17 February 2026 – 08:36 Central Euro Time

The BEGOS Markets’ two-day session continues with volatility naturally having widened from light at this time yesterday to now moderate. Above the session’s Neutral Zones are the Bond and Oil, whilst below same are the two EuroCurrencies, the three elements of the Metals Triumvirate, and the Spoo. Gold high-to-low through the combined session has declined by as much as -199 points; by Market Values, Gold (in real-time) is +131 points above its smooth valuation line after having been +418 points a week ago; too by its Market Profile, Gold has slipped below its most volume-dominant support level of 4948; ’tis the like case for Silver having eclipsed down through 76.35. Oil’s cac volume is rolling from March into that for April. The week’s parade of 18 scheduled Econ Baro metrics begins today with February’s NY State Empire and NAHB Housing Indices.

16 February 2026 – 08:42 Central Euro Time

Given the StateSide holiday, ’tis a two-day session for the BEGOS Markets with settlement tomorrow (Tuesday). Presently, we’ve but one BEGOS component outside (below) its Neutral Zone for the session, that being Gold -0.9% (5017); overall volatility thus far expectedly is quite light. The Gold Update cites (as we’d anticipated a week prior) a compressing of the yellow metal’s trading range; Gold’s EDTR (see Market Ranges) for today is 248 points, but doubtless the actual range shan’t be that vast, (barring something geo-politically untoward); too, given the ongoing drop by Gold’s “Baby Blues” (see Market Trends), the 21-day regression trend may confirm having rotated to negative by week’s end. Nothing is due today for the Econ Baro with a heavy balance of 18 metrics scheduled through the week. And with two weeks to run in Q4 Earnings Season, we still expect reports from some 100 S&P 500 constituents: thus far, 71% have bettered their like Q4 of a year ago, which continues to be an above-average pace; however, the “live” P/E (futs-adj’d) at present 46.2x is a significant downside warning sign.

The Gold Update: No. 848 – (14 February 2026) – “Gold’s Range Compresses as the Uptrend Regresses”

The Gold Update by Mark Mead Baillie — 848th Edition — Monte-Carlo — 14 February 2026 (published each Saturday) — www.deMeadville.com

Gold’s Range Compresses as the Uptrend Regresses

‘Tis a Valentine Day’s edition of The Gold Update, (the only other prior occurrence being back in 2015)!  And on the heels of last week’s piece “Gold Reaching Peak Volatility”, our timing has been spot on as Gold’s daily trading range this past week clearly compressed compared to that of the prior fortnight.  In settling yesterday (Friday) at 5064, Gold’s trading range for each of the past three weeks has declined from 886 points to 691 points to now “just” 245 points.  Further, from intraweek high to intraweek low, this past week’s percentage range of 4.8% was the narrowest of the last four.  Comparably compressed indeed!

To wit, the following graphic shows us Gold’s actual daily trading range by points (the columns) vis-à-vis each day’s “expected daily trading range” (the EDTR line) from three months ago-to-date.  The five rightmost daily columns (which for you WestPalmBeachers down there is this past week) were well below the EDTR line’s expectations, as we’d sensed a week ago was due to become the case:

“Still mmb, gold just made its first weekly close ever above 5000!

Squire, too, is spot on.  Even as Gold reached its All-Time High of 5586 back on 29 January in marginally passing our forecast high for this year of 5546, never until yesterday had price actually settled a week above the 5000 milestone.  Barring reading this piece, (to the extent anyone notices such settle), the relevancy of the week’s close seems rather insignificant given 13 of the past 15 trading days have already found Gold north of 5000.  But then again, “The Herd” basically acts on emotion rather than on analysis.  However, in just having web-searched the phrase “Gold headlines”, nary is there mention of this initial 5000+ weekly close; rather, the top links listed are specific to Olympic medals.

In fact, from the “How Soon We Forget Dept.”, coverage of the Olympics has somewhat dwarfed (albeit ongoing) geo-political issues such as Iran and Greenland.  Moreover, you long-time readers of The Gold Update well know that geo-politically-driven surges in Gold’s price tend to be short-lived, even as we now read there’ll be no “Homeland Security” StateSide for at least a week; (nothing like a third “shutdown” within five months).

Still, regardless of Gold’s first ever 5000+ weekly close, relative to recent price volatility, last week was a sleeper.  Here ’tis as rightmost depicted in the weekly bars from a year ago-to-date, even as the blue-dotted parabolic Long trend completes its tenth week.  (And the aforementioned trading range this past week of 245 points was 79% of the expected 311 points … just in case on this Valentine’s Day you’re scoring at home):

Note therein the reference to Gold being “still way overvalued”:  per the opening Gold Scoreboard, the current price of 5064 is +28.3% above Fair Value (3947), although by our BEGOS Market Value (4768), such divergence is only +6.2%, i.e. +296 points as we next see:

Now with furtherance to our title, Gold’s uptrend is regressing.  One likely would be hard-pressed to read that in the FinMedia, but ’tis why you read us.  Thus, we go below to the two-panel graphic of price from three months ago-to-date for Gold on the left and for Silver on the right.  And quite starkly for both precious metals, their respective “Baby Blues” of day-to-day trend consistency continue to steadily fall.  Specific to the yellow metal, the 21-day regression trend — although weakening — still is positive given the Blues are above the 0% axis; however, immediate buying basically need come to the fore, lest the Blues fall through that floor.  ‘Course for the white metal, her Blues having already broken below same is mathematically indicative of her trend having rotated to negative.  So even as ’tis Valentine’s Day, we again must say:  Poor ol’ Sister Silver!

As for the Economic Barometer, despite last week’s ample stream of incoming metrics, the change for the Baro was minimal.  To be sure, January’s Non-Farm Payrolls netting +130k was the highest reading since May a year ago (+144k).  That is not positive for the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee to vote for a FedFunds rate cut, nor is the the month’s +0.4% pop in Hourly Earnings.  ‘Course, the FinMedia continues to assume the Fed shall reduce rates this year, given their notably fawning over a benign Consumer Price Index dropping from the +0.3% pace in December to +0.2% for January; but the fawners seemed to ignore the Core CPI (the one which assumes you neither drive nor eat) rising from +0.2% to now +0.3%.  Oh well.  More importantly, a non-dovish Fed is not a Gold friend.  Either way, the next FOMC Policy Statement is not due until 18 March, 22 trading days hence.  Here — with black-hearted respect to the S&P 500 — is the  Baro:

Now ahead of The Gold Stack and our wrap we’ve the 10-day Market Profiles for the precious metals, featuring that for Gold (below left) and for Silver (below right).  Obviously by the respective white bars of current price, Gold (5064) is better positioned than Silver (77.27).  For this past week alone, Gold’s net gain (notwithstanding the earlier-stated intraweek range of 4.8%) was +1.5%, whereas Silver recorded a net loss of -0.3%.  Blame Silver’s dropper on mischievous Cousin Copper?  The red metal as well recorded a weekly net loss of -1.7%, and his chart technicals are not looking very happy.  Does this mean Silver is entering one her phases wherein she discards her precious metal pinstripes for her industrial metal jacket to go off cavorting with Copper?  Oh, say it ain’t so, Sister Silver!

And so, to the stack:

The Gold Stack (continuous contract pricing):
Gold’s All-Time Intra-Day High:  5586 (29 January 2026)
2026’s High:  5586 (29 January)
Gold’s All-Time Closing High:  5411 (28 January 2026)
10-Session directional range:  up to 5140 (from 4428) = +712 points or +16.1%
Trading Resistance:  notable by the Market Profile, 5084
Gold Currently:  5064, (expected daily trading range [“EDTR”]:  248 points)
Trading Support:  notable by the Market Profile, 5044 / 4948 / 4852 / 4707 / 4654
10-Session “volume-weighted” average price magnet:  4921
The Weekly Parabolic Price to flip Short:  4563
2026’s Low:  4319 (02 January)
Gold’s Fair Value per Dollar Debasement, (from our opening “Scoreboard”):  3947
The 300-Day Moving Average:  3549 and rising
The 2000’s Triple-Top:  2089 (07 Aug ’20); 2079 (08 Mar’22); 2085 (04 May ’23)
The Gateway to 2000:  1900+
The Final Frontier:  1800-1900
The Northern Front:  1800-1750
On Maneuvers:  1750-1579
The Floor:  1579-1466
Le Sous-sol:  Sub-1466
The Support Shelf:  1454-1434
Base Camp:  1377
The 1360s Double-Top:  1369 in Apr ’18 preceded by 1362 in Sep ’17
Neverland:  The Whiny 1290s
The Box:  1280-1240

To close, a most highly-valued reader of The Gold Update just enlightened us as to equity margins being on the up move.  Without our doing the actual math, margin debt today purportedly exceeds the $1T level, last year alone having increased some 36%.

“Wow, mmb, that’s more than double what the S&P did last year…

‘Tis so, Squire, the S&P 500’s net gain in 2025 being +16.4%.  Is it any wonder that (again per the opening Scoreboard) today’s S&P market capitalization of $60.9T is 2.7x the liquid money supply?  Sell your stock and get cash from your broker?  Or just an I.O.U.?

But wait, there’s morehow are how those precious metals’ margin requirements working out for ya?  Three years ago on Valentine’s Day in 2023, the price of Gold was 1864 and the COMEX margin required to trade one futures contract was $7,000.  Today at 5064, Gold is +172% higher than ’twas then … but the margin today at $46,000 is an increase of +557%!  And as for Silver (deep breath):  she settled Valentine’s Day 2023 at 21.85 with required contract margin of $8,000.  Now Silver at 77.27 is +254% higher … but her requisite margin per contract at $76,000 is a +850% increase!  Nuthin’ like a li’l volatility to keep one on one’s liquidity toes, eh?

Still, we close with this happy news.  For even as price compression may weigh, with trend regression in play, everyday with Gold is Valentine’s Day!

Cheers!

…m…

13 February 2026 – 08:34 Central Euro Time

Presently we’ve the EuroCurrencies below their respective Neutral Zones for today, whilst above same are the precious metals; BEGOS Markets’ volatility remains light into this hour of the session. Gold, after having on Wednesday moved up through its Market Magnet, was unable to sustain upside furtherance, falling back down through same yesterday, as did both Oil and the Spoo; and all three elements of the Metals Triumvirate yesterday failed to hold their most volume-dominant support levels (see Market Profiles). Also, EDTRs (see Market Ranges) — whilst still vast — have begun to narrow a bit; more on the metals in tomorrow’s 848th consecutive Saturday edition of The Gold Update. And although we’re still a week away from the “Fed-favoured” PCE for December, today the Econ Baro receives the CPI for January. As for Q4 Earnings Season, with two weeks yet to run, some 100 S&P 500 constituents are still to report. Monday is a StateSide holiday for physical bourses.

12 February 2026 – 08:41 Central Euro Time

At this moment, all eight BEGOS Markets are within their respective Neutral Zones for today, and session volatility to this point continues to be light. Gold yesterday settled above its Market Magnet, suggestive of some upside follow-through near-term term, even as per The Gold Update price remains significantly overvalued; ’tis just mildly lower so far today. As to the Spoo, it crossed yesterday below its most volume-dominant Market Profile support level of 6968, even as price this morning is mildly higher. At Market Trends, the “Baby Blues” of trend consistency are falling for the Euro, Swiss Franc, Gold and Silver: “Follow the Blues instead of the news, else lose yer shoes.” And the Econ Baro awaits January’s Existing Home Sales along with the usual Initial Jobless Claims from the prior week.

11 February 2026 – 08:42 Central Euro Time

The Euro, Swiss Franc, Silver and Copper are all at present above today’s Neutral Zones; the rest of the BEGOS Markets are within same, and session volatility again is light. For the precious metals by Market Trends, the “Baby Blues” of trend consistency continue to fall for both Silver and Gold; but the trends currently are directionally opposed, that for the white metal being negative, yet still positive for Gold, (basis 21-day linear regression); volume-dominant Market Profile support for Silver is 77.65 whilst for Gold ’tis 4948. The ongoing above-average Q4 Earnings Season for the S&P 500 has served to bring its “live” (ttm) P/E down from the 50s into the 40s, (still a far cry above Jerome Cohen’s 11x-15x for a bull market); too, the S&P remains practically yieldless at 1.143% vs. the essentially riskless 3mo T-Bill’s annualized 3.590%, i.e. more than triple the return of the all-to-risk S&P. The Econ Baro looks to slightly-delayed January data for Payrolls, plus that month’s Treasury Budget.

