Alas, Christmas has now come and gone for another year. The hustle and bustle of the season begins to wind down, the wrappings, bows and pretty paper now being consigned to the trash bin. Soon the lights will be coming down and the trees discarded for mulch or put back into the basement or attics. The children will be out making merry with their new toys and games. These things seem as constant as the North star for those of us who celebrate this wondrous holiday.

Sadly, as constant as the above, so too it seems is the desire of political leaders to debauch or debase their own currencies. Witness the Japanese Yen as it continues to plummet following the path desired by the new political leadership. The point is not being lost on gold as it continues to hover near record highs when priced in terms of that currency.

Incidentally, unleaded gasoline is threatening a breach of overhead resistance at the top of its trading range near the $2.81 level. Distillate strength is keeping a very firm bid in the liquid energy markets despite the continued threat of a so-called 'fiscal cliff' breakdown.

Crude oil is flirting with a band of heavy resistance between 90.30 - 90.60. Above that, it can be expected to see strong selling pressure emerging if it approaches the $93 level.

Cold weather has given heating oil a boost and it too is up near the top of its trading range. These energy markets are worth keeping an eye on as any bona fide breakout will tend to give gold a boost to the upside as well.

Well, at least we got a brief respite from the high gasoline prices. We'll see how long this upside push might last in the liquid energies.


Sinking grains today are working to undercut strength in silver which had been following copper to the upside but began wilting as the soybean complex, along with wheat, lead the entire grain complex lower. Silver still likes to see soybeans moving higher as it tends to feed into an inflationary bias. When you get the grains moving higher, along with copper and the other base metals, it is almost impossible to prevent the grey metal from moving higher along with them.