Why Greenspan Sees Strength Ahead

The release of disappointing third quarter gross domestic
product numbers drove the December dollar index futures
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down
0.70 to 115.55 and bolstered the Japanese yen
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and euro FX
futures

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in Friday’s currency trading. However, in a speech
delivered by Fed chairman Alan Greenspan, he stated the less constricted
employment policies in the U.S. have had a substantial impact on the strength of
the dollar in the past, and inferred that the likelihood for the future would be
more of the same. JYZ1 closed up 0.000013 to 0.008103, while the ECZ1 gained
0.0071 to end the day at 0.8954. Swiss francs
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were up 0.0041
to 0.6090, as was the Canadian dollar
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, which rose 0.0032 to
0.6356. The British pound
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slid 0.0030 lower to 1.4228.

Index futures were sold off, with none of the group able
to close positive. Dow futures
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lost 25 to 9840, with the
S&P futures

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falling 4.60 to 1139.90. December Nasdaq 100
futures

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held the 1600 mark, losing only 5 points to end right on
the benchmark.

Bonds failed to jump on the weakness of the index
futures, with T-bonds
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gaining only ‘050 to close at 108’080,
and 10-year notes
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gave up 6 ticks to end the week at 104’25.

December crude oil
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jumped on a rumor
that Iraq was putting a stop to exports, leaping 0.82 per barrel to 19.44.
Heating oil

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finished 0.0129 higher at 0.5323, and unleaded
gasoline

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was up 0.0143 to 0.5343.

Grains were positive across the board, with the beaten down corn
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contract getting a jump start from a Chinese order for 500,000 metric
tons. CZ1 rose 8 3/4 to close at 208 1/2. December wheat
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gained 8 1/4 to head into the weekend at 281 1/2, while soybeans
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also enjoyed a nice gain, up 8 to 444 1/2. Soy meal
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, which finished up 0.9 at 157.10, and soybean oil
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,
which added 0.38 to
16.14, completed the sweep for the group.

Cattle sold off on news from Japan of a third case of mad
cow disease being discovered. Feeder cattle
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dropped 0.75 to
close at 84.525, and live cattle
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fell 0.40 to70.175. Hogs
managed to climb slightly, with December lean hogs
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up .80 to
50.325, and pork bellies
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rising 0.45 to go into the weekend at
79.10.

Softs were mixed, as March coffee
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started to offset some
losses incurred earlier in the week, gaining 0.60 to 46.20, and orange juice
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is holding above the 20-day moving average, rising 0.65 to end the
session at 95.20. Meanwhile, sugar
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was hammered down 1.70 to
6.00, and March cocoa
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fell 10 points to 1339. Cotton
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continues its rally, tacking on 0.31 to 39.27.

December gold
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and silver
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continue to pull
back from their lows, with GCZ1 adding 0.40 to 273.9 and SIZ1 rising 0.065 to
finish at 4.128. Copper
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continues to rally, posting another
gain, up 0.009 to 0.772.