10 February 2026 – 08:40 Central Euro Time

At present we’ve the Bond above its Neutral Zone for today, whilst below same are both Silver and Copper; session volatility for the BEGOS Markets is light with a bevy of incoming EconData due through the balance of the week. With respect to both the noted white and red metals, their respective Market Trends are rotating to negative as too already have done those for the Bond and Spoo; the uptrenders thus remain the two EuroCurrencies, Oil and Gold, the latter’s “Baby Blues” of trend consistency continuing to fall as the uptrend weakens. Gold’s major Market Profile volume-dominant prices are: 5327, 5098 and 4948. Too for the Spoo, its most dominant is 6968. “Scheduled” metrics today for the Econ Baro are December’s Retail Sales and Ex/Im Prices, Q4’s Employment Cost Index, and in “shutdown” arrears, November’s Business Inventories.

09 February 2026 – 08:44 Central Euro Time

The week starts finding at present both the Bond and Oil below today’s Neutral Zones, whilst above same are the Euro, Swiss Franc and Silver; BEGOS Markets’ volatility is light-to-moderate. The Gold Update focuses on the yellow metal having reached what historically (save for the FinCrisis) by percentage is peak volatility; too, both Gold and Silver remain well-overvalued vis-à-vis their respective Fair Value. Going ’round the horn in real-time for the Market Values of the five primary BEGOS components: we’ve the Bond -3^06 points “low” per its smooth valuation line, the Euro -0.018 points “low”, Gold +365 points “high”, Oil +2.68 points “high”, and the Spoo -170 points “low” even as the “live” P/E of the S&P (futs-adj’d) remains what we deem as dangerously stretched at 45.8x. Three voluminous weeks of Q4 Earnings Season remains, wherein thus far, year-over-year improvement is above average; but again, prices on balance are very strained to the upside (see S&P 500 > Valuations and Rankings). And ’tis a busy week for the Econ Baro: although nothing is due today, the balance of the following four days seeks 16 incoming metrics.

The Gold Update: No. 847 – (07 February 2026) – “Gold Reaching Peak Volatility”

The Gold Update by Mark Mead Baillie — 847th Edition — Monte-Carlo — 07 February 2026 (published each Saturday) — www.deMeadville.com

Gold Reaching Peak Volatility

Gold by its daily trading range (intraday low to intraday high, or vice-versa) is establishing point swings “like ya never done seen” –[mmb, ’18].  Gold’s daily range through these first 25 trading days of 2026 has averaged 197 points per session, the current “expected daily trading range” (for Monday) being 283 points, an historical maximum.  That is wider than Gold’s entire trading range from the start of the 21st century on 02 January 2001 (opening price 273) for nearly five years until 12 December 2005 (settle price 532).

However:  in turning to the reality of percentage swings, Gold’s actually been here before, having yet again arrived at what (at least historically) has been ’round peak volatility.  Year-to-date, Gold’s average daily percentage range is 4.2%, including one day of 10.9% and another of 16.6%; (the year’s daily median thus far is 2.6%).  All that said, towards subjectively selecting what is peak volatility, we’ve the following graphic spanning Gold’s 6,314 trading days thus far this century.  In order to smooth out the daily percentage gyrations of price distance traveled, the red line is a 63-day (one quarter) moving average of range.  Note the boxes at the extremes of range (save for the FinCrisis) having peaked just either side of 3%, the current value as of yesterday (Friday) per the label at 2.8%, even as the week’s final session sported an intraday gain of +7.0%, with price (the Gold line) settling at 4989:

“So mmb, you think gold’s gonna slow down, especially as it already reached your forecast high?

Squire of course is referring to 5546 which traded (and then some to 5586) on 29 January.  Then from that All-Time High, price within the two ensuing days fell by as much as -20.8% to 4423.  And to Squire’s query if Gold is going to “slow down”, should the mid-5000s not be substantively retested near-term, interest in trading the yellow metal may wane a bit, and certainly so should — by last week’s piece “Metals’ Mania Maxed!” — indeed have become the case.

To wit:  following Gold’s April (front month) rollover contract volume of 570k that traded on Friday a week ago (31 January), every day through this past week recorded size declines thereto, chronologically as 508K, 386k, 260k, 246k and yesterday 235k.  (Whilst we tend to notice little things like that, doubtless it shan’t be found by the FinMedia).

Furthering our own findings, Gold just completed its ninth week of the blue-dotted parabolic Long trend.  And so we go to Gold’s weekly bars from a year ago-to-date wherein price today at 4989 is well-above (+12.8%) the parabolic level for the ensuing week of 4423, despite having nearly flipped to Short this past week (down to just 24 points above the hurdle of then 4399).  Yep, it came that close:

And lest we forget, per R. W. Emerson:  “The eye of prudence may never shut.” –[“Essays”, 1841].  We thus duly remind you by the opening Gold Scoreboard of price today being +26.6% above Fair Value (3942), inclusive of it being +7.4% above our BEGOS Market Value (4644), the latter a deviation of +345 points as below charted.  You tell ’em, Ralphie:

So whilst Gold is still quite overvalued, the “Baby Blues” project the directional news.  For as we turn to our two-panel graphic of the daily bars from three months ago-to-date on the left and 10-day Market Profile on the right, the declining blue dots are indicative of Gold’s uptrend losing consistency, (albeit the trend remains up as long as the dots are above their 0% axis).  But by the Profile, Gold is below its most volume-dominant resistor of 5119 as labeled:

And no, hardly have we forgotten Sister Silver, in whose like graphic the fallout of the “Baby Blues” (below left) is more severe than that for Gold.  In setting a record high at 121.79 also on 29 January, through just these past seven trading days Silver slithered down to as low (yesterday) as 63.90.  Not so sweet her -48% retreat; but then came a bounce to 77.53 in closing the week.  Yet by the opening Scoreboard, Silver is +36.4% above her Fair Value of 56.85.  As for her Market Profile (below right), note the dearth of volume from 108.20 down to 86.85.  For when the bids bugger-off, the going gets tough!  And as overvalued as she is, as we on occasion quip:  Poor ol’ Sister Silver!

Now:  how did the past week’s U.S. government “mini-shutdown” work out for you?  Did you even notice it?  We did, indeed glaring so with yesterday’s Payrolls data for January being postponed until Wednesday (11 February).  Thus for the week, the Economic Barometer brought in just six metrics, the shining star being December’s Consumer Credit, which beat estimates as well as the prior period, itself revised upward.  ‘Course, we hope folks’ll have the dough to pay credit’s monthly toll.  Or as Senator “Fritz” Hollings (D, South Carolina) would on occasion pontificate ’round the turn of the century:  “There’s too much consumin’ goin’ on out there!” especially as job growth slows.  For the lackluster loser of the week was January’s ADP Employment data, which missed estimates and was worse than the prior period, itself revised downward.  Still, the Baro managed a hitch up to where ’twas a week ago, helped by an improved Institute for Supply Management manufacturing reading for January indicative of expansion (52.6) vs. that of December shrinkage (47.9):

So from six Econ Baro metrics last week, we have 16 scheduled through next week.  To be sure, ever since the past autumn’s U.S. government “macro-shutdown”, the stream of incoming data has been nothing short of screwy-louie (technical term).  For example, as regards inflation:   next Friday brings (per the Bureau of Labor Statistics) January’s Consumer Price Index … but ’tis not ’til the Friday thereafter we receive (per the Bureau of Economic Analysis) December’s Personal Consumption Expenditures. Are we therefore going backward?  Ought we commandeer H. G. Well’s time machine –[Taylor, Mimieux, MGM, ’60]?

Indeed we thus could go forward to assess the state of Gold’s volatility (among other things).  But that would take out all the fun.  Besides, we’ve oft quoted the late, great Richard Russell:  “There’s never a bad time to buy Gold.”  Yet, ’tis also been said the day to sell your Gold is the day everybody wants it.  As overvalued as both Gold and Silver presently are, that “day” remains a long way into the future.  So mind and preserve your precious metals!

Cheers!

…m…

06 February 2026 – 08:39 Central Euro Time

Presently above today’s Neutral Zones are the Swiss Franc, Gold, Silver, Copper and Oil; the other three BEGOS Markets (Bond, Euro and Spoo) are within same, and volatility for the session is moderate. Per yesterday’s comment on the weakening S&P 500 MoneyFlow, such leading indicator has further declined relative to the change in the Index itself (see S&P 500 > MoneyFlow). Silver from its record high of 121.785 just a week ago has since fallen into today by as much as -47.5% in reverting toward Fair Value, whereas Gold from 5586 has reverted just -16.4%: more on valuation of the precious metals in tomorrow’s 847th consecutive Saturday edition of The Gold Update. Given the fall in the Spoo last evening post-RTH, it need rise some +33 points for the S&P not to open negatively come 14:30 GMT. The Econ Baro looks to UofM’s initial February Sentiment Survey; then late in the session to close out the week comes December’s Consumer Credit; (again as previously noted, January’s Payrolls data has been delayed until next Wednesday).

05 February 2026 – 08:34 Central Euro Time

As to which we herein alluded last Friday, the MoneyFlow of the S&P 500 continues to deteriorate: by all three of our period measures, the S&P “ought be” several hundred points lower than currently ’tis; as this is a directionally leading indicator, do mind the MoneyFlow page; too by Market Trends, that for the Spoo has rotated to negative. At present, we’ve Silver, Copper and Oil below their respective Neutral Zones for today; the other BEGOS Markets are within same, and session volatility is mostly moderate, duly noting therein that Silver has already traced 134% of its EDTR (see Market Ranges); 4hr Silver (as mentioned in last Saturday’s Gold Update) continues to be a timely Market Rhythm for the white metal, notably by both Parabolics and Price Oscillator. ‘Tis a fairly quiet day for the Econ Baro with just last week’s Initial Jobless Claims coming due. And the Payrolls data for January has been rescheduled from tomorrow until next Wednesday.

04 February 2026 – 08:30 Central Euro Time

Gold has regained (for now) the 5000 handle; price at present is above its Neutral Zone for today, as are both Silver and the Spoo; the rest of the BEGOS Markets are within same, and volatility to this point is again light-to-moderate in the context that — with the exception of the Bond — EDTRs have been expanding (see Market Ranges). Silver (89.17) is up into structural resistance (86.13 to 93.56): should she stall in this range, mind that by Market Trends, the “Baby Blues” of trend consistency are falling for both precious metals as their uptrends continue to weaken. Of note yesterday, Copper settled above both its most volume dominant resistance level (see Market Profiles) and too above its Market Magnet, whereas the Spoo settled beneath dominant support and the Magnet. For the Econ Baro today we’ve January’s ADP Employment data and the ISM(Svc) Index.

03 February 2026 – 08:38 Central Euro Time

The two EuroCurrencies and the Metals Triumvirate all are at present above today’s Neutral Zones; Oil is below same, and session volatility for the BEGOS Markets is light-to-moderate. Yesterday had the “Baby Blues” of regression trend consistency (see Market Trends) for both Gold and Silver settle beneath their respective +80% axes, meaning both metals’ trends remain up, but are weakening such that bounces as we’re seeing today don’t necessarily preclude still lower prices near-term. By Market Profiles, the most volume-dominant overhead resistor for Gold is 5119 and for Silver 93.50. And by its Market Value, Gold in real-time (4937) is +371 points “high” above its smooth valuation line. Nothing is due today for the Econ Baro. For Q4 Earnings Season, 160 S&P 500 constituents have thus far reported with 115 (72%) having improved their bottom lines from Q4 year ago, which is an above-average pace. However, the “live” (futs-adj’d) P/E remains extremely high at 47.9x with the yield a lowly 1.132%; that for the 3mo T-Bill annualized is 3.578%.

