Gold weaker on follow-through selling from Tuesday’s solid losses
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Gold weaker on follow-through selling from Tuesday’s solid losses teaser image
Gold prices are down a bit on follow-through selling pressure after solid losses posted Tuesday. Prices hit a three-month low overnight. Silver prices are firmer after hitting a four-month low early on today. April gold was last down $3.20 at $2,004.20. March silver was last up $0.271 at $22.425.
The marketplace Wednesday had mostly digested Tuesday’s U.S. consumer price index report for January that came in at up 3.1%, year-on-year, compared to forecasts for up 2.9% and compares to a rise of 3.4% in the December report. The “core” CPI (excluding food and energy) for January came in at up 3.9%, year-on-year. The U.S. stock indexes sold off sharply, the U.S. dollar index surged, U.S. Treasury yields rose significantly and gold prices posted solid losses. The CPI report all but dashed hopes the Federal Reserve would start to lower interest rates early this spring. The warmer-but-still-not-hot CPI print Tuesday was not that far out of line from market expectations, yet the aforementioned markets showed serious reactions. It’s my bias the CPI report that was a bit warmer than expected was just an excuse for the U.S. stock market to experience a downside correction that was needed anyway, after the major U.S. indexes hit record highs earlier this week. And the U.S. dollar index was already trending up before the CPI news. Bond yields were already creeping up, too. Don’t be surprised to see stock market bulls look at Tuesday’s big pullback as a buying opportunity in existing solid price uptrends for the major indexes.
The next U.S. inflation report comes with Friday’s producer price index report for January, seen coming in at up 0.1% from December, compared to a 0.1% month-on-month decline in the December PPI report.
Asian and European stock markets were mixed in overnight trading. China is celebrating its Lunar New Year holiday this week and many China markets are still closed. U.S. stock index futures are modestly higher at midday.
The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index weaker after hitting a three-month high Tuesday. Nymex crude oil prices are lower and trading around $77.00 a barrel. The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note is presently fetching 4.253%.
Technically, April gold futures prices hit a three-month low early on today. The bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a nine-week-old downtrend on the daily bar chart. Bulls’ next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at the February high of $2,083.20. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at the November low of $1,975.10. First resistance is seen at $2,010.00 and then at $2,023.30. First support is seen at today’s low of $1,996.40 and then at $1,985.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 4.0.
March silver futures prices hit a four-month low early on today. The silver bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. A nine-week-old downtrend is in place on the daily bar chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $23.445. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at the October low of $21.17. First resistance is seen at $22.75 and then at $23.00. Next support is seen at today’s low of $21.975 and then at $21.50. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.0.
March N.Y. copper closed down 115 points at 369.95 cents today. Prices closed nearer the session low today. The copper bears have the overall near-term technical advantage. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 390.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at the October low of 355.75 cents. First resistance is seen at this week’s high of 375.45 cents and then at 380.00 cents. First support is seen at last week’s low of 365.50 cents and then at 362.60 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 3.0.
Kitco Media
Jim Wyckoff
David – http://markethive.com/david-ogden