It’s been a quiet day today globally, with little in the way of movements on the currency markets and in equities. However, gold has jumped into action and broken through the 1300 barrier for the first time since November. This is quite unusual given it’s a bank holiday in the UK and that the market has been quiet, but it could be a case of traders hedging their bets on further issues with the hurricane, which is causing so much damage to Texas at present. What is abundantly clear, is that there has been a double top in the gold market and for some time and it has been itching to get higher on the charts; and after breaking through it looks like the upside may actually win here. The only way I can really see it being pulled back down is by either a stronger USD in the market, or the next FOMC being hawkish on the possibility of a rate rise.
Either way gold is looking remarkably bullish on the charts and was shortly stopped by resistance at 1313. Tomorrow with London and NY open will be the real test to see if gold can sustain above the 1300 mark, but I am certainly a believer in it with all the uncertainty. For bullish traders looking for new targets then 1338 is likely to be the next big line in the sand to target, but it may take some time or worsening economic information to push it that high. If the bears do take back some control and look to push it lower and I would be focused on the 20 day moving average. Thus far it has acted as dynamic support on a number of occasions and there is every reason for this to continue in the long run given traders bullish temperament in the market.
Oil has also been one to watch today with the hurricane causing issues in Huston, well known as an important oil region where a large amount of oil is refined the flooding has caused oil prices to drop. As a result traders are now expecting to see a rise in oil surpluses in the upcoming Department of Energy (DOE) inventory data over the next few weeks, and a likely possibility of a drawdown in gasoline supplies.
On the charts oil has certainly been pushed lower and is showing continuing signs of a bearish trend despite the recent drawdown’s from the DOE. Thus far the push through the bearish level at 46.50 has failed and pulled back slightly, however if the current trend is anything to go by we could indeed see another movement lower and the possibility of a further extension to 45.47.