02 February 2026 – 08:42 Central Euro Time

Precious metals’ selling continues as Gold and Silver work lower toward being less overvalued; both are at present below today’s Neutral Zones as are Copper, Oil and the Spoo; the Bond is above same, and BEGOS Market’s volatility is robust, save for the EuroCurrencies. The Gold Update appears to have precisely called the year’s high at 5546 (price then only reaching a bit further to 5586), albeit we’ve tempered than by duly noting there still are 11 months in 2026’s balance; either way including today, Gold has fallen more than -1,000 points since last Thursday’s record high and Silver some -40%. The good news is Gold — which by its BEGOS Market Value was nearly +1,000 points — “high” has since cut that to now (in real-time) just +48 points “high”, although price is still more than +15% above Fair Value (3938). For the Econ Baro we’ve 10 metrics due this week, beginning today with January’s ISM(Mfg) Index.

The Gold Update: No. 846 – (31 January 2026) – “Metals’ Mania Maxed!”

The Gold Update by Mark Mead Baillie — 846th Edition — Monte-Carlo — 31 January 2026 (published each Saturday) — www.deMeadville.com

Metals’ Mania Maxed!

But is the mayhem yet done?  Now obviously no one knows for sure if this recent metals’ mania just hit its maximum price point.  So ’tis prudent to understand that superlatives such as “Maxed!” can further be “Maxed!”

“Yeah mmb, but for gold you totally nailed it!

Most kind, Sir Squire, albeit again let’s temper this as possibly premature.  Yes, 28 minutes into last Thursday’s session, Gold achieved our year’s forecast high of 5546, further following-through to 5586 (5627 basis April).  And that was it.

Through the balance of the week’s past two trading days, Gold went on to decline by as much -15.9% to Friday’s low of 4700, toward settling the week yesterday at 4908.  And “premature” to be sure is acknowledging the year’s high so far of 5586 as being “it” with 11 months still in 2026’s balance.  But Gold — at least for the present — is unwinding back to reality, even as it remains fundamentally overvalued.  For per the above opening Gold Scoreboard, price today at 4908 is +8.7% above its BEGOS Market Value (4515 via the intra-relative movements of the Bond, Euro, Gold, Oil and S&P 500), let alone +24.6% above its Fair Value (3938 via Dollar debasement as countered by Gold’s own supply increase).

“And silver got creamed, mmb!

Squire, our dear Sister Silver, bless her, is in the I.C.U.

From her record high on Thursday at 121.79, she comprehensively plunged into week’s-end by as much as -39.2% (to 74.00) in settling yesterday at 85.25, an all-in net loss for the week of -17.4% versus that for Gold of just -1.5%; (too, Gold intra-week gained +39 points of premium in rolling from the February contract into that for April).

But specific to poor ol’ Sister Silver:  you very long-time readers of The Gold Update going back well over a decade may recall the noted analyst in the psychosis of precious metals, Dr. Youara Nichtsogut of Salzburg, who earlier this morning visited Silver in the I.C.U.  The good doctor says the trauma through which Silver suffered yesterday — her intra-day high-to-low drop being a single-session record of -37.5% — shan’t have permanent damage; but her recovery is likely to be very lengthy.

Indeed in again referencing the above Scoreboard, Silver today at 85.25 remains considerably overvalued at +50.1% above her Fair Value (56.79).  We asked Dr. Nichtsogut if any accelerative medicinal measure might be taken, to which she replied:  “Vell, liebling, zee inevitable double of zee money supply, zat vill do it, ya”.  (She’s a winner).

Regardless, through many a recent missive — as pro-Gold as we are — ’tis been pointed out time-and-time again that the precious metals were becoming significantly strained to the upside.  Have a glance at this next four-panel graphic featuring Gold and Silver — both linearly and logarithmically — vis-à-vis their respective 50-year regression channels.  How’s that for a “Whoopsie!”

‘Course, the “sad” part (if you will) lies with all the newly-minted Gold experts having recently sprung up like “jack-in-the-boxes”.  Now given their sudden wound-licking, ‘twouldn’t surprise us a wit for Sister Silver whilst in hospital to get some company.

All that said, despite Gold on Friday giving up seven days of gains — and Silver 23 days — it being month-end ’tis time to present the early year-to-date BEGOS Markets’ standings, with our dear “patient” actually atop the table, (if not that for surgery):

Next to Gold’s weekly bars we go, from one year ago-to-date.  And notwithstanding yesterday’s record intra-day plunge (-14.2%), Gold now at 4908 still is +509 points above the parabolic “flip-to-Short” level of 4399.  ‘Course, range has rapidly expanded:  by the website, Gold’s EDTR (“expected daily trading range”) is now 218 points, although given Friday’s vast selling, we may see such range begin to narrow as folks (at least those who are still around), pull back a bit from the trading activity:

Remaining in the year-over-year mode, here we’ve this chart from our infamous “Live by the Leverage, Die by the Leverage Dept.” featuring the percentage tracks of Gold itself +77%, Franco-Nevada (FNV) +79%, Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) +111%, Pan American Silver (PAAS) +142%, the VanEck Vectors Gold Miners exchange-traded fund (GDX) +149%, Newmont (NEM) +170%, and the Global X Silver Miners exchange-traded fund (SIL) +180%.  Yesterday’s falls make Niagara Falls appear but a trickle: 

Even more broadly as again ’tis month-end, we’ve our recently revised Gold Structure graphic featuring the Peggy Lee tune crooned back in ’69.  Some might consider that tall “wick” on the rightmost January candle as “technical damage” given there is arguably a dearth of monthly structural support until the 3500 area; (but’s let’s not go there, please):

From the broad-term past to the near-term now we’ve the 10-day Market Profiles for Gold on the left and Silver on the right.  And the pre-fallout low-to-high tracings are remarkable, respectively at +23% for Gold and for Silver a stunning +62% just in ten trading days!  In both panels we’ve selectively labeled prominent volume-dominant price levels.  And the barely visible wee white line for each market is Friday’s settle:

For the BEGOS Markets as a whole across the past 21 trading days (one month), here we go ’round the horn for all eight components with their diagonal grey regression trendlines and baby blue dots depicting the day-to-day consistency of each trend.  And not to be left out of the tumbling Metals Triumvirate, along with the yellow and white metals, so did the red see its price shred, Copper therein high-to-low losing -13.7% of its value.  Metals’ mania mayhem, indeed!

Meanwhile through the midst of it all, the S&P 500 — despite marginally flirting above a record 7000 for 26 minutes on Wednesday — hasn’t really moved about to any material extent.  Again by the deMeadville Market Ranges page, of the eight BEGOS markets, the S&P and the Bond are the most subdued of the bunch.  As expected, the Federal Open Market Committee voted (albeit not unanimously) to maintain the interest rate on FedFunds in the 3.50%-3.75% target range.  Too, Q4 Earnings Season (with about one-third of S&P constituents having reported) is running at an above average year-over-year improvement pace.  And the Economic Barometer is continuing to climb upward.  Thus, geo-politics and a FedChair pick aside, there’s not really that much goin’ on out there.  And specific to the Econ Baro, of the past week’s 11 incoming metrics, just two were worse period-over-period.  Here’s the one-year view:

Note in the Baro the reference to inflation.  Friday {finally} brought wholesale inflation data for December via the Producer Price Index.  Both the “headline” and “core” readings came in at five-month highs, respectively annualized at +6.0% and +7.2%, (the 12-month summations being a less daunting +2.6% in each instance).  And directly from the first paragraph of the FOMC’s Policy Statement:  “Inflation remains somewhat elevated”, that release being two days prior to the PPI report.  Fundamentally, that can be construed as a Gold-negative, should the Fed have to reverse rate gears and raise ’em.  Either way, in muted response to the FOMC, the net change in the S&P from Wednesday through Friday was just a wee -0.6%.  But by our indicatively leading MoneyFlow page, the change “ought have been” -3.1%.  As folks later figure that out, a lower S&P near-term is likely.  Too, the “live” price/earnings ratio of the S&P remains a “lofty” (kind understatement) 47.7x.

To close, we go to the “Now What? Dept.”  Per our title, has the metals’ mania maxed?  As stated, the selling into week’s-end was record-setting. Yet certainly so across the past five months had been the buying.  And ’tis said that “What goes up must come down” … or at least not ridiculously stray from valuation.  So as to near-term direction, mind near-term trends for protection.  For the moment (as these always are evolving), our best pure swing Market Rhythm for Gold is its 30-minute MoneyFlow, and for Silver her four-hour Price Oscillator.  (Do try not to get carried away).

And specific to geo-politically influenced metals’ mania, not only have we in other missives proven (in nauseatingly numerical detail) that such rallies are relatively short-lived with price returning down from whence it came (and then some), but also that regressing a Gold price to geo-politics is absurdly abstract.  For at the end of the day, it simply comes down to how much dough (or lack thereof) is there to go ’round, and thus, how much need be printed to make everyone sound.  Per the opening Scoreboard, that S&P 500 market capitalization-to-liquid money supply ratio of 2.7x is worrisome.  Is your broker liquid?

Now as we prepare to publish, we are learning of disturbing geo-political events this weekend from Gaza to Iran.  So should the metals be maxed or otherwise:  aren’t you glad you hold Gold?

Cheers!

…m…

30 January 2026 – 08:35 Central Euro Time

No further record highs for the metals today: notably Gold, after yesterday achieving our forecast high for this year of 5546 — moved higher still to 5627 — only to then succumbed a full -500 points within the balance of the session. Have the metals maxed? More of course in tomorrow’s 846th consecutive Saturday edition of The Gold Update. For the moment, all eight BEGOS Markets are below their respective Neutral Zones for today, (meaning the Dollar is getting the bid); session volatility is robust with solid losses across the metals’ board (at present Gold -3.8%, Silver -6.5% and Copper -4.4%). The “:”live” (futs-adj’d) P/E of the S&P is 45.3x; the monetary outflow yesterday was far worse than the essentially “unch” day for the Index (see our MoneyFlow page). And the Econ Baro wraps the week with January’s Chi PMI and December’s PPI.

29 January 2026 – 08:49 Central Euro Time

GOLD 5546 Achieved! With still these two trading days remaining in the new year’s first month, Gold this morning achieved our targeted forecast high for all of 2026, and then some, price reaching thus far up to 5627; Silver too has topped 120. Indeed at present, all three elements of the Metals Triumvirate are above today’s Neutral Zones, as are the two EuroCurrencies and Oil; the Bond is below same, and session volatility for the BEGOS Markets is moderate-to-robust, Copper alone having traced 250% of its EDTR (see Market Ranges) in hitting an all-time high of 6.385. As for Gold in real-time, at 5581 ’tis +1051 points above its smooth valuation line (see Market Values), a century-to-date record be it by points or percentage (+25%). Today’s Econ Baro metrics include in “shutdown” arrears November’s Trade Deficit, Wholesale Inventories and (purportedly) Factory Orders, plus Q3’s Revised Productivity and Unit Labor Costs.

28 January 2026 – 08:47 Central Euro Time

Gold’s cac volume is rolling from February into that for April with an additional +39 points of premium, and — with or without — a fresh All-Time High has been reached thus far today at 5318 (April) or 5279 (February). Presently for the BEGOS Markets we’ve the Bond, Gold, Silver and the Spoo above their respective Neutral Zones for today, whilst below same are the two EuroCurrencies; session volatility is moderate-to-robust, Gold having traced 115% of its EDTR. Gold by Market Values is +803 points above its smooth valuation line; and dominant Market Profile support for the yellow metal (basis April) is 5121. Of note the current 5312 price is -234 points (-4.2%) below our forecast high for this year of 5546. The Spoo is positioned such that the S&P 500 (were it to open at this instant) would trade above 7000 for the first time. And much ado shall be FinMedia-made about “The Dow” approaching the 50,000 milestone. Nothing is due today for the Econ Baro. And we look for no change in the FedFunds rate come the FOMC’s Policy Statement at 19:00 GMT.

