HOME

Steady-weak price action in gold silver as 2022 winds down

Leave a comment

Steady-weak price action in gold, silver as 2022 winds down

Gold and silver prices are not straying too far from unchanged levels in quieter early U.S. trading Friday. Many traders are on holiday this week, making for lighter trading volumes and thin conditions. Traders will hit the exit doors early today, ahead of the three-day New Year holiday weekend. February gold was last down $2.40 at $1,823.60 and March silver was down $0.21 at $24.035.

Global stock markets were mixed to weaker overnight. U.S. stock indexes are pointed toward slightly lower openings when the New York day session begins. The marketplace is quieter this week following the Christmas holiday and just ahead of the new year

The marketplace in the new year will continue to closely monitor China’s battle with Covid. Broker SP Angel this morning reports in an email dispatch:

“Chinese Covid rates are going to have a substantial impact on the ability of factories to produce, transporters to deliver, builders to build, and on finance companies to finance. This could stall the Chinese economy for a few months, though we suspect China’s authorities will do their best to keep the wheels on. The authorities are already telling Covid-positive people to go to work, a policy which is likely to spread the infection faster than in any other nation. The narrative seems to be that Omicron is milder than Delta and presents a lesser risk to nation. China is also asking families to sign Cremation forms saying: “I guarantee that the deceased XXX did not die of #COVID, and I will be fully responsible for any false claim.” (The Telegraph). Chinese covid deaths have risen to 9,000 a day, around double last week’s mortality rate, according to U.K. research firm Airfinity, the world's first dedicated COVID-19 health analytics and intelligence platform. (Reuters). Airfinity also reckons cumulative deaths reached 100,000 over the past 30 days with some 18.6 million infections using modelling based on data from Chinese provinces before recent changes on reporting cases. The research group expects China's Covid infections to reach their first peak on Jan. 13 with 3.7 million cases a day and for Covid deaths to peak on Jan. 23 around 25,000 a day with cumulative deaths reaching 1.7 million by end-April. China has officially reported just 10 COVID deaths since 7th December.”

With the lack of fresh, major business news this week, let’s look at some news headlines Friday morning from the Dow Jones Newswire.

“This was a terrible year for stocks; next year could surprise—positively”

“China’s Covid easing and policy pivots brighten outlook for stocks”

“Small businesses find some relief from hiring woes”

“Copper set for first annual decline in four years”

“What a crazy year: a bear market (stocks), oil’s pop, and those bond yields”

“Higher rates threaten U.S. renovation boom”

“(U.S.) mortgage rates log biggest yearly rise”

“Dollar rally loses some steam”

“Crypto went 12 rounds with Mike Tyson in 2022; now, Bitcoin whales are buying”

The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index weaker. Nymex crude oil prices are slightly lower and trading around $78.75 a barrel. Meantime, the yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note is presently 3.854%.

U.S. economic data due for release Friday is light and includes the Chicago ISM business survey.

Technically, the gold futures bulls have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a seven-week-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Bulls’ next upside price objective is to produce a close in February futures above solid resistance at $1,900.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,775.00. First resistance is seen at $1,836.90 and then at this week’s high of $1,841.90. First support is seen at the overnight low of $1,819.80 and then at Thursday’s low of $1,811.20. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.0.

The silver bulls have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. A choppy, four-month-old uptrend is in place on the daily bar chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing March futures prices above solid technical resistance at $25.00. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $22.00. First resistance is seen at the December high of $24.525 and then at $25.00. Next support is seen at this week’s low of $23.645 and then at $23.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.5.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

HOME

Gold silver boosted by weaker greenback bullish charts

Leave a comment

Gold, silver boosted by weaker greenback, bullish charts

Gold and silver prices are higher in midday trading Thursday, supported by a sell-off in the U.S. dollar index on this day. Bullish near-term chart postures for both metals continue to invite the technically based speculators to the long sides. February gold was last up $7.10 at $1,823.10 and March silver was up $0.36 at $24.20.

Global stock markets were flat to weaker overnight. U.S. stock indexes are solidly higher at midday. The marketplace has been quieter this week following the Christmas holiday and just ahead of the new year. There has also been a dearth of major fundamental news and economic data this week.

