SILVER

Lately, we've noted the improving sentiment picture for Gold. As a market weakens, sentiment will naturally become less bullish. In this case, sentiment has weakened considerably yet Gold is only 6% off its high. Most interesting in particular is the divergence between the COT data for Gold and Silver and the rest of the commodities.

The yellow and white precious metals have pared most of Monday's Asian gains in North American trading but the metals see strong supports at current levels as the sharp correction in recent days have already brought them to technically justified points of entry.

By lunchtime in London – and compared with New Year 2011's record highs – the Gold Price in Dollars stood 6% lower, in Euros 7.5% down, and in British Pounds nearly 9% lower.

Politicians and law enforcement officials in Mexico are increasingly being forced to make a choice between 'silver' or 'lead' - bribe or bullet - in the state's growing battle against powerful drug cartels.

Silver prices could hit an incredible $120 in just three years, propelled by a physical shortage in the silver market and further momentum in economic recovery, CommodityOnline has reported citing a report by thesilvershortage.com.

Gold rose for a third straight day on Wednesday on a weaker dollar and strong Asian physical demand, while platinum and palladium hit multi-year highs on an improving global economic outlook.

German precious metals refinery group Heraeus reports massive demand for bars and coins, even as ETF trust funds and Comex futures contracts saw considerable profit-taking driven liquidations by institutional traders.

A successful and idealistic Mexican lawyer, who became the mayor of Santiago in November 2009, turned into a victim of gruesome killing even before he completed one year in office as he chose 'lead' over 'silver'.

Retired professor Chen Chongyu and his wife Liu Zhenjuan dreamed of coming back to China from their daughter's home in France, but until last year the couple had nowhere to go.

Retired professor Chen Chongyu and his wife Liu Zhenjuan dreamed of coming back to China from their daughter's home in France, but until last year the couple had nowhere to go.

2011 is shaping up as a race to the bottom for currency values, writes Harvard professor Kenneth Rogoff in today's Financial Times. No wonder gold has been so attractive.

Traders are talking about buying dips again, concurs a Hong Kong dealer, noting that Asia physical market remains very tight for Gold Bars. Reuters says the Hong Kong premium for wholesale Gold Bars over benchmark London prices today held at $3 per ounce, a near 30-month high.

The Gold Price in Euros whipped within 1.5% of last month's all-time record highs in London trade on Monday, as weaker-economy Eurozone bonds fell sharply on a raft of bail-out rumors and leaks.

The Gold Price in Dollars slid to a near 6-week low in early London trading on Friday, dropping below $1360 an ounce, but then bounced back to $1369 as New York trading began and Non-Farm Payrolls showed a rise of 103,000 - below analyst forecasts - and the labor-force participation rate slipped further below two-in-three.

Silver and Gold Prices both unwound the last of late Dec.'s gains in early London trade on Wednesday, retreating to $29.20 and $1370 respectively per ounce on what several analysts called profit taking as world stock markets also fell.

Gold and Silver Prices both fell as London traders returned to work from the New Year shutdown on Tuesday, dropping over 3 percent from yesterday's highs as world stock markets caught up with Wall Street's strong gains.

The entire precious metals complex had a stellar run in 2010, led by palladium's 97 percent rise and Silver's 83 percent gain. Gold yielded investors a 29.7 percent profit in 2010, the tenth consecutive annual gain in a row.

The Gold Price in Euros broke fresh all-time highs overnight in Asian trade, hitting more than €34,500 per kilo - some 38% higher in 2010.

Gold and silver fell off day's highs after stronger-than-expected US data released Tuesday morning in New York strengthened the greenback, losses in which had helped the metals rose to 1-week highs earlier in the day, but both metals held on to the SMA support strongly.

The FT reported that market-making brokerage and bank J.P.Morgan has materially reduced its bets on lower silver prices, citing a person familiar with the matter.

The Gold Price held near last night's new record highs for US, Euro and Sterling investors in London trade on Tuesday, recording an AM Gold Fix at $1426 per ounce as world stock markets gained more than 1.5%.