RUT,Russell 2000 update

rut may 15 2013Rut may 15 2013 s

See our previous blogs on the Russell 2000. This is a small cap index that is reconstituted every year in order to stay “representative”. We show this structure not because we are confident that it is correct, but simple because it does suggest that we are at or near a peak of sorts. Theoretically we fully understand that the sky is literally the limit for any asset if you reduce interest rates to zero permanently. But this is reducing the argument to absurd levels as practically it is impossible to reduce interest rates forever to zero, if not would not everyone have used this all the time long before Bernanke (and Greenspan) adopted it as the official state policy. The Roman Empire would still exist and Britain would still rule the waves.

What we have in the above charts is a very clear example of an expanding diagonal triangle. That is a mouthful but what it means is that we are at the end of the ride as these structures are 5th waves. They follow the 3-3-3-3-3 format and have overlap which is normally not encountered in impuls waves. They usually retrace right back to their base, in this case 300. Normally the upper trend-line is reached, or briefly exceeded in a throw-over. The very nice characteristic about this chart is that there is absolutely no ambiguity whatsoever the way there is with the Dow or S&P. Presently we are ten ticks away from an even 1000 (up 3X+ in 4 years!.) The p/e is supposedly about 18 which is high. The chart is moving up at a rate of about 50 ticks a month, with the line at about 1050 this should be done in a month or so at the most. Also if the 2000 tech bubble was a bubble, and the 2007 bubble was a bubble what would you call 2013. And yes we are perfectly aware that one can only recognize a bubble after the fact, that is if you work at the Fed.

SFF, Seafield adopts its own “poison pill”

From the website today;

The Board has adopted the Rights Plan in recognition that take-over bids may not always result in shareholders receiving equal treatment or fair and full value for their common shares. The Rights Plan is not intended to block take-over bids.  The Rights Plan grants shareholders rights  (“Rights”) pursuant to the terms of the Rights Plan. On the occurrence of certain triggering events, which include the acquisition by a person or a group of 20% or more of the outstanding common shares of the Company in a transaction not approved by the Board, the Rights will entitle the holders (other than the acquiring person or group) to acquire common shares of the Company at a significant discount to the market price. The Rights are not triggered by purchases of common shares made pursuant to a “permitted bid” (as defined in the Rights Plan) or where the application of the Rights Plan is waived in accordance with its terms.

The Rights Plan is not being adopted in response to any formal proposal to acquire control of the Company.

 

Obviously there is someone sniffing around. The stock has traded for some time now between 4 and 5 cents and we reiterate our buy recommendation for a trade only and with play money only. Moreover above 10 cents there are sellers galore so it would be something like buy at 4 and sell at 9 cents. The rights plan is effective immediately but will have to be confirmed at the next general shareholders meeting set for June 25th. Volume over the past few weeks is in the order of 10 mln. shares, not enough to reach the roughly 40 mln. to reach the 20% level. However certain parties may already own large blocks and there is also the possibility of exercising ( out-of-the-money!) options to make the point. We will see. In any event a further drawdown of the loan facility should be just around the corner.

SFF, Seafield update

Toronto, Ontario, May 6, 2013 – Seafield Resources Ltd. (“Seafield” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: SFF)is pleased to announce that the board of directors of the Company has approved and adopted an Advance Notice By-law (the “By-law”). The By-law sets a deadline by which holders of record of common shares of the Company must submit a notice of director nominations to the Company prior to any annual or special meeting of shareholders and sets forth the information that a shareholder must include in the notice to the Company for it to be valid.

There was no news late April, instead it came  on the 6th of May about a week later in the form of the above announcement.  A change in the by-laws is always bad news as it might mean that the present management feels threatened by outsider shareholders starting some sort of proxy fight. The fairly high volume of trades lately at about 4.5 cents could be an early indicator that something is going on. In Canada you need, I believe, just 5% of the outstanding float to be heard. We will see.