The World Gold Council reports central bank gold buying at the highest rate since 1967, with Russia and China likely the leaders. “Sanctions on Russia and strained relations between the West and China have led to both countries adopting a policy of ‘de-dollarization’ to rely less on the policies of the U.S. central bank and government,” said broker SP Angel in a morning email dispatch. According to the World Gold Council, central banks bought 399 metric tons of gold in the third quarter, compared to 186 metric tons in the first quarter and 88 metric tons in the first quarter of 2022. Officially, Turkey led buying with 29 metric tons in the third quarter, though many central banks including China and Russia do not always report gold holdings.

The other key outside market today sees Nymex crude oil prices lower and trading around $78.00 a barrel. Meantime, the yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note is presently 3.83%.

Technically, February gold futures bulls have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. A seven-week-old uptrend is in place on the daily bar chart. Bulls’ next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at the $1,875.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,782.00. First resistance is seen at today’s high of $1,825.00 and then at this week’s high of $1,841.90. First support is seen at today’s low of $1,811.20 and then at $1,800.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.0.

March silver futures bulls have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a four-month-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $25.00. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $22.735. First resistance is seen at the December high of $24.525 and then at $24.80. Next support is seen at $24.00 and then at this week’s low of $23.645. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.5.

March N.Y. copper closed down 140 points at 382.85 cents today. Prices closed near mid-range. The copper bulls have the overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a three-month-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at the November high of 394.70 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at 370.00 cents. First resistance is seen at Wednesday’s high of 387.30 cents and then at 394.70 cents. First support is seen at 380.00 cents and then at 375.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 6.0.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

HOME

FREE Traffic Sources For Websites

Leave a comment

FREE Traffic Sources For Websites

TRAFFIC

Introduction

Are you looking to increase the amount of traffic your website receives? There are many ways to accomplish this, but one of the best is by getting other sites to link back to yours. Unfortunately, it can be difficult for smaller websites and blogs to attract this kind of attention from established brands or companies. However, there are plenty of other ways that you can get free traffic without relying on others' help. Here are FREE sources that will send visitors right over to your site:

Guest posting

Guest posting is a great way to get the word out about your business. You can find guest posting opportunities by using Google or other search engines, by asking friends who have websites and blogs, and by using sites like ProBlogger to find guest posting opportunities. Once you've found an opportunity, make sure you meet their requirements before submitting your article. In general, they'll want:

  • A catchy headline that will get people to click on it

  • An interesting topic that relates back to their audience's interests

  • An introduction paragraph that explains what your article is about and why people should care

Forums and Q&A sites

Forums and Q&A sites are a great way to get some targeted traffic. These sites have their own communities, which means they can help you find users that are interested in the same thing as you.

If you’re not sure where to start, try using Google Keyword Planner (or other keyword research tools) to see what people are searching for online about your niche. Then use that list of search terms as a starting point for forum and Q&A site searches.

  • Find forums related to your niche

  • Create an account with an email address that is relevant to your niche (e.g., if you sell running shoes, then having an email like “@runnersworldmagazine” would make sense). You can also add social media accounts such as Facebook or Twitter here if it makes sense for the type of content you share on those channels too!

ecosystem for entrepreneurs

YouTube

YouTube is a great place to get your content in front of people who are looking for it. You can use YouTube to help build your brand. You can also use YouTube to promote your website. You can also use YouTube to promote your products and services. You can also use YouTube to promote your business.

YouTube has over a billion users, so it’s one of the most popular websites on the internet. You can use it to create content and then share it with others in order to get more views, likes and comments. This is a great way for you to build an audience and increase sales without having to spend money on advertising or marketing campaigns.

Image sharing sites

Image sharing sites are another effective way to get traffic. These sites have a huge user base, and many of them have included social features that allow users to share content with their followers. Here are some of the most popular image sharing sites:

  • Pinterest

  • Instagram (owned by Facebook)

  • Tumblr (owned by Yahoo!)

  • deviantART

  • WeHeartIt

  • StumbleUpon *

Email signature links

Email signature links are a great way to get free traffic for your website. They can be used on any website and can be used to promote your website, social media profiles, ebooks, etc.

To create an email signature link:

  • Go to Mailinator and enter the email address you want to use as your signature link (e.g., [email protected]).

  • Copy the public link provided by Mailinator and paste it into another email account (or simply open another tab). This will generate a unique temporary email address for you for that session only.

Quora and Yahoo Answers

Quora and Yahoo Answers are two of the best places to get traffic for your website. They are both free, easy to use and have a large audience. Both will help you build your authority in your niche as well.

