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With a downside breakout in the dollar index overnight to the lowest level since April 12th, a portion of the bear camp should be discouraged.

However, gold has clearly established a pattern of lower highs and remains within the lower quarter of the range of the last 30 days in a fashion that favors the bear camp.

Furthermore, gold ETF holdings yesterday declined by a VERY significant 193,328 ounces for a 0.2% daily decline, with silver ETF holdings declining by 4.3 million ounces in the last two days...[MORE]

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With the gold and silver markets spiking higher following the Fed policy decision and press conference, the bulls showed some control as the trade was able to discount disappointment over another delay in cutting rates and instead embraced relief that the Fed was not in a mode to consider rate hikes!

However, given a significant jump in ISM Manufacturing prices-paid earlier this week that should be seen as a sign that inflation lives on in various sectors of the economy.

Unfortunately for the bull camp, we think that "dovish spin" will have a short shelf life, especially if today's US unit labor costs report matches expectations of a gain of 3.2% compared to last month's gain of 0.4%...[MORE]

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The deck is stacked against the bull camps in gold and silver today, with an upside breakout in the dollar, signs of higher treasury yields, fear of a hawkish Federal Reserve statement, and a lack of support from Chinese and European buyers overnight due to the May Day holiday.

However, the gold market should derive some underpin from World Gold Council projections of continued brisk global central bank purchases, and signs of positive gold demand from India and China.

It should also be noted that Indian gold demand increased by 8% during the January through March timeframe with gold jewelry demand in India increasing by 4% and amounting to a significant percentage of total world gold demand...[MORE]

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While the net spec and fund long in gold (adjusted for the $30 rally into Friday's high) suggest the market is heavily overbought, we suspect technical signals will take a backseat to classic flight to quality headline news flow.

However, with the post-COT report rally, the net spec and fund long in gold is likely the longest in two years, and therefore any sign of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas could result in a massive correction.

Gold positioning in the Commitments of Traders for the week ending April 23rd showed Managed Money traders net bought 3,296 contracts and are now net long 176,157 contracts...[MORE]

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Once again noted strength in gold and silver prices appears to be taking place in a vacuum, with little change in US interest rates, the dollar, and energy prices overnight.

However, the bull camp is likely benefiting from a surprise jump in Chinese first-quarter gold consumption which increased by 5.9% from year-ago levels.

Apparently, mainland China's March gold imports through Hong Kong increased by 40% from February giving credence to news earlier this month that Chinese investors were seeking to hold gold to avoid weakness in the domestic currency...[MORE]

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