27 January 2026 – 08:46 Central Euro Time

Silver’s late-in-the-session drop yesterday of -12% prompted us to query on “X” (@deMeadvillePro) as to if the high was in place. However this morning, Silver is back above its Neutral Zone for today as are Gold, Copper and the Spoo; Oil is below same, and BEGOS Markets’ volatility is moderate, save for Silver which already has traced 141% of its EDT (see Market Ranges). Silver’s high yesterday was 117.70 whereas present price is 112.44 (+8.3% on the session). For the S&P 500, earnings improvements have driven the P/E down to 47.3x — still a dangerously high ratio — but at least well off it having been above 64x in the prior week. Thus far in Q4 Earnings Season, 52 constituents have reported of which 38 (73%) have bettered their bottom lines from Q4 a year ago, which is an above average pace. For the Econ Baro today we’ve the January read of Consumer Confidence.

26 January 2026 – 08:41 Central Euro Time

Gold, having settled Friday at 4983, gapped higher to begin the week in opening at 5013 and since has traded to as high as 5108; Silver has reached 109.32. The Gold Update underscores the overvaluation fundamentally and technically for the precious metals, whilst nonetheless maintaining our Gold target for this year of 5546. Presently, the Bond, Euro, Swiss Franc, Gold and Silver all are above today’s Neutral Zones; within same are Copper, Oil and the Spoo; session volatility for the BEGOS Markets is moderate-to-robust. Going ’round the Market Values horn for the five primary BEGOS components in real-time: the Bond is -1^17 points below its smooth valuation line, the Euro -0.005 points below same, Gold +653 points above, Oil +2.83 points above, and the Spoo -71 points below valuation. In “shutdown” arrears for the Econ Baro we’ve November’s Durable Orders.

The Gold Update: No. 845 – (24 January 2026) – “Silver Taps 100 Whilst Gold Scrabbles for 5000”

The Gold Update by Mark Mead Baillie — 845th Edition — Monte-Carlo — 24 January 2026 (published each Saturday) — www.deMeadville.com

Silver Taps 100 Whilst Gold Scrabbles for 5000

Silver yesterday (Friday) at 15:10 GMT saw the current front month contract (March) achieve 100.00 for the very first time, en route to trading as high as 103.53 before settling the week at 103.26.  Hearty congratulations to Sweet Sister Silver!

Gold however was unable to keep pace in the day’s milestone race, reaching “only” up to another All-Time High at 4991, rather than (as yet) eclipsing 5000 in closing at 4983.

Thus, on marches the metals’ mania mayhem with Gold year-to-date up now a net +15% and Silver +46%.  (For you stock jocks, the S&P 500 thus far is +1%; have a great day).

Wonderful as ’tis in maintaining our 5546 forecast Gold high for 2026, we’ve this prudent cash management reminder from the “Metals Meltdown Dept.” … just in case you’re scoring at home:

  • Back at Gold’s 06 September 2011 record high of 1923, price by December four years hence had “corrected” -46%;

     

  • Back at Silver’s 25 April 2011 record high of 49.80, price by December four years hence had “corrected” -73%.

 “But mmb, you’ve already said that’s not gonna happen again, right?

No one “knows” with certainty Squire, however we very much doubt it.  To be sure, we’re in the third massive metals “spike” since 1980, (recall then by 1982 Gold having succumbed -66% and Silver -88%).  Means reversion does happen.

The big difference between (yes we have to reprise it) “Now and Then” –[BeaTles, ’23] is back then the precious metals couldn’t get a seat in the theatre, let alone a back stage pass; now Gold and Silver are on centerstage aglow in all the lights.  Too, as we described in last year’s final missive:  the perception of Gold has morphed from a yield-less, irrelevant relic to meme-like stock proportions, and seriously is becoming more widely recognized as a foundational mitigant to debt-driven Dollar debasement and geopolitical jitters, overvaluation be damned.  To wit per the above opening Gold Scoreboard:

Gold at present is +12.7% above its BEGOS Market Value (4421 by price’s movement relative to those of the five primary BEGOS Markets being the Bond, Euro, Gold, Oil and S&P 500) and further ’tis +27.6% above Fair Value (3905 by price’s 45-year regression to the debasing Dollar via “M2”, countered by the increase in the supply of Gold).

As for Silver, she is +83.4% above her Fair Value (56.30 given that for Gold divided by the evolving mean of the Gold/Silver ratio).  And such ratio now at 48.3x is a 14-year low as shown below by the day across the past 25 years:

Still, maybe this is the great revaluing of the metals, mmb…

Squire, as we’ve repeated ad nauseam through so many years, “the market is never wrong” … but it can be vastly misvalued as — again — good old means reversion shall ultimately will out.  Moreover, having calculated a proper Fair Value for Gold since 1980 — indeed by which Gold until very recently has been undervalued through four decades — ’tis a valuation foundation we shan’t abandon.

“But oh, there’s too much debt”, they say.  “But oh, geo-political tensions are running astray”, they say.  ‘Course, they‘ve been saying all this for years.  And hardly are we going to begin regressing the price of Gold to global debt levels and geo-political devils.  For at the end of the day, such harrowing macro issues lead to more currency debasement, which in turn shall redound back to increasing the Fair Value of Gold, and Silver too by her relationship thereto.

‘Course today, we’ve all the newly-minted Gold experts out there who also are extoling the industrial benefits of Silver, rightly pointing out that there’s not anywhere near enough physical supply of either precious metal to satisfy the paper/derivative claims on it all.

So, they’re just figuring that out now?  Have they looked as well at the S&P 500’s market capitalization of $61.4T supported by a liquid money supply of “just” $22.6TTalk about an inevitable monetary printing event!  Still, for Silver to truly be justified as this high, her industrial demand must vastly accelerate.  Not that it shan’t, but ’tis something of which to be aware.

All that said, as we wave the Gold flag for 5546 in 2026, we love having Sister Silver participate.  But should the precious metals en route take a bit of a bath — let alone a beating — bear in mind their respective Fair Value levels per each weekly missive’s opening Gold Scoreboard.

And speaking of scoring, let’s next pull up Gold’s weekly bars and parabolic trends from one year ago-to-date.  Last week’s gain of +8.3% ranks fourth best century-to-date, (the best weekly gain being +13.1% for that ending 19 September 2008 when the Black Swan’s wings fanned the flames of the FinCrisis).

Today at 4983, Gold is +746 points above the chart’s rightmost blue parabolic Long dot at 4237, the hoovering of which in the ensuing week would flip the trend from Long to Short.  Given Gold’s expected weekly trading range is now 206 points, such flip is well out of range.  And toward reaching the 5000 milestone as early as Monday, (barring a severe gap down at the open), a mere +17 points from here is no more than trading noise, (Gold’s expected daily trading range per the website now being 101 points):

Looking StateSide, the Economic Barometer continues to gain traction.  ‘Course, last week’s World Economic Forum featured President Trump, of whom we apolitically say, seemed to oversell the USA.  A point thereto is in regard to (paraphrased) “inflation has come way down”.  We’re not convinced.  Remember as a consequence of the government “shutdown” there were at one point nearly 50 metrics missing from the Econ Baro; and whilst not all shall ever be known, the inclusive missing count has since been reduced to just 15.

And specific to the month of December, we’ve now a full 12 months of inflation data via the Consumer Price Index; (the month’s PPI shan’t be released until next Friday).  But the CPI’s summation for the year is +2.9%, with December’s annualized pace alone at +3.6%.  The last monthly data available for the “Fed-favoured” Personal Consumption Expenditures reading was November’s annualized pace of +2.4% (both “headline” and “core”).  We’d thus opine that although inflation hasn’t really picked up, hardly has it come way down”.

In turn, “down” shan’t be the direction of the FedFunds rate per next Wednesday’s Policy Statement from the Federal Open Market Committee.  And as for the 14 metrics that did arrive for the Baro this past week, just four were worse period-over-period, albeit the majority of the reports were well in “shutdown” arrears.  Here it all is from a year ago-to-date:

Note therein the reference to the “live” price/earnings ratio of the S&P 500 now at 59.1x.  If you’ve forgotten the math, we’ve not forgotten it for you:

And yes, that p/e of 59.1x remains stratospherically excessive even as Q4 Earnings Season thus far has been very positive for the S&P:  of the 46 constituents having reported, 74% have bettered their bottom lines from Q4 a year ago.  But the overall high level of price — and thus practically no yield — inevitably is problematic given the yield in Treasuries remains more than triple that of S&P, and without risk of capital loss, (’tis assumed anyway…gulp…)  But we get it:  “Debt ain’t sexy.”  So, cue Fleetwood Mac from ’76:   “You can go your own way…” 

Looking at Gold’s way, ’tis obviously been “up, up and away!”  Below on the left we’ve price’s daily bars from three months ago-to-date along with the baby blue dots depicting the day-to-day consistency of the regression trend:  “Follow the Blues” indeed.  And below on the right is the yellow metal’s 10-day Market Profile with selected price labels for volume-dominance.  As for Gold’s “textbook technicals” (our cocktail of Relative Strength, Stochastics and John Bollinger’s Bands), price is nine consecutive trading days “overbought” irrespective of the separately-calculated overvaluations depicted in the opening Gold Scoreboard:

 

Sister Silver meanwhile owns the title of “Overbought” given her “textbook technicals” are now 49 consecutive trading days as such.  And below (at left), her daily bars and “Baby Blues” are practically upside perfection, as in her Market Profile (at right) she’s lookin’ great at 100!  “Brava Brava Sista Silva!”

Into the new week, ’tis time for Gold 5000, (again barring “The Sell”).  Gold has begun 2026 with a bang, indeed its best opening 15 trading days by percentage gain of any year so far this century, (which for you WestPalmBeachers down there is since 01 January 2001).  And certainly the same (understatement) can be said for Silver, her having thus far gone nuclear!  Regardless of what can be deemed as too far too quickly — especially with respect to overvaluation — we close with this graphic of the early year-to-date percentage tracks for each of Silver (+46%), Gold (+15%), Bitcoin (+1%), S&P 500 (+1%) and the Dollar Index (-1%):

‘Course with “only” 236 trading days remaining in 2026, what possibly could go wrong?  For Gold and Silver the trend is Long!

Cheers!

…m…

23 January 2026 – 08:45 Central Euro Time

Presently we’ve the Euro and Swiss Franc below their respective Neutral Zones for today, whilst above same are Gold, Silver and the Spoo; BEGOS Market’s volatility is again light-to-moderate. Milestones on tap: Gold 5000 (record high this morning 4970) and Silver 100 (record high this morning 99.40). The S&P 500’s “live” P/E (futs-adj’d) is 64.4x. Tomorrow’s 845th consecutive edition of The Gold Update (milestones made or not) shall nonetheless continue to celebrate the amazing run of the precious metals, albeit we’ll again caution valuation as having become quite upside extreme, (although certainly not as much as is the S&P). Too, we’ll make mention of December inflation as some metrics (CPI) in “shutdown” arrears have finally been reported. The Econ Baro concludes the week with the revised look at the UofM Sentiment Survey. And with some 10% of S&P constituents having thus far reported earnings for Q4, some 76% of those have bettered their bottom line of Q4 a year ago; but by the aforementioned P/E, the overall level of earnings remains tellingly weak relative to the price of the Index.

22 January 2026 – 08:34 Central Euro Time

Silver is the sole BEGOS Market at present outside (above) its Neutral Zone for today; session volatility has slowed a bit from recent days, thus far looking light-to-moderate. Looking at Market Rhythms for pure swing consistency, our Top Three through yesterday are — on a 10-test basis — Gold’s 12hr Parabolics, the Swiss Franc’s 4hr Price Oscillator, and Silver’s 4hr Parabolics; on a 24-test basis ’tis the Swiss Franc across the board by the 2hr Price Oscillator, 4hr Moneyflow and 4hr MACD. The P/E of the S&P 500 settled last evening at a whopping 63.7x; the yield is 1.156%; (the 3mo T-Bill annualized is 3.588%). The Econ Baro looks in “shutdown” arrears to Personal Income/Spending along with the attendant “Fed-favoured” PCE data; too, in arrears, shall be what is being termed a “revision” to Q3 GDP and its Chain Deflator.