Asking questions on Quora is an excellent way to get links back to your site, while answering questions on Yahoo Answers can generate traffic too.

Social Media Groups

Social Media Groups

As the name suggests, social media groups are forums for people to gather and discuss topics of interest. You will find many different types of communities including Facebook groups, Linkedin groups and even Reddit forums. With so many options available it can be hard to know where to start your search for a group that suits your needs.

To find a good fit for you, think about what niche you want your content to target or who you want to reach with it? For example if you are looking at marketing automation software then there may well be an active LinkedIn group full of professionals in this industry which would be an ideal place fo share some helpful tips on how they use their tools!

Infographics and Slideshare posts

  • Infographics and Slideshare posts are a great way to get traffic.

  • Infographics are visual representations of information, like the one below:

[Image of an infographic]

  • Infographics can be created from scratch or you can use free templates to make your own infographics. Sites like Canva and Piktochart allow you to create beautiful infographics in minutes.

  • Slideshare is a community for sharing presentations online. It's owned by LinkedIn, so it's also good for getting likes on your profile if you're looking for job opportunities (this is especially useful if you're an expert in something). When someone downloads your presentation, they'll see a link back to your website as well as links within the presentation itself (if applicable).

PDF Submission Sites

PDF submission sites are a great way to get traffic to your website that is not dependent on Google or other search engines. The advantage of these sites is that they often have a lot of people who visit them on a daily basis. Here’s how you can find PDF submission sites:

  • Use Ahrefs to find relevant links (for example, “PDF submission sites”)

  • Use Google and Bing searches as well

SlideShare presentations

  • SlideShare presentations are a great way to promote your content, especially if you're using them for SEO purposes. SlideShare is a site where users can upload their PowerPoint presentations, and other people can view them. Although there aren't many people on this network yet, it's still a good one to be on since it's new and growing quickly.

  • Along with SlideShare, which allows users to share their PowerPoint or Keynote presentations publicly via the web, there are several other presentation-sharing sites such as Slideshare (https://slideshare.net), Slidebean (https://www.slidebean.com), Slideshare (https://www.slideshare.com), Slideserve (https://www/slideserve) and Slideboom (https://www/presentationhero).

Twitter chats and Facebook groups

Twitter chats and Facebook groups are a great way to get traffic. They're also free! Here's what you need to know:

  • How to find Twitter chats: Simply type "twitter chat" into Google and you'll find plenty of results. Once you've found one that interests you, check out who the host is and see if they have an archive or summary of past events. If they do, go back through those archives and pick out posts that got the most engagement from participants (e.g., retweets). Then write some similar tweets for your next event!

  • How to find Facebook groups: This can be done through Facebook search or by searching for hashtags related specifically towards businesses in your niche (e.g., #smallbusiness). Once you find a group worth joining (the more active members means more potential customers), introduce yourself as someone who has something valuable/interesting/funny/etc. to share with them!

LinkedIn and other professional networks

The professional networks like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google+ are the best places for you to find traffic. They are the social media sites where businesses are most active in sharing content and doing networking activities with other professionals from their industry. These sites can help you build your brand as an expert in your area of expertise by staying actively engaged in these communities. You can also use these networks for link building purposes as well as getting backlinks from high authority websites like Forbes, Inc., Huffington Post etc..

LinkedIn is a professional network where millions of professionals from all over the world interact with each other on a daily basis. If you have an active LinkedIn profile then you should be able to get thousands of visitors to your website every month through organic search results or social shares that come along with posts shared on this platform.

Twitter is another great source of free traffic if used correctly because people share all sorts of things related to their business or personal life on Twitter which means there's always something interesting happening here 24/7!

ecosystem for entrepreneurs

Webinars

Webinars are an excellent way to get traffic. They can be used to build your email list, social media following, and brand.

When you teach something that people want or need to know they will pay attention and want to join your list in order to not miss out on future events and news related to the topic of the webinar.

Presentations at conferences, meetups and industry events.

Presentations at conferences, meetups and industry events are a great way to get your name out there. You can present in person or online, depending on your comfort level and the event format. Whether you're presenting about your business or someone else's business, this is an excellent opportunity to promote yourself as an expert in your field and build relationships with potential partners.

Collaborating with other sites in your niche to create something that's bigger than either of you. (Like an infographic, slideshow or white paper.) This could involve guest posts on their site, interviews for your site, or cross-promotion.

