The Fed’s Balance Sheet has hit $4 trillion due to the monetary stimulus program, which was designed to keep long term interest rates low and encourage spending and hiring.

The Fed’s Balance Sheet has hit $4 trillion due to the monetary stimulus program, which was designed to keep long term interest rates low and encourage spending and hiring. Ben Bernanke made his last planned public remarks yesterday and reassured investors that if unemployment rates reach the 6.5% threshold, the Fed will continue to keep rates near zero as long as inflation remains below the 2% target level. This insinuates that tapering isn’t tightening! Bernanke made no reference to halt tapering so looks like we can expect the scaling back to continue and see a completion of the program late in the year. Two out of the three top producers of Platinum, Lonmin PLC and Impala, are likely to see the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) strike. If wage demands are not met, Lonmin should see the strike take place on January 23^rd. If the strike happens, supply concerns could push PT prices to much higher levels.