21 January 2026 – 08:43 Central Euro Time

Gold records yet another All-Time High this morning at 4891 and is above its Neutral Zone for today as are both the Bond and Spoo; the Swiss Franc is below same, and session volatility for the BEGOS Markets is mostly moderate, Gold being the exception with a 142% tracing of its EDTR (see Market Ranges). Yesterday, both Gold and Silver, along with the Euro and Swiss Franc, moved and settled above their most volume-dominant Market Profile levels. Gold in real-time at 4845 is +446 points “high” above its smooth valuation like (see Market Values), of note, Silver at present is just mildly lower today at 94.45, whereas Gold is +1.7%. Scheduled for the Econ Baro are December’s Housing Starts/Permits, plus purportedly in “shutdown” arrears Construction Spending for both September and October.

20 January 2026 – 08:40 Central Euro Time

The BEGOS Markets’ two-day session continues with further record highs for both Gold (4727) and for Silver (94.75); both at present are above their Neutral Zones for this session, as too are Copper, the Euro and Swiss Franc; below same are the Bond and Spoo, and volatility (it being a double-day) is mostly robust, although Silver (despite its new high), Copper and Oil have traced no more than 70% of their EDTRs (see Market Ranges). Looking at Market Values (in real-time) for the five primary BEGOS components: the Bond is -2^15 points “low” vis-à-vis its smooth valuation line, the Euro -0.016 points “low”, Gold +342 points “high”, Oil +1.14 points “high” and the Spoo -76 points “low” having in this session crossed beneath its valuation line that portends still lower prices near-term. The Dollar Index — which had a firm start to the year — has given back more than that which was gained. Again, there is no Econ Data due until tomorrow. And mind our Earnings Season page as Q4 reporting picks up its pace this week.

19 January 2026 – 08:46 Central Euro Time

Given the StateSide holiday, ’tis a two-day session (for Tuesday settlement) for the BEGOS Markets. Therein at present we’ve both the Bond and Spoo below the session’s Neutral Zones, whilst above same are the Euro, Swiss Franc, Gold and Silver; volatility is moderate-to-robust, the two EuroCurrencies both having already exceeded 100% of today’s EDTR tracings (see Market Ranges). The Gold Update in maintaining our 5546 price forecast for this year nonetheless continues to cite the current overvaluation of Gold and Silver in this “Metals’ Mania Mayhem!”, noting that intra-week selling increased over that prior, even as prices further rose, and indeed are into higher record territory today (Gold thus far to 4698 and Silver to 94.37). The S&P 500 remains beyond any imaginable level of overvaluation, the futs-adj’d “live” P/E at this moment 59.2x. The reporting pace of Q4 earnings increases as the week unfolds. And nothing is scheduled for the Econ Baro until Wednesday.

The Gold Update: No. 844 – (17 January 2026) – “Metals’ Mania Mayhem!”

The Gold Update by Mark Mead Baillie — 844th Edition — Monte-Carlo — 17 January 2026 (published each Saturday) — www.deMeadville.com

Metals’ Mania Mayhem!

“Got volatility??”  Oh baby.  “Maxed-out metals??”  Oh maybe.  5546 still forecast??”  Ah oui-oui, (a little local lingo there).

But hardly shall Gold get to 5546 in a straight line.  For given today’s milieu of this metals’ mania mayhem, prices — both by valuation and technicals — look as having achieved a max … ’til ’tis onward to the next higher climax.

“So you’re saying now down, but then later back up to more highs, right mmb?”

Squire, ‘twould appear to be the case.  In any market mania, be it over those silly “meme” stocks (or even over Gold and Silver as you’ll recall from “Gold Morphs into a Meme Stock” when penned away back on 26 April of last year), mayhem axiomatically reverts to valuation, in turn toward unwinding the excess of technicals.

First let’s look at valuation.  In drawing from the above Scoreboard, Gold’s settling yesterday (Friday) at 4601 is an All-Time Weekly Closing High; (the record intraday high came this past Wednesday at 4651). And as shown, 4601 is +5.4% above our BEGOS Market Value for Gold (4366 per price’s movement relative to those of the primary BEGOS components Bond / Euro / Gold / Oil / S&P 500).  Further, ’tis +17.9% above Fair Value (price regressed to the U.S. Dollar across the past 46 years, throughout adjusted for the increase in Gold tonnage).  And how about Sister Silver:  now 89.95, she is a full +60.0% above her Fair Value (56.23).  So yes, Virginia, as magnificent and enjoyable as has been the metals’ moves, priced to the present, they are ahead of themselves, (again, in no way precluding higher levels still, as the year and our 5546 forecast for Gold unfold).

Second let’s look at technicals.  Those of you focused on this latest metals’ mania have now likely also sensed the escalating mayhem therein.  The selling is becoming more frequent.  The standard trading week for the metals’ futures contains 20 six-hour periods.  For the week prior (ending 09 January), 13 six-hour periods were up and thus 7 were down.  But for this past week — even as Gold recorded a net +1.8% gain — 10 six-hour periods were up and 10 were down.  And intraday Friday, the price of Gold capitulated -75 points from 4622 to 4547 in a mere 17-minutes (15:18 GMT through 15:34 GMT).  Blame it on the geo-polly follies?  “Iran is ON! … no wait … Iran is OFF! … but hang on … yes, it’s Greenland!”  Or to quote the late-beloved actor Jean-Paul Belmondo from Casino Royale –[Columbia, ’67]:  “Zee French have arrived!”

Arriving next we’ve this three-panel chart of such six-hour technicals for each of Gold, Silver and Copper.  The time frame is from the start of December-to-date.  This most recent week is from the x-axis label “01/12” (January 12th).  In all three cases:

  • Price peaked and has since weakened;
  • The blue parabolic dots have moved from below price to above it (a sell signal);
  • And the MACD (“moving average convergence divergence”) has negatively crossed:

‘Course, technical analysis can struggle to pan out in the midst of mania.  But hardly for all three metals would some further price pullbacks be untoward  Either way, you regular readers well-know a pet caveat of ours that “Shorting Gold is a bad idea”.  To be sure, the media are running rife with geo-political strife.  But at the end of the day, as we’ve herein documented in recent years, geo-political price spikes in Gold are generally short-(no pun intended)-lived.  For as ever, the broad valuation of Gold is by Dollar debasement, mitigated to an extent by an ever-increasing supply of the yellow metal.  Gold’s otherwise wild price gesticulations eventually return from whence they came.  (Or for you WestPalmBeachers down there, a word to the wise is sufficient).

“That’s an oxymoron for that bunch, mmb…”

Now let’s be nice, dear Squire.  ‘Tis critical that we respect those who “take the other side of the trade”.

And as we go to Gold’s weekly bars from a year ago-to-date, the trend of the trade has basically been “Nuthin’ but UP!”  But should the tide now ebb for a bit, ’tis good to know where the current blue-dotted parabolic trend would flip, which as noted for the ensuing week is 4154:  ’tis -447 points below the present 4601 level.  Gold’s expected weekly trading range?  189 points.  Therefore in that vacuum, one can speculate a down week for Gold shan’t flip said trend.  Or perhaps we’re higher still by next week’s end:

 

Nevertheless, we’ve mentioned “negativity” … near-term anyway … for the metals both by valuation and technicals.  Now let’s turn to a possibly negative fundamental notion for Gold.  We’re but a week-and-a-half away from the first Policy Statement of the year from the Federal Open Market Committee.  And despite an apparent slowing in inflation — “Fed-favoured” Personal Consumption Expenditures data due next week — and still tepid job creation, venerable Reuters nonetheless reports via the CME FedWatch tool that “Traders are betting on a 97.2 per cent chance for the Fed to keep rates unchanged at its Jan. 27 to 28 meeting”.  And given the recent strength that’s been pouring into our Economic Barometer, we concur.  Have a look, (even as 27 StateSide government “shutdown” metrics remain missing):

Year-to-date, 37 data items (including some in “shutdown” arrears) have come into the Baro, of which only 12 were worse period-over-period.  Hence the rise by this economic guise.  Recall the ’90s gridlock-is-good “Goldilocks Economy” of President Clinton(D) astride that Congress(R)?  Today’s politics aside, are we witnessing the return of Ms. Locks?  Again, inflation has been reported as slowing, but jobs numbers need to come up a bit.  Still, so far in 2026, the Econ Baro’s standout improved reports (much from Q4 2025 data) chronologically include Productivity, the Trade Deficit, the Unemployment Rate, Building Permits, the Current Account, Existing Home Sales, Initial Jobless Claims, both the Philly Fed and N.Y. Empire State Indices, and Capacity Utilization.  Too, from the “Whew! Dept.”, the potential end-of-January “shutdown” shan’t come to pass … just in case you’re scoring at home.

Regardless, a less-benevolent Fed can retard Gold from getting further ahead.

However, herein we move instead to our two-panel display of daily bars from three months ago-to-date for Gold on the left and for Silver on the right.  As noted in our prior two missives, the yellow metal’s baby blue dots of regression trend consistency already had been breaking down, even as price duly recovered to the latest 4651 record high.  But the “Baby Blues” for the white metal have been holding firm.  Still, should price decays further ensue, ’twill hit both sets of Blues, too:

As well in a two-panel shell are the 10-day Market Profiles for Gold (at left) and for Silver (at right).  Because for both metals the respective trading ranges have been so vast these past two weeks, we’ve limited the number of labeled volume-dominant prices.  And for the present, Gold and Silver are deeply mired in high-volume zones:

With all that in your metals’ pack, here’s the stack:

The Gold Stack (continuous contract pricing):
Gold’s All-Time 
Intra-Day High:  4651 (14 January 2026)
2026’s High:  4651 (14 January 2026)
10-Session directional range:  up to 4651 (from 4356) = +295 points or +6.8%
Gold’s All-Time Closing High:  4634 (14 January 2026)
Trading Resistance
:  4603 / 4621 / 4643
Gold Currently:  4601, (expected daily trading range [“EDTR”]:  86 points)
10-Session “volume-weighted” average price magnet:  4548
Trading Support:  4496 / 4471 / 4459
2026’s Low:  4319 (02 January)
The Weekly Parabolic Price to flip Short:  4154
Gold’s Fair Value per Dollar Debasement, (from our opening “Scoreboard”):  3901
The 300-Day Moving Average:  3401 and rising
The 2000’s Triple-Top:  2089 (07 Aug ’20); 2079 (08 Mar’22); 2085 (04 May ’23)
The Gateway to 2000:  1900+
The Final Frontier:  1800-1900
The Northern Front:  1800-1750
On Maneuvers:  1750-1579
The Floor:  1579-1466
Le Sous-sol:  Sub-1466
The Support Shelf:  1454-1434
Base Camp:  1377
The 1360s Double-Top:  1369 in Apr ’18 preceded by 1362 in Sep ’17
Neverland:  The Whiny 1290s
The Box:  1280-1240

To wrap, in the midst of this metals’ mania mayhem, we ought not be put off by some degree of price retrenchment, especially with 5546 for our forecast high as the year goes by.

“And here’s a surprise, mmb!  Copper’s sister Coppélia just sent us this!

Now Squire, do behave out there.  And indeed, folks, stay with your Gold and Silver!

Cheers!

…m…

16 January 2026 – 08:45 Central Euro Time

Both Silver and Copper are below their respective Neutral Zones for today, whilst above same is the Spoo, (“live” fut’s-adj’d S&P 500 P/E now 60.7x); BEGOS Markets’ session volatility ranges from light (Bond and Euro EDTR tracings of 26%) to robust (Copper’s 102%); EDTRs are updated daily on the Market Range page. Gold has dipped below its most volume-dominant Market Profiles support of 4621, price currently 4612; however the precious metals remain extremely high vis-à-via their Fair Value as we’ll depict in tomorrow’s 844th consecutive Saturday edition of The Gold Update; obviously too, given lack of earnings support, the S&P remains overvalued by a massive margin; the riskless 3mo T-Bill yield (3.565%) is 3.1x that of the S&P’s dividend yield (1.131%). The Econ Baro wraps its busy week of 20 incoming metrics with January’s NAHB Housing Index and December’s IndProd/CapUtil.

