US Economic Data and Events for October 1st, 2008

By: Joseph_Brusuelas

• Equity markets saw a broad based relief rally caused by a breakout of optimism that the U.S. Congress will revisit the $700bln rescue package • The FDIC requested temporary authority to increase the deposit insurance limit from $100K to shore up the growing crisis of confidence in the domestic banking system. Members of Congress have suggested the limit could be raised to $250K

• The US dollar saw the single largest increase in value against the Euro since its inception. The catalyst was the change in market sentiment that a rescue plan will be obtained and concern over select financial concerns in Europe.

Day Ahead:

• Market action will focus on moves in Washington D.C. to salvage in some form the rescue plan and information provided by the ADP estimate of the employment situation and the ISM survey of manufacturing conditions nationwide.

• The focus of the market may move to the deteriorating economic situation in Europe and the prospective shakeout in the EU banking system. This does present additional downside risk for the Euro.

• The day will see a heavy slate of economic data with the publication of the September domestic vehicle sales, ADP employment estimate, ISM manufacturing survey and August construction spending report.

• The EIA petroleum status report will be released at 10:35 EDT.

By Joseph Brusuelas
Chief Economist, VP Global Strategy of the Merk Hard Currency Fund

Bridging academic rigor and communications, Joe Brusuelas provides the Merk team with significant experience in advanced research and analysis of macro-economic factors, as well as in identifying how economic trends impact investors.  As Chief Economist and Global Strategist, he is responsible for heading Merk research and analysis and communicating the Merk Perspective to the markets.

Mr. Brusuelas holds an M.A and a B.A. in Political Science from San Diego State and is a PhD candidate at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles.

Before joining Merk, Mr. Brusuelas was the chief US Economist at IDEAglobal in New York.  Before that he spent 8 years in academia as a researcher and lecturer covering themes spanning macro- and microeconomics, money, banking and financial markets.  In addition, he has worked at Citibank/Salomon Smith Barney, First Fidelity Bank and Great Western Investment Management.

© 2008 Merk Investments® LLC
The Merk Hard Currency Fund is managed by Merk Investments, an investment advisory firm that invests with discipline and long-term focus while adapting to changing environments. Axel Merk, president of Merk Investments, makes all investment decisions for the Merk Hard Currency Fund. Mr. Merk founded Merk Investments AG in Switzerland in 1994; in 2001, he relocated the business to the US where all investment advisory activities are conducted by Merk Investments LLC, a SEC-registered investment adviser.

Merk Investments has since pursued a macro-economic approach to investing, with substantial gold and hard currency exposure.

Merk Investments is making the Merk Hard Currency Fund available to retail investors to allow them to diversify their portfolios and, through the fund, invest in a basket of hard currencies.

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