This is a great way to get your name out there and build relationships with people in the same industry as you. You'll also be able to create something bigger than either of you. For example, if you publish an infographic together, then it will be seen on both of your sites and all of the links back to each site will boost your rankings.

This is especially useful for getting backlinks from high authority websites (like Forbes or Huffington Post), but also makes sense because if someone sees information from one source that they like, they are more likely to visit other sources by those authors too! This can increase traffic for both parties involved!

Free traffic can be had if you know the right places to look.

Free traffic sources can be found in many places. Here are some of the most popular:

  • Guest posting

  • Affiliates

  • Social media

  • Forum marketing and SEO

Conclusion

In this post, we've covered 20 different sources of free traffic for your website. The key is to remember that you don't need to be "the best" at any one thing—just good enough to get the job done. And when it comes down to it, every single source on this list can help you do just that. You don't have to choose just one or two; these tips will work together (and even with sites not listed here) so long as each one has a legitimate audience who wants content like yours but isn't getting enough of it from other sources right now. So go ahead: pick some of these up today!

Tim Moseley

HOME

Gold prices are holding support above 1800 an ounce as US pending home sales fall 4 in November

Leave a comment

 

Gold prices are holding support above $1,800 an ounce as U.S. pending home sales fall 4% in November

Rising U.S. mortgage rates, due to the Federal Reserve’s aggressive monetary policy stance continues to take its toll on the U.S. housing sector as fewer consumers start the process of buying a new home in November.

The U.S. pending home sales fell 4% in last month following a drop of 4.6% in October, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said on Wednesday. The data was weaker than expected as consensus forecast called for a decline of around 1%.

The gold market has seen technical selling pressure Wednesday and has not been able to attract any bullish traction following the disappointing home sales data. February gold futures last traded at $1,812.20 an ounce, down 0.60% on the day.

This is the sixth consecutive month of falling pending home sales. The report noted that the index has fallen to second lowest monthly reading in 20 years.

However, the association added that it hopes sales will pick up as 2022 comes to a close.

“With mortgage rates falling throughout December, home-buying activity should inevitably rebound in the coming months and help economic growth,” the report said.

Economists pay close attention to the pending home sales numbers because the index is seen as a forward-looking barometer for the housing market. A lag of a month or two usually exists between a contract and a completed sale.

The U.S. housing sector, which is a significant contributor to GDP growth, has been hard hit this past year as the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates by 425 basis points, its most aggressive monetary policy stance in 40 years.

Along with rising mortgage rates, rising home prices due to a lack of supply has also priced many potential new home owners out of the market.

Although the Federal Reserve is expected to continue to raise interest rates in 2023, many economists see the tightening cycle closer to peak rates. A light at the end of the tunnel could ease some pressure in the housing market, according to economists.

By Neils Christensen

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

HOME

Gold rallies to 6-mo high on bullish technicals outside markets

Leave a comment

Gold rallies to 6-mo. high on bullish technicals, outside markets

Gold and silver prices are sharply higher in midday U.S. trading Tuesday, boosted by chart-based buying and by two key outside markets are in a daily bullish posture for the precious metals–the U.S. dollar index is weaker and crude oil prices firmer. Gold prices hit a six-month high today. February gold was last up $25.50 at $1,829.70 and March silver was up $0.395 at $24.31.

Bullish near-term charts fueled the solid gains in gold and silver today. Many bullish speculators are reckoning the bigger hedge funds will be more active on the long sides of the two precious metals markets in early 2023, and wanted to buy in before the funds do.

Global stock markets were mixed to firmer overnight. U.S. stock indexes are mixed at midday. The general marketplace is quieter following the Christmas holiday weekend that saw markets closed Monday.

China’s relaxation of its strict Covid policies remains in focus, with the marketplace wondering if the pivot by Chinese authorities will prompt faster growth in the world’s second-largest economy. Or, will the pivot prompt such a surge in Covid infections that China’s economy will be further damaged in the near term?

The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note is presently 3.849%, which is higher. However, the gold and silver bulls chose to ignore that bearish outside element on this day.

Technically, February gold futures prices hit a six-month high today. Bulls have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. A seven-week-old uptrend is in place on the daily bar chart. Bulls’ next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at the $1,875.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,782.00. First resistance is seen at today’s high of $1,841.90 and then at $1,850.00. First support is seen at today’s low of $1,808.00 and then at $1,800.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.0.