15 January 2026 – 08:43 Central Euro Time

The “live” P/E of the S&P 500 settled yesterday at 60.2x. Meanwhile, we’ve presently the EuroCurrencies, Metals Triumvirate and Oil all below today’s Neutral Zones; within same are the Bond and Spoo, and session volatility for the BEGOS Markets is moderate-to-robust, with both Silver and Copper already having traced in excess of 100% of their respective EDTRs for today (see Market Ranges). All-time high metals’ readings recorded yesterday were: Gold 4651, Silver 93.56, and Copper 6.154. Through the first nine trading days of 2026, the Dollar Index has recorded a net daily gain six times. Our S&P leading MoneyFlow continues to thin with a bit of a negative bent, (see S&P 500: MoneyFlow). And the Econ Baro awaits January’s Philly Fed and NY State Empire Indices, plus in “shutdown arrears”, November’s Ex/Im Prices.

14 January 2026 – 08:38 Central Euro Time

Record highs continue for Gold, Silver (91.37!), Copper and the Spoo/S&P 500. Per last evening’s post on “X” (@deMeadvillePro) the S&P settled yesterday with a “live” P/E of 59.9x. This morning, all three elements of the Metals Triumvirate are at present above today’s Neutral Zones; the rest of the BEGOS Markets are within same, and session volatility is pushing toward moderate. Gold (4643) is in real-time +312 points above its smooth valuation line (see Market Values); Market Profile support is 4621, followed by 4603; (the most volume-dominant support is still 4459); and by its Market Trend, Gold’s “Baby Blues” of linreg trend consistency have ceased their recent fall. The Econ Baro looks to in “shutdown” arrears November’s Retail Sales, PPI, and purportedly October’s Business Inventories, plus Q3’s Current Account. And late in the session comes the Fed’s “Tan Tome”.

13 January 2026 – 08:46 Central Euro Time

On the heels of record highs yesterday for Gold, Silver and the S&P 500, we’ve at present both the Bond and Gold below today’s Neutral Zones; the balance of the BEGOS Markets are within same, and session volatility is light-to-moderate, except for the non-BEGOS Yen which has traced 118% of its EDTR (see Market Ranges for those of the BEGOS Markets). By Market Trends, all are linreg positive, save for the two EuroCurrencies. Looking at Market Profiles, volume-dominant supports are as follows: Bond 115^16, Gold 4459, Silver 75.90, Copper 5.8650, Oil 58.00, and the Spoo 6953; volume-dominant resistance for the Euro is 1.172 and for the Swiss Franc 1.271. Oil’s cac volume is rolling from February into that for March. And for the Econ Baro we’ve December’s CPI and Treasury Budget, plus purportedly in “shutdown” arrears, September’s New Home Sales.

12 January 2026 – 08:39 Central Euro Time

The BEGOS Markets finally appear to be waking up to the new year. The Gold Update cites sovereign invasions, currency concerns, and now we read of Chairman Powell facing an investigative issue. At present, both the Bond and Spoo are below today’s Neutral Zones, whilst the two EuroCurrencies and Metals Triumvirate are above same; only Oil at the moment is inside its Neutral Zone; session volatility is mostly robust. Too, The Gold Update points to the yellow metal’s year-to-date growth pace as sufficiently steep such that our forecast high for this year — 5546 — could be reached as swiftly as by February’s end, albeit this highly is unlikely as markets do not move in a straight line. ‘Tis a very busy week for the Econ Baro, although nothing for today is scheduled. And Q4 Earnings — which has had quite a weak start with just 43% of 23 reporting companies having beaten their Q4s of a year ago — looks later in the week to the major financial entities.

The Gold Update: No. 843 – (10 January 2026) – “Six Days into ’26, Gold and Silver Net Upticks”

The Gold Update by Mark Mead Baillie — 843rd Edition — Monte-Carlo — 10 January 2026 (published each Saturday) — www.deMeadville.com

Six Days into ’26, Gold and Silver Net Upticks

Six trading days into 2026 find Gold having already netted a year-to-date gain of +4.3% and Silver +12.4%.  Or … just in case you’re scoring at home … to go deeper inside the data for the 138 hours so far traded, 81(59%) have been up for Gold and 75 (54%) have been up for Silver.

Moreover, from the “‘Tis Too Early to Extrapolate Dept.”, Gold at its current year-to-date regressed growth pace would achieve our 5546 forecast high for 2026 come 27 February.  Too early, indeed, perhaps too much detail.  Yet it punctuates just how positive are the precious metals’ internals thus far into the young year.

“And like you say, mmb, markets don’t move in a straight line…”

‘Tis axiomatic, Squire, given markets’ means reversion is natural phenomenon “do-doo-de-do-doo” –[Henson, ’69].  For as we’ve herein quipped over the years:  “The markets are never wrong; but they can be vastly misvalued.”

And thereto, overvaluation is the present state of both the precious metals — and far more so — that of the S&P 500.  As depicted in our above newly-enhanced Gold Scoreboard, whereas Gold settled this past week yesterday (Friday) at 4518, ’tis +5.5% above its BEGOS Market Value* of 4282, and further, +15.9% above Fair Value of 3898.  Too, Silver’s settle at 79.79 is +42.0% above her Fair Value of 56.17.  So clearly there will be price retrenchment for both the yellow and white metals as the year unfolds, albeit within the broader context of Gold getting to 5546.

(*Valuing Gold by its price movement relative to those of the five primary BEGOS Markets:  Bond, Euro, Gold, Oil, S&P 500).

As to the S&P 500, today’s market capitalization of $61.8T is 2.7x the supportive StateSide liquid money supply (“M2”) of $22.6T.  And as we wrote in last Thursday morning’s Prescient Commentary, the S&P:  “…settled [Wednesday] with a “live” P/E of 57.2x, more than double from its inception 13 years ago [meaning] earnings have since grown at less than half the rate of the S&P itself…”  Then yesterday, the S&P recorded yet another record high (6978), boosting such price/earnings ratio to now 58.5x per the Scoreboard .

Again we reprise Jerome B. Cohen:  “…in bull markets the average [P/E] level would be about 15 to 18 times earnings…”  What that means for you WestPalmBeachers down there is by buying the S&P as a whole unit today, you’d pay $58.50 for something that earns $1.00 (an implied yield of 1.709%, the actual dividend yield by the Scoreboard being 1.134%), all whilst facing a “means reversion” capital risk of worse than -50% upon it all going wrong.

‘Course for Gold, ’tis all going well, (and by present valuation too well, but hardly shall we complain).  For the 52 weekly settles from one year ago-to-date, Gold is trending higher at a rate of +1.1% per week.  At such pace, price a year from now would be dubiously 7843.  Comparably, by century-to-date, there’s been but one other mutually-exclusive similar pace:  from mid-May 2005 to mid-May 2006, (price recording a +69% run from 421 to 712).  History — as is its wont — has thus repeated as we go to Gold’s weekly bars since this a date year ago, the blue-dotted parabolic Long trend now five weeks in duration:

To be sure, given our forecast for 5546 this year, we’re anticipating such higher Gold even as the noted “overvalued” speedbumps certainly shall retard present pace.  Of more import, Gold is getting the broad-based bid of which it has been so deserving throughout this century.  But as charter reader JGS of the very first edition of The Gold Update said away back in 2009:  “There’s always the overshoot.”  Yet even as we’re now seeing that, it legitimizes a growing “awareness” (yucky word as ’tis) over ever-potential currency instability — even as the Dollar is getting a notable bid in starting the year — and certainly so, proliferating geo-political instability.  ‘Tis a world on the edge in so many respects, be it asset overvaluations and/or sovereign nation invasions.

Further evidence of the precious metals being in play is measured by their respective “expected daily trading range” (“EDTR”).  From the website, here are the current EDTRs for Gold on the left, Silver at center, and the S&P 500 “Spoo” futures on the right.  The time frame is from one year ago through yesterday.  (For our rookie readers, this is not price direction; rather ’tis how much range by points we expect each market to cover for the following trading day).  And quite obviously, the precious metals are characterized by volatility well-exceeding that for the stock market:  Gold’s current EDTR of 91 points equates to $9,100/contract of range expected (in this case) for Monday; Silver’s EDTR of 5.33 points equates to $26,650/contract of range expected, but the S&P 500 futures EDTR of 56 points equates to “only” $2,800/contract of range expected.  Query“What are YOU trading?”

Peeking a bit further into the S&P, despite it having recorded an all-time high yesterday, the mighty Index appears rather lackluster into this new year.  Through the first six trading days for each of the 26 trading years century-to-date, this year’s low-to-high S&P range of 2.3% ranks a wee 20th.  ‘Course, there hasn’t been that much fundamentally upon which to trade (the exception being the recklessly high P/E).  Also, Q4 Earnings Season has only just started, wherein for the 23 companies thus far having reported, 78% beat estimates — but only 43% actually bettered their bottom line of Q4 a year ago; (‘course in this Investing Age of Stoopid, “earnings growth” has no relevance whatsoever).

Too, there’s been little economic data provided thus far in 2026:  just nine metrics have been reported, of which four were in arrears from the StateSide “shutdown”.  The metric getting the most FinMedia notice is December’s Unemployment Rate, having dropped a pip from 4.5% in November to 4.4%, (even as an already anemic Payrolls growth slowed from November, itself revised lower; and the December estimate was missed).  Here’s the Economic Barometer, featuring the record high S&P, and from the website, everybody’s favourite P/Es.  Stoopid indeed:

Returning to the intelligent side of investing, here next we’ve our two-panel graphic of Gold’s daily bars from three months ago-to-date at left and 10-day Market Profile at right.  The yellow metal’s baby blue dots of trend consistency continue to trickle lower; and by the Profile, Gold’s most volume-dominant support price shows as 4459:

The like drill for Sister Silver still finds her “Baby Blues” above the key +80% axis, her on-balance December rise having been more uniform than that for Gold.  And by the white metal’s Profile, the 75s appear as the most supportive area at present:

Supportive indeed for the precious metals are the aforementioned concerns over the world becoming a bit more wobbly.  Regardless, anticipated trimming of recently netted gains “ought” not be too much of a concern.  As to technically monitoring it all, we’ve this from our Market Rhythms’ analyses, with the corollary that ’tis — whilst current — measured via hindsight per each study’s last ten swing signals, (even as “shorting Gold is a bad idea”):

  • Gold:  for pure swing consistency, its best study of late has been the Parabolics on the 12hr time frame, else if targeting a profit per swing, the daily MACD;

  • Silver:  for pure swing consistency, her best study of late has been the Parabolics on the 30mn time frame, else if targeting a profit per swing, the 2hr MACD.

And, as always, remember:  just because a technical study has profitably panned-out ten times in-a-row, ever-shifting market dynamics can bring such streak to an abrupt halt time and again.

“Yer sure givin’ it all away today, mmb…” 

Just our way of humbly sharing with our valued readers what we’re seeing, Squire.  Here’s to Gold and Silver!

Cheers!

…m…

09 January 2026 – 08:36 Central Euro Time

Toward rounding out the first full trading week of 2026 , we’ve at present the Euro, Swiss Franc and Spoo below their respective Neutral Zones for today, whilst Copper is above same; BEGOS Markets’ volatility is moving toward moderate. Save for the Metals Triumvirate, EDTRs (see Market Ranges) are near or even below where they were at this time a year ago. The 30mn MACD for both Oil and the Spoo has been their best Market Rhythm on pure swing basis. By their Market Profiles, Oil finds volume-dominant support at 58.00 and the Spoo at 6953. At Market Trends, the Euro’s linreg (in real-time) has rotated from positive to negative, the Dollar Index continuing to get the currency bid thus far into the new year. The Econ Baro looks to January’s UofM Sentiment Survey, December’s Payrolls data, and in “shutdown” arrears, Housing Starts/Permits for perhaps both September and October. And tomorrow brings the 843rd consecutive Saturday edition of The Gold Update.

