Daily Market Commentary for December 16, 2010

Gold Prices Today

Gold prices today have been falling as the safe haven asset becomes less appealing to investors. (Read more at Millennium-Traders.Com)

Economic data released today:

Building Permits:
Building Permits fell 4.0% to 530K Rate in November.

Housing Starts:
October Housing Starts Revised to -11.1% From -11.7%; U.S. November Housing Starts rose 3.9% to 555K; Compared to Consensus of an increase by 6.0%.

Initial Jobless Claims:
U.S. December 4 Week Jobless Claims Revised to 423K from 421K; U.S. December 4 Week Continuing Claims rose 22K to 4,135,000; U.S. Jobless Claims fell 3K to 420K in December 11 Week; Compared to Survey of an increase by 4K.

Current Account:
U.S. 2Q Current Account Revised to a Deficit of $123.2B versus a Deficit of $123.3B; U.S. 3Q Current Account Deficit $127.2B; was Seen at a Deficit of $127.0B.

Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index:
Philadelphia Fed December Inventories fell 2.0 versus November decrease by 5.9; Philadelphia Fed December Delivery Times 8.5 versus November 2.1; Philadelphia Fed December Shipments 7.3 versus November 16.8; Philadelphia Fed December New Orders 14.6 versus November 10.4; Philadelphia Fed December Employment 5.1 versus November 13.3; Philadelphia Fed December Price Received 10.7 versus November decrease by 2.1; Philadelphia Fed December Price Paid 51.2 versus November 34.0; Philadelphia Fed December Business Index Expected 18.0; Philadelphia Fed December Business Index 24.3 versus November 22.5.

At the NYSE closing bell on the New York Stock Exchange, here is how the major world indices and major U.S. stock indices ended the trading session on the world markets as well as the emerging markets including the stock market closing bell price:
DOW (Dow Jones Industrial Average) gain 38.18 points, EOD 11,495.65
NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) shed 106.06, EOD 6,972.47
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) gain 19.84 points, EOD 2,637.06
S&P 500 (SPX) gain 7.71 points, EOD 1,242.94
BEL 20 (BEL20) shed 7.86 points, EOD 2,615.17
CAC 40 (CAC40) gain 8.17 points, EOD 3,888.36
FTSE100 (UKX100) shed 1.06 points, EOD 5,881.12
NIKKEI 225 (NIK/O) gain 1.51 points, EOD 10,311.29

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 2,085, declined stock prices 1,018, unchanged stock prices 79, stock prices hitting new highs 121 and stock prices hitting new lows 30. NYSE quotes for volatile stocks and market trends, as well as stock quotes, stock prices and stock symbols of Day Trading Stock Picks on the New York Stock Exchange stock market for Day Trading online and active Day Trading for those who are or would like to be Day Trading for a living: FDX gain 1.75, HOD 94.79, LOD 91.28, EOD 94.13; LVS gain 2.81, HOD 45.24, LOD 42.80, EOD 45.08; AGQ gain 0.95, HOD 139.87, LOD 135.00, EOD 139.32; CRM gain 1.99, HOD 138.58, LOD 135.25, EOD 137.71,

National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ) stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 1,840, declined stock prices 846, unchanged stock prices 134, stock prices hitting new highs 176 and stock prices hitting new lows 25. NASDAQ quotes, volatile stocks and market trends, as well as stock quotes, stock prices and stock symbols of Day Trading Stock Picks on the NASDAQ stock market for Day Trading online and active Day Trading for those who are or would like to be Day Trading for a living: VRSN gain 0.11, HOD 34.14, LOD 33.13, EOD 34.12; STLD gain 0.50, HOD 17.99, LOD 16.81, EOD 17.56; FFIV gain 3.43, HOD 134.38, LOD 129.59, EOD 133.81; RIMM gain 0.02, HOD 59.93, LOD 58.71, EOD 59.21; ENZN gain 0.35, HOD 12.37, LOD 11.91, EOD 12.02.

Market trends on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) and stock market indicators for the trading session today:
Advanced stock prices 299, declined stock prices 184, unchanged stock prices 28, stock prices hitting new highs 9 and stock prices hitting new lows 6.

Chicago Board of Trade Futures Market for the day, at time of this posting:
E-mini S&P 500 (ES) Mar 10: EOD 1237.00; Change 5.00
E-mini NASDAQ-100 (NQ) Mar 10: EOD 2,216.75; Change 15.50
E-mini DOW $5 (YM) Mar 10: EOD 11,429; Change 14
Nikkei 225 (Yen) Mar 10: EOD 10,340; Change 10

World Currencies for the Forex Market, for Forex Trading by active Forex Traders, at time of this posting:
Euro 0.7560 to U.S. Dollars 1.3200
Japanese Yen 84.0450 to U.S. Dollars 0.0119
British Pound 0.6401 to U.S. Dollars 1.56
Canadian Dollar 1.0062 to U.S. Dollars 0.9938
Swiss Franc 0.9652 to U.S. Dollars 1.04

COMMODITY MARKETS:
Energy Sector - Nymex:
Light Crude (January 11) shed $0.92, EOD $87.70 per barrel ($US per barrel)
Heating Oil (January 11) shed $0.00, EOD $2.48 a gallon ($US per gallon)
Natural Gas (January 11) shed $0.04, EOD $4.42 per million BTU ($US per mmbtu.)
Unleaded Gas (January 11) shed $0.00, EOD $2.30 gallon ($US per gallon)

Metals Markets - Comex:
Gold (February 11) shed $15.20, EOD $1,371.00 ($US per Troy ounce)
Silver (March 11) shed $0.47, EOD $28.78 ($US per Troy ounce)
Platinum (January 11) shed $5.80, EOD $1,698.60 ($US per Troy ounce)
Copper (March 11) shed $0.01, EOD $4.12 ($US per pound)

Livestock and Meat Markets - Chicago Mercantile Exchange (cents per lb.):
Lean Hogs (February 11) shed $0.62, EOD $74.58
Pork Bellies (February 11) unchanged, EOD $106.00
Live Cattle (February 11) shed $0.15, EOD $103.75
Feeder Cattle (March 11) gain $0.60, EOD $119.00

Other Commodities - Chicago Board of Trade (cents per bushel):
Corn (March 11) gain $3.25, EOD $587.50
Soybeans (March 11) shed $7.25, EOD $1,300.50

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