March silver futures prices hit an eight-month-high last week. The silver bulls have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a four-month-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $25.00. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $22.735. First resistance is seen at the December high of $24.525 and then at $25.00. Next support is seen at $24.00 and then at $23.55. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.0.

March N.Y. copper closed up 815 points at 389.05 cents today. Prices closed near mid-range and hit a six-week high today. The copper bulls have the overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a three-month-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at the November high of 394.70 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at 370.00 cents. First resistance is seen at 394.70 cents and then at 400.00 cents. First support is seen at today’s low of 383.80 cents and then at 380.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 6.0.

 This is what investors face in 2023

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

HOME

Change your perspective to take pleasure in your life

Leave a comment

Change your perspective to take pleasure in your life.

life
 

"Two men look out through the same bars; one sees the muck, and the other sees the stars," the proverb goes.

– From "A Cluster of Quiet Thoughts" written by Frederick Langbridge

If you came in second place in a writing competition, how would you react? Would you be ecstatic and work harder to get even better results the next time, or would you be disheartened and look for reasons not to enter the competition again?

You will never be at a loss for options when it comes to life. You have the choice to adopt a pessimistic point of view and lead a life of self-defeat, or you may choose to adopt an optimistic point of view and live a life that is both hard and gratifying.

Therefore, why bother cultivating an optimistic point of view? And why at this time?

Optimism, on the other hand, has been shown to be associated with a variety of positive outcomes, including elevated mood and morale; academic, athletic, military, occupational, and political success; popularity; good health; and even a longer life and a reduced risk of experiencing traumatic events.

On the other side, there has never been a time when the rates of sadness and pessimism were so high. It has the same impact on adults of middle age as it does on persons of younger ages. The average age at which symptoms first appear has dropped from 30 to 15. It is no longer just a disorder that affects middle-aged housewives; today, adolescents also suffer from this condition.

The following is an example of an optimist in action, along with research that demonstrates why it is beneficial to have an optimistic outlook:

Optimists anticipate favorable outcomes.

Pessimists are characterized by the fact that they have a propensity to assume that they are to blame for unfavorable outcomes, which they think will continue for a long time and will undermine everything they accomplish.

The reality is that optimists have to deal with the same challenges as everyone else in this world. What is different about how they describe their misfortune is that it is being explained in the opposite direction. They have a propensity to believe that failure is merely a momentary setback and that the causes of it are limited to this one instance.

Optimists have a tendency to concentrate on the "issue" at hand and devise solutions for it. They employ a strategy known as "positive reinterpretation." In other words, they likely reframe a negative event in a manner that enables them to learn and develop as a result of the reinterpretation. People with this mindset are undeterred by negative circumstances; rather, they view them as a challenge and work even harder to overcome them.

They won't tell me that things will never get better, that if I fail once, I will fail again, or that if I encounter misfortune in one aspect of my life, it will happen in all aspects of my life. They won't say that.

Optimists' positive expectations also predict better reactions during transitions to new environments, sudden catastrophes, and unlikely turn of events. Optimists are more likely to view the world in a positive light. Even if they are knocked down, they will get back up. They view challenges as possibilities rather than roadblocks.

Optimists tend to receive favorable responses from others.

Optimists are more likely to take initiative and are less reliant on the pleasure of others. They do not see the need to exert any form of control or manipulation over other individuals. They almost always attract a crowd to themselves. Their upbeat perspective on life has the potential to rub off on those around them and inspire positive behavior.

It seems that optimism is a feature that is socially acceptable in all communities. People who spread pessimism, fear, or hysteria are often looked down upon, but those who promote optimism are generally well received.

These people tend to be successful in life, as evidenced by their ability to win elections, be voted most agreeable, and be sought out for advice.

When things get difficult, optimists tend to become even more resilient.

People who are more optimistic have a tendency to retain higher levels of subjective well-being, even in the face of adversity, than those who are less optimistic. Pessimists, on the other hand, are more prone to respond to stressful circumstances by either denying that the problems even exist or avoiding having to deal with them. People who are pessimistic are more prone to give up trying when they encounter problems.

They are able to persist. They are recognized not only for their unwillingness to give up easily but also for their patience. They are inching their way closer to achieving that goal or fulfilling that unattainable ideal.

Optimists have a lower risk of disease and a longer lifespan.