08 January 2026 – 08:36 Central Euro Time

The Spoo as a “continuous contract” topped 7000 yesterday for the first time; intraday, the S&P 500 made an all-time high (6966) and settled with a “live” P/E of 57.2x, more than double from its inception 13 years ago: that means earnings have since grown at less than half the rate of the S&P itself. At present, we’ve Gold, Silver and the Spoo all below their respective Neutral Zones for today; the balance of the BEGOS Markets are within same, and session volatility is mostly moderate. The Euro yesterday settled below its smooth valuation line (see Market Values) for the first time since 25 November, a portent of still lower prices near-term; at Market Trends, the Euro’s “Baby Blues” of trend consistency are accelerating lower as, too, are those for the Swiss Franc, and to an extent for Gold. The Econ Baro looks to some catch-up metrics today from the “shutdown”: included are November’s Consumer Credit, October’s Trade Deficit and Wholesale Inventories, and Q3’s initial read of Productivity and Unit Labor Costs.

07 January 2026 – 08:41 Central Euro Time

The Bond is at present above its Neutral Zone for today, whilst below same are Oil and all three elements of the Metals Triumvirate; session volatility for the BEGOS Markets is mostly moderate, save for the Spoo which thus far has traced just a wee 18% of its EDTR (see Market Ranges). Oil is now the only BEGOS component in negative linreg, albeit as noted yesterday, the “Baby Blues” of trend consistency continue to ascend, even as price is lower today; broadly, Oil’s best Market Rhythm — in hindsight with a profit target of 2.70 points per swing — has been its daily EMA, having reached that target the last 10 of 10 times; (too as noted yesterday, Oil’s best Market Rhythm on a pure swing basis has been the 4hr Moneyflow). Scheduled today for the Econ Baro are December’s ADP Employment data and ISM(Svc) Index, along with (purportedly for November) Factory Orders and Business Inventories.

06 January 2026 – 08:41 Central Euro Time

At present, we’ve the Bond below its Neutral Zone for today, whilst above same are both Silver and Copper; BEGOS Markets’ volatility is moderate across-the-board. Oil yesterday settled above (and currently is on) Market Profile support at 58.00: on a pure swing basis, Oil’s best Market Rhythm has been the 4hr Moneyflow; and by its Market Trend, although Oil’s linreg remains negatively sloped, but its “Baby Blues” of trend consistency are rising for the sixth-consecutive session. The Spoo at 6955 is -39 points below is continuous contract all-time high of 6994 (26 December ‘2025): the futs-adj’d “live” P/E of the S&P 500 is 55.7x and the yield 1.138% vs. the “risk-free” 3mo T-Bill annualized yield of 3.515%. Nothing is scheduled for the Econ Baro today; and as noted, Q4 Earnings Season is underway.

05 January 2026 – 08:43 Central Euro Time

Not surprisingly, the precious metals are getting a geo-political boost, both Gold and Silver, as well as Copper, at present above today’s Neutral Zones; below same are the EuroCurrencies and Oil, whilst quietly within are the Bond and Spoo; session volatility for the BEGOS Markets spans from light for the Spoo to robust for Copper. The Gold Update has selected 5546 as the yellow metal’s forecast high for this year, even as price is currently overvalued both by its Fair and BEGOS Market Values. Going ’round the Market Values horn in real-time for the five primary BEGOS components: the Bond is -2^03 points “low” vis-à-vis its smooth valuation line, the Euro is essentially in sync with same, Gold is +200 points “high”, Oil -2.35 points “low” and the Spoo +60 points “high”. The Econ Baro looks to December’s ISM(Mfg) Index. And Q4 Earnings Season gets underway.

The Gold Update: No. 842 – (03 January 2026) – “We Forecast Gold’s High for ’26 at 5546”

The Gold Update by Mark Mead Baillie — 842nd Edition — Monte-Carlo — 03 January 2026 (published each Saturday) — www.deMeadville.com

We Forecast Gold’s High for ’26 at 5546

5546 is our forecast Gold high for 2026.  When we set upon such annual analysis for this year, we admittedly felt a bit snarky in perhaps selecting the year’s high as “the opening tick”, which yesterday (Friday) was 4340.  After all, Gold is — at present — overvalued.  But it did trade well up early in the session to as high as 4415 before giving back most of that gain in settling the first trading day of 2026 at 4342.

Regardless, per the above newly-enhanced Gold Scoreboard, we peg price as overvalued both by Fair Value (+11.5%) and BEGOS Market Value (+2.9%).  In such respect, the notion of Gold thus opening on what would turn out to be its high for the entire year did have a modicum of plausibility.

However:  plausibility is hardly reality.  Gold is in play … Big Time!  As you regular readers well-know, 2025 was the year of the newly-minted Gold expert.  Much of that upon which we’ve expounded these past 16 years was suddenly discovered by the many perceptive pawns proliferating this ongoing Investing Age of Stoopid.  To wit, Gold’s COMEX contract volume in 2025 exceeded 50 million, the largest since 2020’s onset of COVID that put Gold into panic mode.

Moreover, despite Gold’s overvaluation by both Fair Value and BEGOS, price’s trend has not only been up, but on balance soaring.  In settling 2025 at 4332, Gold’s 2625-4584 low-to-high range for the year was a percentage span of +74.7%, far and away the broadest of the 25 years century-to-date; (second-most was 2009’s +53.2% run from 802-1228).

“So mmb, if it’s overvalued, why is your 5546 forecast so much higher than here?”

Squire, the herd push into Gold — and into Silver as well — is sufficiently substantial that ’tis not going to suddenly stop.  Further, we have to think 2026 shall see significant issues to work in Gold’s favour, albeit as a valued re-publisher of The Gold Update recently wrote to us (hat-tip GoldSeek.com):  “What a year!  If we have another similar year then we have serious problems taking place…”

For example, geo-political issues abound, (consequential Gold price spikes short-lived as they may be).  But hardly seeing resolve are RUS/UKR, ISR/PSE and the portending state of PRC/TWN.

“Also now this morning USA/VEN and there’s also USA/IRN, huh, mmb?”

To coin a radio phrase, Squire, “The hits just keep on comin’!” and these all are sensitive situations which can swiftly induce higher Gold.

Remember, too, the recent StateSide government “shutdown”?  Gold therein did quite well:  having settled at 3888 the day before the “shutdown” commenced on 01 October, price three weeks hence on 20 October had gained +13.1% to a fresh record high at 4398.  And now there’s “talk” of another “shutdown” beginning 31 January.  How many more missing metrics for the Economic Barometer would that elicit?  Such total actually ticked up yesterday from 36 to 37 upon The U.S. Census Bureau’s not issuing Construction Spending for a third consecutive month.  To reprise the late, great football coach Vince Lombardi:  “What da hell’s goin’ on out ‘dere?”

‘Course, a currency debasing event axiomatically would pump Gold higher still as Fair Value would accelerate.  The U.S. estimated federal spend in 2025 was $7.01T on generated income of $5.23T.  Indeed, the federal government’s average two-week spend is essentially the same as a full year’s increase in Gold tonnage, marked-to-market.

As well, our upgraded Scoreboard shows the market capitalization of the S&P 500 as 2.7x greater than the liquid money supply to support it.  That wouldn’t end well:  “Jeepers, Mabel, the broker gave us more IOUs for our stock sales!” … “Just relax, Beano, the Fed said it’ll make us whole.”

As well toward Gold 5546, there’s much ado about making the 5000 milestone.  So as overvalued as the yellow metal presently is, let’s repeat that which we herein wrote a week ago toward still higher Gold:  “…far be it from us to stand in the way of the ‘bigger fish to fry’ global financial stability concerns…”

“And how did you come up with 5546, mmb?”

‘Twas fairly straight-forward, Squire.  We merely calculated Gold’s “expected yearly trading range” (on a percentage basis) and — assuming this year that price trades higher than it falls — out popped 5546.  Relative to last year, (as noted Gold’s low-to-high range having spanned +74.7%), the math actually suggests less than half that range in 2026, the potential low coming in at 4136, (just in case you’re scoring at home), although a return sub-4000 wouldn’t surprise us a wit.

Now as this is effectively our month/quarter/year-end edition of The Gold Update, ’tis time to present the attendant graphics starting with the final BEGOS Markets’ Standings 2025, starring as sterling as ever, Sweet Sister Silver.  Her having reached as high as 82.67 was nearly triple her 2024 settle away back at 29.29, en route to closing 2025 at 70.98:

Next to our two year-over-year views, beginning with Gold’s weekly bars and parabolic trends.  Obviously we cannot rule out the inevitable flip of the blue-dotted Long trend to Short.  But for the present, the “flip-to-Short” level is 4080, i.e. below the year’s potential low we just mused of 4136.  That noted, barring a swift Gold plunge, we’re about two weeks away from the blue dots accelerating up beyond 4136:

And in the second such view we present the most noble precious metals equities.  The expression “Live by the leverage, die by the leverage” is exemplary in this case.  For even as Gold itself year-over-year is now +65%, we’ve Franco-Nevada (FNV) +78%, Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) +119%, the VanEck Vectors Gold Miners exchange-traded fund (GDX) +154%, Pan American Silver (PAAS) +156%, the Global X Silver Miners exchange-traded fund (SIL) +163%, and Newmont (NEM) +174%.  “Wow!” and “Beyond Wow!”

Maintaining end-of-month tradition, next we’ve Gold’s Structure; however, we’ve reduced the overall time scale from starting in 2010 to instead starting from 2020.  All those sedimentary-level names have been removed, although the  horizontal lines are still there for reference.  But barring the yellow metal breaking below “The Infamous Triple Top” in price’s initial attempts to stay above 2000, we don’t anticipate Gold returning so low.  Even last year, the only month in which a candle closed below its open was June.  So ’tis fair to say — despite our forecast 5546 — ‘twould be prudent to anticipate a bit of red en route:

Zooming back in near-term, here are the precious metals’ 10-day Market Profiles for Gold on the left and for Silver on the right.  Note that the yellow metal in opening the year has slid below its most volume-dominant support (now resistance) as labeled at 4363.  As for the white metal, she’s begun the year in flirting either side of her dominant 71.95 level:

Now to the last 21 trading days (one month) for all eight BEGOS Markets, featuring the baby blue dots of regression trend consistency.  Save for the Bond and Oil downtrends, the other six components are positively slanted, albeit the “Baby Blues” for the Euro, Swiss Franc and Gold are all dropping from having been above their key +80% levels, suggestive of lower prices (which already we’ve been seeing); those for Silver and Copper, too, may begin to break down as the ensuing week unfolds:

All of which brings us to the Econ Baro.  Just a wee three metrics made it into the Baro this past week … but their respective results were large:  the Chicago Purchasing Managers’ Index leapt from 36.6 in November to 43.5 for December; November’s Pending Home Sales improved from a +2.4% gain in October to +3.3%; and Initial Jobless Claims (admittedly for Christmas week) dropped from 215k to 199k.  Thus, the Baro remains positively pointed even as rate cuts are expected to be anointed:

However, that raises the question of a barrier to Gold 5546: for if the Fed were not to cut… on verra…

In summary, yes Gold is — for the present– overvalued (and certainly so is Silver … again see the opening Scoreboard).  But hardly would we sell here.  More prudently, should Gold as the months unfold break below Fair Value (currently 3895), ’tis an opportunity to buy “mohrrrr….”

