They Will Never Be Royals, but Large Speculators Add Gold

The way the Kansas City Royal slipped into the World Series with little prior heralding, large speculators have entered the gold market, adding the yellow precious metal to their positions. Strikingly, this includes a wide variety of managed funds across the board.

Last week, holdings in global exchange-traded products backed by the metal alone rose 4.9 metric tons, the most since July of this year.

Gold has also picked up renewed interest in China, which seems besides itself and its sudden, inexplicable stagnation. Everything from state-run funds to private banks to individuals are adding gold into their holdings. fear of economic malaise has also spread in Europe and that region, too, is fueling the renewed buying of gold and its associated funds.

Finally - and you know you've been reading it here for months - there is more and more acceptance of the idea that the Fed will put off at least a rise in interest rates and possibly the finally blow to QE3 paper purchasing. However, we should keep in mind, too, that that sort of action, or rather inaction, has a salutary effect on the stock markets, which could sponge off some investment money from gold.

Regardless, the key word for today, and the key word that would help gold bulls really find their feet, is "doubt." Obviously doubt leads to fear, and that in turn leads to desires for safe havens.

The dollar also helped gold today, making up about half of the gain we are witnessing in late afternoon trading.

The decline in the dollar, which reciprocally pushes gold up, can be seen as another function of the idea that rates aren't going anywhere in any of the main economic blocs in the world.

Likewise, the yield on the bond declined and the face value climbed. When people want to hide, shiver and quiver, there are only a few safe places. Gold, bonds, and strong currencies.

As always, wishing you good trading,