Research in the field of medicine has shown that a happy outlook and an appreciation for life's little joys can lead to a discernible improvement in the body's resistance to illness.

The health of optimists is exceptionally good. They don't suffer nearly as much as most people do from the typical aches and pains that come with middle age physically. And they get to outlast people who are more likely to have pessimistic sentiments.

So why not try looking on the bright side today? And keep a positive attitude toward living a life that is more fulfilling.

Why not anticipate fulfillment in whatever you set out to achieve? Why not try to tough it out? You, just like everyone else, are going to have lows from time to time, but you can't just wallow in them. Lift yourself up and out of the muck to increase your chances of finding your way back to the path that leads to success. And why not encourage others to take off their pessimistic outlook on life and look at it through a more optimistic lens?

markethive

Tim Moseley

HOME

Gold price weighs incoming data and hawkish Fed comments as 2023 quickly approaches

Leave a comment

Gold price weighs incoming data and hawkish Fed comments as 2023 quickly approaches

With just one week to go until 2023, gold is down just over 1% year-to-date after a very volatile year that saw the precious metal rise above $2,000 an ounce in the spring and hit lows near $1,630 an ounce in the fall.

February Comex gold futures were looking to close Friday at around $1,809 an ounce, up 0.5% on the week.

Gold may have put in an enduring price bottom in 2022, according to Bloomberg Intelligence senior macro strategist Mike McGlone. "We see gold as a top performer in 2023, particularly if weakening broad commodities goad the Federal Reserve to begin easing," McGlone said Thursday.

Gold could move above $2,000 an ounce in 2023 and "never look back," McGlone added. "This is our base case for the precious metal, notably as the Fed shifts from the highest-velocity tightening period in 40 years toward easing … Gold has had an upper-performance hand vs. the industrial metal since 2006, when the U.S. two-year/10-year curve last recovered from a period of inversion," he said.

The focus this week was on digesting the latest GDP, PCE price index, durable goods, and home sales data.

"This week's data showed that the U.S. economy is ending the year on a mixed note. The housing market generally showed further signs of deterioration in November, and data on durable goods orders were generally weaker than expected, when backward revisions to previously released data are taken into account. That said, data on consumer confidence shows that consumers are less downbeat at present than they were a few months ago," economists at Wells Fargo said.

Markets are trying to put together an outlook for the beginning of next year, with data showing mixed signs of a slowing economy, cooling inflation, and a still hawkish Federal Reserve.

This is the puzzle that gold is trying to get ahead of as it enters the new year.

"Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has been trying to sell investors a notion that interest rates will have to be higher for longer than previously assumed to keep inflation under control," said CIBC Capital Markets senior economist Andrew Grantham. "However, financial markets aren't buying it, with interest rate cuts still being priced in for late 2023 and bond yields well off their earlier highs."

Powell told markets in December that after raising rates by 425 basis points in 2022, the Fed is still not restrictive enough, and rates will have to remain higher for longer.

But analysts are interpreting that in different ways. "What higher-for-longer does mean is that central banks will likely react later and less aggressively to downside growth surprises and recession risks than they have in the past, due to lingering inflationary concerns. That new reaction function is the reality that markets will have to start buying into at some point during 2023," Grantham said Friday.

The trend market participants are watching is how fast inflation cools down, and growth slows. "Data on Friday confirmed that PCE inflation fell further in November, and a new rent inflation series published this week by researchers at the Cleveland Fed adds further weight to our view that inflation will continue falling sharply in 2023," said Capital Economics senior U.S. economist Andrew Hunter.

This week's macro surprise was the final reading of the Q3 GDP, which showed growth at 3.2% versus the previous estimate of 2.9%. The stronger-than-expected result weighed on gold, pushing prices closer to the $1,800 line.

In the meantime, the Fed's preferred measure of inflation — the annual core PCE number — cooled to 4.7% in November after October's 5% reading.

Next week is a holiday week between Christmas and the New Year, and it promises to be quiet. But the first week of the new year kicks off with several key releases, including nonfarm payrolls, which the Fed is currently monitoring very closely.

Market consensus calls are looking for the U.S. economy to have added 200,000 positions in December and for the unemployment rate to remain at 3.7%.

Other data to keep an eye on is the ISM manufacturing and services PMI, which are also scheduled for the first week of January.

