Fundamentally, today's driving force in precious metals has been the rise of the dollar, which rocketed back from a few days of downward slippage.

Looking at a number of factors, this should not be surprising.

Some days, a number of small items conspire to move prices of gold and silver one way or another. naturally, since we are now in a short trade, we want to see gold move down. It did not deign to convenience us with that kind of action today.

And of course, the gyrations of the dollar.... despite a weaker dollar, the price of gold fell a little over a dollar. But the session essentially gave us a push and pull between the bear and bull.