COMEX Report: Commodity Technical Outlook

SILVER

Silver edged lower overnight to open at 19.97/20.02, which was also the day’s low. It followed gold to a high of 20.41/20.46 before concluding the day at 20.36/20.41.

Silver closed higher today for the third session in a row, at 20.41, but has yet to break its sideways range. Resistance is at the range high at 20.51. Support is at the December 31 low of 18.83. 

The gold-silver ratio is trading lower for the third consecutive session, at current 61.43. The ratio remains in an uptrend since September 2013, but is poised to test that uptrend which currently comes in around 60.90. Generally speaking, a declining gold-silver ratio is bullish for the metals (i.e., silver should outperform gold in an uptrend). We are closely watching the uptrend line for a clear breach.

Technical Levels

	S1	S2	R1	R2
SILVER	20.25	20.05	20.50	20.90CRUDE

Commodity Contract  S2 S1 R1 R2

GOLD

Gold moved marginally lower overnight to open at the session low of 1244.25/1245.25. Following surprisingly weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs data on Friday, the metal drew buying interest today against a weaker dollar to post a high of 1253.00/1254.00 amidst diminishing concerns that the Fed will speed up tapering of its bond-buying program. It concluded the day at 1251.50/1252.50.

Gold closed higher today at 1252, breaking up through the previous recent high at 1248. Positive momentum in gold now exceeds negative momentum on the daily chart, and this is good news for the metal. There is an uptrend in the daily chart providing support; which currently comes in at 1231. Gold has made a successive higher low and now a higher high – taking out the December high at 1268 would be a bullish signal.

Technical Levels

	S1	S2	R1	R2
GOLD	1248	1232	1258	1267

Commodity Contract S2 S1 R1 R2

COPPER

Copper is sensitive to the economic growth outlook because of its widespread uses across industries. The U.S. is second behind China in global copper demand. On the Comexdivision of the New York Mercantile Exchange, copper futures for March delivery traded at USD3.323 a pound during European morning trade, down 0.55%. Comex copper prices held in a range between USD3.322 a pound and USD3.367 a pound.

The March contract ended Friday’s session up 1.29% to settle at USD3.341 a pound. Copper prices were likely to find support at USD3.289 a pound, the low from January 10 and resistance at USD3.377 a pound, the high from January 8. The U.S. economy added just 74,000 jobs in December, the Labor Department said Friday, the smallest increase since January 2011 and well below expectations for 196,000 new jobs.Copper futures fell on Monday, after disappointing U.S. jobs data cast doubt on the strength of the economic recovery.

The disappointing data cooled expectations that the Federal Reserve would cut its stimulus program again this month. The central bank cited a stronger labor market in its decision to taper its asset purchase program by USD10 billion in December to USD75 billion-a-month.

Technical Levels

	S1	S2	R1	R2
COPPER	3.3270	3.3030	3.3550	3.3750

Commodity Contract  S2 S1 R1 R2

CRUDE

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, West Texas Intermediate crude for delivery in March traded flat at USD92.03 a barrel up 0.03% during Asia morning trade. On Monday the New York-traded oil futures hit a session low of USD91.74 a barrel and a high of USD92.03 a barrel.
Talks among the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, Germany, France and Iran ended in agreement on a six-month deal that will limit advancements in Iran's nuclear program in exchange for easing economic sanctions against Tehran starting Jan. 20.

In November, Iran pledged to eliminate its stocks of 20% enriched uranium within six months and limit the enrichment of uranium to 5%.
Trade sanctions slapped on Iran due to its alleged nuclear ambitions have taken out more than 1 million barrels of oil per day from the global market over the past two years.
Soft U.S. jobs numbers released Friday also pressured prices lower.

Crude oil prices rose slightly on Tuesday during Asian trading hours as markets digested the weekend reports that Iran has agreed on a multilateral plan that would curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions in a deal that could allow it to resume exports and add to global supply.

Technical Levels

	S1	S2	R1	R2
CRUDE	91.30	91.00	92.00	92.50

Commodity Contract  S2 S1 R1 R2

Global Economic Data

TIME	DATA	PRV	EXP	IMPACT
7:00pm	Core Retail Sales m/m	0.4%	0.4%	STRONG
7:00pm	Retail Sales m/m	0.7%	0.2%	STRONG
7:00pm	Import Prices m/m	-0.6%	0.3%	MEDIUM000
8:30pm	Business Inventories m/m	0.7%	0.4%	MEDIUM
11:15pm	FOMC Member Plosser Speak			MEDIUM
11:50pm	FOMC Member Fisher Speaks			MEDIUM

Core Retail Sales m/m

Source	Census Bureau(latest release)
Measures	Change in the total value of sales at the retail level, excluding automobiles;
Usual Effect	Actual > Forecast = Good for currency;
Frequency	Released monthly, about 14 days after the month ends;
Next Release	Feb 13, 2014
FF Notes	Automobile sales account for about 20% of Retail Sales, but they tend to be very volatile and distort the underlying trend. The Core data is therefore thought to be a better gauge of spending trends;
Also Called	Retail Sales Ex Autos;

Retail Sales m/m

Source	Census Bureau(latest release)
Measures	Change in the total value of sales at the retail level;
Usual Effect	Actual > Forecast = Good for currency;
Frequency	Released monthly, about 14 days after the month ends;
Next Release	Feb 13, 2014
FF Notes	This is the earliest and broadest look at vital consumer spending data;
Why Traders Care	It's the primary gauge of consumer spending, which accounts for the majority of overall economic activity;
Also Called	Advance Retail Sales;

Import Prices m/m

Source	Bureau of Labor Statistics(latest release)
Measures	Change in the price of imported goods and services purchased domestically;
Usual Effect	Actual > Forecast = Good for currency;
Frequency	Released monthly, about 13 days after the month ends;
Next Release	Feb 14, 2014
FF Notes	This is the earliest government-released inflation data;
Why Traders Care	It contributes to inflation for businesses and consumers, especially those who rely heavily on imported goods and services;
Also Called	Import Price Index;