2012 Predictions

Last year, I think I scored pretty good on the predictions.   For full list of scoring click here.  Scored better than 2010 predictions, but I didn't fare that bad either that year.  2009 predictions was funky, i wasn't very clear on the predictions, making it hard to judge.

So here we are, lets see how I do this year.  Let me state this upfront, my assumption that Ron Paul will NOT be the republican candidate.  If he gains support, my entire prediction scheme will be way off.  The reason is simple, Ron Paul, although not exactly mainstream or well balanced, does represent fiscal prudence.  Even if he cannot accomplish much without congress backing, the mere electing (or thread of being elected ) should move markets in 2012.

Its a pretty big opt-out for my predictions this year.  But Ron Paul generally speaking doesn't look like he will gain public support, so its probably not going to come into play.

2012 predictions
1) The market will end LOWER on Dec 31st 2012 than Jan 1st 2012.  Last year I waffled and said couldn't tell, and the market did end about flat.  This year I am not going to hazard how low the market goes.  It could move higher before lower.  But with the election over by November, pretty much the hype of the next president will be over, and the market can take a nice dive, like it did in 2008.

2) Commodity prices will bottom in 2012 - there will be a pattern of a low hit in 2012, with the CRB index moving up from that low set in 2012 at the end of 2012.  This will be the setup for a hell of a 2013 that no one will forget.  This index represents commodity prices in USD terms.  (This includes Gold, Oil, and food.) This will be key setup for the inflation issues ahead.

3) The worst of China's financial crisis will come to pass in 2012.  A new regime will take over, and plans for creating the worlds largest consumer nation will be center stage.  China's stock markets will bottom in 2012.  In effect, China will throw down the gauntlet at replacing the USA as world economic driver.  The transition will take years.  This setup by China will move from the corners of blogs to mainstream media.  Expect China to take shots at USA like trade tariffs etc.  It will be all positioning for them to take the upper hand in the world arena.  The issue won't be why the tariff is justified or not.  The issue will be China can do it and the USA can't respond in kind.  It will in effect be a test.

4) The Euro will NOT be the same as it entered 2012.  The nations bankrupt will be either kicked out of the euro, or a new two-tier model created, or a new Euro model that allows printing to finance debt emerges.  The facade of all nations must adhere to fiscal responsibility will in effect be gone.  The nations that need to print, can, either through the euro or on their own.

5) US, and Europe will be declared in a recession.  The media has hinted, but this hasn't come to pass.  Although this may be a "gimme" on my part, it is still an important event for the 2013 lineup.

6) US 30 year bond rates will NOT break out of the channel in effect since 1986.  This is critical, for if we do break out of this, chances are most of my other predictions will be wrong.

7) US dollar will NOT break below the low in 2011 until after August of 2012 (or may not at all in 2012).  With the election, there will be enough political spin to keep the dollar from crashing until close to the election.  This is related to, but not tied to the previous item, Euro, China, and the market movements.

8) State and Town bonds will continue to deterioration as high quality choices for investments.  I am pulling back from my 2011 prediction of a significant shift.  Instead for 2012, predict more issues, more bankruptcies, and some interesting court rulings.

9) Since this is an election year, there will be a few TOKEN prosecutions around financial wrongdoing, but overall, we won't see the law enforced like we did back in the Savings and Loan crisis.  Lack of law enforcement continuing is crucial for the 2013 crisis setup.

10) The end of the world will not happen, China will not declare WW3, and mass riots in USA will not happen.  In a nut shell, 2012 won't be chaos erupting, but 2012 will be the layup for 2013+ for issues heating up.  My 2013 predictions will make all previous years look tame. :)

There ya have it, 10 predictions.  I covered  the market, commodity prices, currencies (US and Euro), interest rates (bonds),  corruption trend, China, and a tongue in cheek of end of the world stuff.  If the end of the world does hit, then you can email me about such a failed prediction. :)

Recommend reading Mish's predictions that can be found here.

Karl Denninger's 2012 predictions below