"We expect both of the ISM activity surveys to have fallen in December, pointing to a continued slowdown in GDP growth, and we are provisionally penciling in a softer 200,000 gain in nonfarm payrolls," Hunter noted Friday.

Gold's technical set-up shows a six-week-old uptrend, according to Kitco's senior analysts Jim Wyckoff.

"Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close in February futures above solid resistance at $1,900.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,775.00. First resistance is seen at $1,823.00 and then at this week's high of $1,833.80. First support is seen at this week's low of $1,892.70 and then at $1,882.00," Wyckoff said Friday.

 

Data to watch in the next two weeks:

December 28: U.S. pending home sales

December 30: U.S. jobless claims

January 4: U.S. ISM Manufacturing PMI

January 5: ADP nonfarm employment change, U.S. jobless claims

January 6: U.S. nonfarm payrolls, U.S. factory orders, U.S. ISM non-manufacturing PMI
 

By Anna Golubova

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

HOME

Analysis of website traffic’s crucial elements

Leave a comment

Analysis of website traffic's crucial elements

traffic
You'll find more value in the time spent analyzing your website's traffic, even if doing so is a challenge.

First, you'll need to learn how to read the data presented to you before you can begin your analysis.

The majority of web hosts will provide you with access to some form of basic website traffic data, which you will need to decipher and put to good use. The information your host is providing you with may seem overwhelming at first, especially if you do not know how to tailor it to your specific business and website.

In terms of measuring your website's success, these metrics are likely the most reliable. The most common mistake any website owner can make is assuming that their site is doing well simply because they are seeing an increase in traffic.

What's important is knowing what happens to site visitors after they leave your page. Using these metrics, you can determine with certainty how successful your website actually is.

Separating hits from high-quality website traffic.

Hits. Simply put, this is the total number of requests that were received by the server. You'd be mistaken to equate the number of graphics on a page with the number of visitors who view it.

When analyzing website traffic, these hits are not very helpful.

Once you see how many people are checking out your website, your analysis will be much more precise. In a related vein. Once you have a substantial amount of visitors, you will be able to conduct more precise analysis.

As the number of visitors to your site decreases, however, so will the reliability of your analysis.

A look at why we track your website's traffic.

The data is meant to help you evaluate how well or poorly your site is functioning for site visitors. The amount of time a visitor spends on your site is a good indicator of how engaged they are with your content.

Obviously, something is wrong if they only stayed for a short time. Now it's up to you to figure out what the issue is. You should find out why people visited your site but did not stay to look around for very long. Why did they leave so abruptly?

Keywords.

You might want to think about this. Perhaps you aren't getting the quality traffic you were hoping for from the search engines because of the keywords you've used. Or maybe it's something that's on your site. Perhaps the sights they've seen have been so off-putting that the guests have already decided to leave. This could include the images, typefaces, and other cosmetic touches that you've added to your site.

The use of appropriate keywords is crucial if you want to attract serious customers to your website. Studying the search terms people use to find your site can tell you a lot about what they're looking for and why.

The situation needs to be investigated thoroughly. Now that you know what the issue is, you can begin to devise a plan to ensure that it does not arise again. You can put your new findings to the test and see if they hold water. Do you expect your guests to remain for a while?

Here is where you will find the most benefit from analyzing your website's traffic. From time to time, you may mistakenly believe that your page is doing exceptionally well. But then you realized that your audience does not share your opinion.

You can give editing that page a shot. Let's focus on the ties, for instance. Adjust their placement and design to increase their visibility and appeal, and watch as more of your site's visitors click on them. If you want to improve your page, you can. The clutter must go. To avoid making guests feel uncomfortable, try to keep visitor areas open and spacious. Facilitate their use of your site by making it accessible to them.

If you find that people are spending more time on a page you don't promote heavily, you might want to take a look at it and put your most important offerings there.

As you may have noticed, a site's performance can be gauged in large part by looking at how visitors interact with the site. This is an essential feature that can't be skipped if a company is serious about their website's continued success.

ecosystem for entrepreneurs

Tim Moseley

HOME

Gold futures remain above 1800 as spot gold still attempts to breach that key level

Leave a comment

Gold futures remain above $1800 as spot gold still attempts to breach that key level

As of 4:55 PM EST gold futures basis, the most active February 2023 contract is fixed at $1805.90 after factoring in a net gain of $10.80. Spot gold gained $6.00 and is currently fixed at $1798.51. Silver gained 1.37% or $0.32 with the most active March 2023 futures contract currently fixed at $23.935. A golden cross was identified today with silver’s short-term 50-day moving average crossing above its 200-day moving average.

