Gold

Spot gold broke upwards from the descending flag formed over the last week. Expect another test of resistance at $600.

Medium Term: Falling crude oil prices should weaken gold and strengthen the dollar. Expect gold to test primary support at $540.

Long Term: The dollar is likely to weaken and gold to rise -- unless there is a fall below $540 (signaling a primary down-trend).

Crude Oil

Light Crude has fallen to $61.59 per barrel. Expect major support between $55 and $60. A fall through this band would signal a sharp down-trend, but we are just as likely to witness a consolidation -- followed by continuation of the long-term up-trend which began in 2002. 

Currencies

The euro is consolidating below resistance at 1.30/dollar. This is a bullish sign, warning of an upward breakout.

We can see from the weekly chart that the euro/dollar and dollar price of gold tend to rise or fall together -- with the euro leading. If the euro strengthens, expect gold to follow.

Though unlikely at present, a downward breakout (from the consolidation) would test support at 1.16/1.17. A breakout below that would complete a major head and shoulders reversal.

Treasury yields

Another major influence on the dollar is interest rates. Falling long-term rates are likely to weaken the dollar.
Ten-year Treasury note yields broke below their recent consolidation, after interest rates were left unchanged at this week's FOMC meeting, and appear headed for 4.55%.

Medium Term: The yield differential (10-year T-notes minus 13-week T-bills) retreated well below zero. However, the primary cause is falling long-term yields rather than rising short-term yields -- reducing the significance.

Long Term:  Probability of recession in the next four quarters increased to 35 per cent according to the Wright Model. A spike that reaches 50% would warn of a stronger down-turn than the "soft-landing" the Fed are hoping for.