(Kitco News) - Safe-haven gold and silver prices are solidly lower at midday Thursday despite eroding trader/investor risk appetite and global stock markets that were weaker today. This seemingly conflicting scenario has played out often the past few months, confounding the precious metals market bulls. Still, such situations have also invited metals bulls to step in and buy the dips to keep the overall price uptrends alive in gold and silver. October gold futures were last down $20.20 at $1,941.80 and December Comex silver was last down $0.391 at $27.09 an ounce.
Global stock markets were mostly down overnight. U.S. stock indexes are down at midday. Traders and investors are more downbeat late this week, following a reminder from the Federal Reserve on Wednesday afternoon that the U.S. economic outlook is “highly uncertain.” Wednesday afternoon’s conclusion of the Open Market Committee meeting (FOMC) saw no change in U.S. interest rates, as expected, but the Fed signaled U.S. rates will not rise for at least three years. The Fed reiterated it wants to see inflation at 2% or slightly above. Many were hoping for more clarity on how the Fed plans to stoke inflation in the coming months. A Wall Street Journal report by Greg Ip suggested the FOMC statement and Chairman Jay Powell’s press conference were strong on words but weak on actions.
It could be that the marketplace late this week, following the FOMC meeting, may be considering more the longer-term implications of the Covid-19 economic damage, instead of the recently better-than-expected recoveries in some sectors of world economies. When one thinks about when most economic and social conditions could be “back to normal” the horizon for such is a long way off. And there are sure to be permanent and deep Covid-19 scars in sectors of the major global economies.
In overnight news, the Euro zone August consumer price index was down 0.4% from July and down 0.2%, year-on-year. These numbers are a stark reminder of the difficulty central banks may have in reigniting inflation in the coming months.
The important outside markets today see the U.S. dollar index slightly lower. Nymex crude oil prices are higher and trading around $41.00. The yield on the U.S. Treasury 10-year note is trading around 0.68% today.
![Live 24 hours gold chart [Kitco Inc.]](https://www.kitco.com/images/live/gold.gif?0.2924175530478188){kind=small}
Technically, October gold futures bulls have the firm overall near-term technical advantage amid recent choppy trading. Prices are still in a five-month-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Bulls’ next upside price objective is to produce a close in October futures above solid resistance at the September high of $1,992.50. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,900.00. First resistance is seen at today’s high of $1,960.50 and then at this week’s high of $1,975.40. First support is seen at today’s low of $1,930.20 and then at $1,920.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.0
![Live 24 hours silver chart [ Kitco Inc. ]](https://www.kitco.com/images/live/silver.gif)
December silver futures bulls have the firm overall near-term technical advantage amid a five-month-old price uptrend in place on the daily bar chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at the September high of $29.235 an ounce. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $25.00. First resistance is seen at this week’s high of $27.865 and then at $28.00. Next support is seen at today’s low of $26.405 and then at $26.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.0.
December N.Y. copper closed up 95 points at 307.05 cents today. Prices closed near the session high today. The copper bulls have the solid overall near-term technical advantage as prices are in a six-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 September high of 309.45 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at the August low of 279.60 cents. First resistance is seen at 309.45 cents and then at 312.50 cents. First support is seen at today’s low of 301.25 cents and then at 300.00 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 8.0.
