overall emails went out, how many were delivered, how many were opened, and how many bounced back as rejected due to errors in the address or full inbox issues. 

The whole purpose behind this is not to spam people or hit them with messages they don’t want but to produce quality material that helps educate people and those looking for answers to their particular problems through systems like this.  By using these methods, you establish authority, and the credibility that your sphere of influence you create will appreciate what you are doing.

You will be able to keep using Markethive’s original autoresponder; you will now just have a choice.

For all the latest updates on what’s happening in Markethive, come to our weekly meetings on Sundays at 10 am Mountain time. The link to the meeting room is in the Markethive calendar. 

See you there and God Bless You 

 

 

Tim Moseley

Gold sees modest rally following mildly dovish FOMC statement

Gold sees modest rally following mildly dovish FOMC statement

Gold prices are steady to firmer in early afternoon U.S. dealings Wednesday, supported by the conclusion of the U.S. central bank meeting this afternoon that was deemed just a bit dovish. Gold prices were modestly down just prior to the FOMC statement's release. June gold futures were last up $1.50 at $1,871.80 and May Comex silver was last down $0.136 at $22.46 an ounce.

The just-released data point of the week, the U.S. Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting statement, saw the Fed raise the key U.S. interest rate, the Fed funds rate, by 0.5%. The Fed funds range is now 0.75% to 1.0%. The rate hike is the first 0.5% increase in 22 years and comes amid the highest U.S. inflation levels in 40 years. The statement said the Fed will continue to raise interest rates as appropriate. The FOMC statement said that starting June 1 the Fed will begin to reduce its balance sheet of securities by $95 billion per month. The Fed also said the Russia-Ukraine war, rising Covid cases in China and supply chain bottlenecks are the main causes for rising inflation. The marketplace's initial read on the statement is a bit dovish on U.S. monetary policy. Others might argue that the statement was just less hawkish than previous recent remarks from Federal Reserve officials. As of this writing, traders were awaiting Fed Chairman Jerome Powell's press conference.

A Barron's headline this morning read: "The Fed's big hikes won't fight inflation from soaring oil prices." The article argues that central banks can only control the demand side of the economic equation by raising interest rates — not the supply side.

Commodities at risk of reversing massive gains with 'wild run' similar to 2008, gold price to take on $2k – Bloomberg Intelligence

Global stock markets were mostly lower overnight. U.S. stock indexes are higher in early-afternoon trading. The European Union has proposed a phased-in ban on Russian crude oil imports and that has crude oil prices sharply higher at mid-week. The key outside markets today sees Nymex crude oil futures prices are trading around $107.30 a barrel. Meantime, the U.S. dollar index is a bit weaker in early afternoon trading. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note is presently fetching 2.981%. The 10-year yield early this week briefly hit a 3.5-year high just above 3%.

Technically, June gold futures see a three-week-old price downtrend in place on the daily bar chart. Bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at last week's high of $1,935.50. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,800.00. First resistance is seen at $1,883.00 and then at $1,900.00. First support is seen at this week's low of $1,849.70 and then at $1,835.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.0

May silver futures see a steep price downtrend in place on the daily bar chart. The silver bears have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $24.00 an ounce. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at the December low of $21.445. First resistance is seen at this week's high of $22.83 and then at $23.00. Next support is seen at this week's low of $22.12 and then at $22.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 2.5.

May N.Y. copper closed up 540 points at 432.50 cents today. Prices closed near the session high today. The copper bears have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. A price downtrend is in place on the daily bar chart. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 450.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at the December low of 411.65 cents. First resistance is seen at Tuesday's high of 434.40 cents and then at this week's high of 438.55 cents. First support is seen at today's low of 424.00 cents and then at this week's low of 419.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.0.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to buy Gold and Silver on the dips

 

Tim Moseley

The Artist that came out of the Winter