What Helped Gold Move Higher Today

Stocks finished lower as
investors took some profits off the table ahead of earnings season, while
Treasuries finished higher on the day.  

Equity

Tobacco shares led
declines as investors fretted that an Illinois appeals court may reject a
judge’s reduction of a $12 billion bond against Phillip Morris. 
The Nasdaq
future
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was down 8.50 to close at 1288.50. The S&P 500 contract
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was down 2.25 at 998.80, and the Dow
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was down 66 at 9141.

Fixed Income

U.S. Treasuries were stronger in as a result of a weak showing
in the Treasury market.
The 10 year futures contract
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was
up 070 to close at 116-110; the 30 year
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was up -06 at 115-08; and the five year note was up 030 at 114-170.
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.

Metals

July gold
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was up by .70 to close at
344.80 in reaction to a weaker US dollar. Silver
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was down 1.50 at 4.81. Copper was
down .25
at 77.85
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, and aluminum
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was up by .0035 to close at
.6595.

Energy

July crude
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was up by .08 to
close at 30.96, and natural gas was down by .015 at 5.505
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.

Currencies

The USD index
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was down as a result
of a strong treasury market closing at  95.96.