Gains in the precious metals were fractionally driven by dollar weakness but the majority of today’s gains were the result of buying by market participants. The US dollar declined by 0.10 % with the dollar index currently fixed at 104.025.

According to the KGX (Kitco Gold Index) at 5:00 PM EST spot gold was fixed at $1798.60 after factoring in a net gain of $6.40. A gain of $5.50 was attributed to normal trading and the remaining gain of $0.90 was the result of dollar weakness.

Our technical studies indicate that the support levels for gold futures are at $1792 which corresponds to the longest-term moving average used by market technicians, the 200-day MA. Major support occurs just below that at $1784.80 which is based upon the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement. The data set used to create the retracement begins at $1618 and concludes at $1837 which is the highest value gold has traded to since August.

This weekend marks the beginning of the year-end holiday season. All cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year, although not on the same date, however, this year is special. It is special because every person alive has been greatly impacted (some much, much more than others) by the same event which began in 2020.

This is why this year-end holiday season is a time we all should be thankful for. Hopefully, this year-end holiday season will mark the beginning of a new era, an era defined as a time of rebuilding, rather than a time of hardship.
 

By Gary Wagner

Contributing to kitco.com

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

HOME

Gold silver pressured by upbeat US data

Leave a comment

Gold, silver pressured by upbeat U.S. data

Gld and silver prices are solidly lower in midday U.S. trading Thursday. The metals market bulls today are feeling the heat of a U.S. economy that does not seem like it wants to slide into a recession any time soon, following stronger-than-expected U.S. data released this morning. February gold was last down $21.10 at $1,804.30 and March silver was down $0.399 at $23.795.

Weekly U.S. jobless claims did not rise as much economists were expecting. Initial jobless claims rose slightly to 216,000, lower than the 222,000 forecast. The final third-quarter gross domestic product readings were surprisingly strong. The Q3 GDP came in at up 3.2%, versus the consensus forecast for a rise of 2.9%. Personal consumption expenditures were up 4.3% in the third quarter and the core PCE was a bit higher than expected at up 4.7 percent.

Today's U.S. data falls into the camp of the U.S. monetary policy hawks, who want the Federal Reserve to keep their foot on the policy-tightening accelerator. "Wall Street still is pricing in one more rate hike at the February FOMC meeting, but if the U.S. data does not break, a March hike should start to get priced in," said Edward Moya of OANDA.

Global stoPICck markets were mixed overnight. U.S. stock indexes are pointed solidly lower at midday. Trading volumes are likely to wane on Friday, just ahead of the Christmas holiday over the weekend and as a massive winter storm pounds much of the U.S. and is heading for the east coast.

'This time is different' for uranium, which could reach $80 in 2023 – Lobo Tiggre

Rising Covid infections in China have the marketplace pensive late this week. Bloomberg reported China is experiencing 1 million new infections and 5,000 virus deaths each day, following the Chinese government's relaxation of Covid restrictions.

The key outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index higher. Nymex crude oil prices are near steady trading around $78.25 a barrel. Meantime, the yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note is presently 3.675%.

Technically, February gold futures bulls still have the overall near-term technical advantage. A six-week-old uptrend is in place on the daily bar chart. Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at the December high of $1,850.00. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,775.00. First resistance is seen at $1,820.00 and then at this week's high of $1,833.80. First support is seen at $1,800.00 and then at this week's low of $1,793.20. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 6.5

March silver futures saw some profit taking today after prices hit an eight-month-high on Wednesday. The silver bulls still have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a choppy 3.5-month-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $25.00. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at the December low of $22.19. First resistance is seen at $24.00 and then at today's high of $24.215. Next support is seen at $23.50 and then at $23.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.0.

March N.Y. copper closed down 445 points at 376.55 cents today. Prices closed near the session low and scored a bearish outside day down today. The copper bulls and bears are on a level overall near-term technical playing field. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at the November high of 394.70 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at 354.70 cents. First resistance is seen at today's high of 384.90 cents and then at the December high of 392.90 cents. First support is seen at this week's low of 372.30 cents and then at 370.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 5.0.

By Jim Wyckoff

For Kitco News

Time to Buy Gold and Silver

Tim Moseley

The Artist that came out of the Winter