We are pleased to inform new readers of this important service. Three times each week (usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday), unless travel or health conditions interfere, we will continue to write a timely commentary on current market conditions. These comments are entitled "Melman Minutes" and it is our hope that they will be of value in providing political and economic background information to assist in your interpretation of market conditions.

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

January's Jobs Report was issued by the U. S. Department of Labor right on schedule this morning and one can only imagine the pleasure those numbers brought to the Obama Administration as the election of November 2012 draws nearer.  Read Article

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

It has been said that there are "liars, damned liars and then statistics", meaning we should not put our trust in statistics alone, but should view such information with more than a slightly jaundiced eye.  However, in our experience, we occasionally run across statistical data with such stark implications that we do indeed sit up and take notice.   Read Article

Monday, January 30th, 2012

Several days ago, I used part of this space to comment on the unnatural appearance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average during the latter part of December and throughout January, pointing out that the amazingly limited variance from a straight line suggested market action which was both "artificial" and "manipulated."    Read Article

Friday, January 27th, 2012

When it comes to facility with the English language, one of my favourites (by far!) was the great 19th Century lyricist Sir William S. Gilbert, the famous wordsmith whose words were set to glorious music by the equally talented Sir Arthur Sullivan.  As I watch the often contradictory flow of financial and political news of late, I am reminded of one of Gilbert's famous lines from the operetta "H.M.S. Pinafore", "...Things are seldom what they seem; skim milk masquerades as cream."  Read Article

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

I realize what follows in this morning's "Melman Minute" may forever bar me from potential membership in the "Barak Obama Fan Club", but I will willingly take that risk. However, following last night's State of the Union Address" (which was anything but a speech consistent with historic State of the Union Addresses), I feel compelled to comment on the implications of his speech to our world of precious and base metals mining.  Read Article

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

Greetings from the Cambridge House Vancouver Resource Conference where approximately 12,000 enthusiastic attendees have thronged the Vancouver Convention Center with, in our opinion, two primary questions in mind.  First, where is the financial world heading and, second, why are so many mining shares ailing despite generally robust action in the prices of the metals?  Read Article

Friday, January 20th, 2012

Momentum is a strange thing.  Many of us who follow our favourite football, hockey or basketball teams can cite many examples where a period of lacklustre performance is followed by gathering strength until the entire tenor of the game changes.  Read Article

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

One of the advantages of having been around long enough to be considered a "gray-beard" is that through actual experience, one is able to identify certain repeating characteristics and I believe this is particularly true of precious metals bull markets.  Read Article

Monday, January 16th, 2012

A list of attributes which might be of benefit to a financial analyst might include the ability to digest reams of data, a background of accumulating economic knowledge, some familiarity with technical analysis and so forth.  However, such a list would not normally include possessing a sense of humour, but that is exactly what was called for as I perused some of the headlines accumulated over the past weekend. Read Article

Friday, January 13th, 2012

Oh, it must be Friday the 13th! 

I am unfortunately stranded in Quebec due to weather and not able to produce a minute for today.  Our minutes will resume on Monday the 16th.

Leonard