Either way, we’ll wrap it here with this observation:  if Gold is overvalued, then the S&P 500 is massively so.  Per our final 2025 Prescient Commentary from last Wednesday morning, we wrote:  “The S&P 500 — which a year ago closed with its ‘live’ P/E at 46.1x — now finds it at 55.1x.”   As depicted earlier in the BEGOS Markets’ Standings, the S&P sported a +16.4% gain for 2025; in turn, its Price/Earnings ratio increased (finishing the year at 54.6x) by +18.4%.  For you WestPalmBeachers down there, that means relative to share prices, earnings growth for the Index as a whole wasn’t there!  “Whoopsie…” 

“GOT GOLD???”

…m…

02 January 2026 – 08:41 Central Euro Time

Whereas the final trading day of 2025 saw all eight BEGOS Markets record a down day, this start to 2026 finds five of the eight to the upside: the Metals Triumvirate, Oil and Spoo all at present are above today’s Neutral Zones; below same are the Bond and Swiss Franc, (only the Euro is currently within its Neutral Zone); session volatility is moderate across the board. Tomorrow’s 842nd consecutive Saturday edition of The Gold Update — with its newly enhanced Scoreboard — shall also of course feature the final 2025 Standings of the BEGOS components, as well as our annual forecasted price for Gold’s high. As for “the now”, by Market Trends, Gold’s “Baby Blues” of linreg consistency continue to drop, as do those for the EuroCurrencies, and to a degree, for the Spoo, too. The Econ Baro awaits Construction Spending: because of the recent StateSide “shutdown”, there is source conflict as this being the report for October or November. On verra… Let the year commence.

31 December 2025 – 08:46 Central Euro Time

The final trading day of 2025 is a full session for the BEGOS Markets. At present, we’ve the Euro, Swiss Franc, Silver, Copper and Spoo all below their respective Neutral Zones for the session; the other BEGOS components (Bond, Gold and Oil) are within same, and volatility is mostly moderate-to-robust, the precious metals again to this hour already having traded in excess of 100% of their EDTRs (see Market Ranges); the EDTR for Gold is 90 points and for Silver ’tis 4.30 points; for pure swing trading, Gold’s best Market Rhythm is its 12hr Parabolics, whereas for Silver ’tis her 30mn Parabolics. As anticipated, Gold’s “Baby Blues” of linreg consistency (see Market Trends) have confirmed falling beneath the key +80% axis: structural support spans the 4200s, (which today already have been tapped per the session low thus far at 4283). The S&P 500 — which a year ago closed with its “live” P/E at 46.1x — now finds it at 55.1x. The Econ Baro (its 36 missing “shutdown” metrics notwithstanding) concludes the year with last week’s Initial Jobless Claims. Back Friday for the full session. A Safe and Happy New Year to All!

30 December 2025 – 08:36 Central Euro Time

Yesterday’s substantive selling in the precious metals found Gold’s intraday high-to-low drop of -5.8% ranking 19th-worst century-to-date, whilst that for Silver of -15.1% ranked 6th-worst. At present, both metals above above their Neutral Zones for today, as too are both Copper and Oil; the balance of the BEGOS Markets are within same, and session volatility is light-to-moderate, save for the two precious metals already having traced in excess of 100% of their EDTRs (see Market Ranges). Gold’s “Baby Blues” of linreg consistency (see Market Trends) have dropped (in real-time) below the key +80% axis, confirmation of which likely leads to lower prices near-term. Yesterday’s -0.3% fall in the S&P 500 was internally weaker, the MoneyFlow regressed into S&P points having been -0.7%. The Econ Baro looks to December’s Chi PMI. And the FOMC’s 09-10 December meeting Minutes shall be released late in the session.

29 December 2025 – 08:39 Central Euro Time

On the heels of the current edition of the Gold Update entitled “Yes, Gold REALLY Is Getting Ahead of Itself”, the precious metals are taking a bit of a pounding this morning: with all three elements of the Metals Triumvirate presently below today’s Neutral Zones, Silver — which began the session north of 80 in trading to a record high of 82.67, is now 75.52 , -5.2% having traded 266% of its EDTR (see Market Ranges), and Gold is 4491 with a 165% EDTR tracing. The Bond is at present above its Neutral Zone, and session volatility for the BEGOS Markets is mostly robust as skewed by the metals; notably quiet is the Spoo with just a 27% EDTR tracing. By Market Values (in real-time) for the five primary BEGOS components: the Bond is -1^27 points “low” vis-à-vis its smooth valuation line, the Euro +0.012 points “high”, Gold +314 points “high” in spite of today’s selling, Oil -2.20 points “low”, and the Spoo +135 points “high”. Due for the Econ Baro is November’s Pending Home Sales.

The Gold Update: No. 841 – (27 December 2025) – “Yes, Gold REALLY Is Getting Ahead of Itself”

The Gold Update by Mark Mead Baillie — 841st Edition — Monte-Carlo — 27 December 2025 (published each Saturday) — www.deMeadville.com

Yes, Gold REALLY Is Getting Ahead of Itself

Good grief, Squire, how did that WestPalmBeacher get in here?
“He didn’t, mmb, it’s just some kinda AI infiltration…”
Well, we simply must get on to our Amsteg security team. Honestly…

To Gold:  With specific respect to this week’s title, our missive from back on 06 September, (the 14th anniversary of 2011’s All-Time Intraday Gold High at 1923), was queryingly entitled “Is Gold (Again) Getting Ahead of Itself?”  The key word therein is “Again”.  Because prior, we’d originally postulated about Gold having gotten ahead of itself away back on 01 October 2011 (Update No. 98), price having settled that Friday (30 September 2011) at 1627 and thus already -15% from the 1923 record high of just four weeks earlier.

But annoyingly, such postulation was far more prescient than that for which we planned:  come 03 December 2015 — yes four years hence — Gold’s fallout from 1923 to 1045 completed an all-in correction of -45%.

“Oh no, mmb, yer not sayin’ this is gonna happen all over again … are you?”

Calme-toi, Squire.  ‘Tis not gonna happen all over again, for there’s a big difference between “Now and Then” –[BeaTles, ’23]:

  • “Then”, during that massive decline, Gold was discarded as a yield-less, storagely-expensive, debasively-irrelevant relic.  The 1045 bottom was -57% below its Fair Value that day of 2450.

  • “Now”, having settled yesterday (Friday) at a record-high close of 4562, ’tis a +337% increase over the past 10 years, 2025 finding everyone having suddenly become a Gold expert, in turn morphing the precious metals into “meme” stocks as we’ve on occasion quipped since this past spring (seasonally and pricewise).

‘Tis been great for Gold, en route bringing Silver up to far more realistic pricing.  But the recent overshoot of Fair Value is significant.  By such metric, Gold at 4562 is now +17% above its 3891 Fair Value, whilst Silver at 79.68 is +42% above its 56.06 Fair Value.  And you know, and we know, and given everybody from Bangor ME to Honolulu and right ’round the world instantly having become a Gold expert knows:  the yellow metal since Nixon’s nixing of the Gold Standard (15 August 1971) has been priced sub-par relative to its Fair Value.  But today, ’tis priced at that stated +17% premium.  And “reversion to the mean” we ‘spect shall be seen.

Regardless of Gold’s mis-valuation, the market is never wrong:  today’s 4562 level is the truth.  Price’s primary driver these last 54 years is dollar debasement, offset to an extent by the increase in Gold’s supply.

Course, there is additional conventional wisdom to justify still-higher Gold:  “Oh, the world is working toward war!”, they say; “Oh, the banks are going to fail!”, they say; “Oh, the fiats are finished!”, they say.  And duly legitimate notions they all are.  But at the end of the day, when such Gold-gyrating stimuli fall from the FinMedia fray, ’tis inevitably Dollar debasement that leads Gold’s upward way.

Thus — courtesy of the “Reverse Engineering Dept.” — we query:

“What ought be today’s level of the liquid U.S. Money Supply (“M2″) to justify 4562 Gold?”

M2 today is $22.5T and Gold’s Fair Value is 3891.  So with a rough “back of the napkin” pencil scribbling — without regard for the ongoing increase in Gold’s tonnage — simple arithmetic proportion puts M2 up to $26.4T such as to be aligned with 4562 Gold today.  For those of you scoring at home, that implies a +$3.9T M2 increase.

“And how long will that take, mmb?”

Squire, upon it all going wrong in the financial world, it could happen in a heartbeat.  Regular readers of The Gold Update know of the “Look Ma! No Money!” crash wherein liquidation of the S&P 500’s current market capitalization of $61.5T would be readily supported by “only” $22.5T of M2.  Your broker then remits to you an “I.O.U.”, stock trading ceases, and everyone “owed dough ” waits for the Federal Reserve to “print” and (in that vacuum) distribute the +$39T difference.  Gold in turn would rapidly race up into the five figures.

That stated, following the Fed’s last series of rate hikes — which rightly rebased the Dollar in reducing M2 from $22.0T in April of 2022 to $20.6T come October 2023 — the money supply since has steadily returned to debasing, indeed at a regressed trending rate of +$15.7B per week.

Thus:  at that pace from today’s M2 level of $22.5T to the $26.4T level supportive of Gold now at 4562 would take 250 weeks, i.e. some five years!   But wait, it gets worse:  account along the way for an increase in the Gold supply (typically some +2,770 tonnes per year) and empirically, it would take even longer for Gold to rightly be at today’s 4562.  Yes, Gold REALLY has gotten ahead of itself; but far be it from us to stand in the way of the “bigger fish to fry” global financial stability concerns.

So relax:  hardly are we bearish on Gold.  We love what’s happening!  But — the current “metals mania” aside — as we oft caution given Gold is a major liquid market, price shan’t ascend in a straight line, let alone move lower as such.  And for the present being priced some +17% above Fair Value, Gold too is +9.4% (+393 points) above its BEGOS Market Value of now 4169:

Nevertheless, the year-over-year weekly bars and parabolic trends picture remains nearly perfect.  Price’s expected weekly trading range is now a whopping 181 points, which is good news:  the ensuing week’s  “flip-to-Short” level (4048) is an “out-of-range” -514 points below here.  So barring a sudden, substantive selling spate of the precious metals, Gold’s current parabolic Long trend likely has a minimum of three more weeks to run.  One indeed wonders:  “5000 for New Year?”  With three trading days remaining in 2025, we don’t think so, albeit manias clearly get moved with madness (such as the S&P 500 since COVID).  Here’s Gold’s marvelous move, our green-line “conservative” forecast 3262 high being left far behind:

Speaking of stocks, let’s next go to the record-high S&P 500 astride (or otherwise) the Economic Barometer.  And this past week’s “blow-out” Baro metric was the (in arrears) initial read of Q3 Gross Domestic Product:  the +4.3% annualized pace was the swiftest since the +4.9% finalized read for Q3 in 2023.  The FinMedia are defining the GDP’s pace as “hot”, yet they’ve a prediction contest as to “how many Fed cuts there’ll be next year”.  Rate “cuts” in a “hot” economy?  On goes this Investing Age of Stoopid, even as the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell in December for the fifth consecutive month.  Are you confident?  What about the Econ Baro’s 36 missing metrics?  Or the “potential” for the next StateSide “shutdown” in a month’s time?  How’s that “live” S&P 500 price/earnings ratio of 55.7x gonna work out for ya?  And “they” call Gold “yield-less”?  Indeed, “…ignorance is bliss…” –[Tom Gray, 1742]:

Now for our two-panel display of Gold, featuring its daily bars on the left from three months ago-to-date, and on the right the 10-day Market Profile.  Mind the baby blues dots of regression trend consistency, for upon their falling below the +80% axis likely brings still lower prices.  By the Profile, the nearest volume-dominant support level is 4518 as labeled:

And next is the same display for Silver.  ‘Tis marvelous that — by the Gold/Silver ratio — the white metal finally has caught up to a reasonable valuation vis-à-vis Gold.  Such G/S ratio (as earlier depicted in Gold’s weekly bars graphic) is now 57.3x, its lowest reading since 11 April 2013; the century-to-date evolving mean of the ratio is 69.4x.  ‘Course by the noted +42% deviation above Fair Value, ’tis fair to say Sweet Sister Silver has overshot herself.  Yet as we similarly mused for Gold:  “100 for New Year?”  Oh such hype is palpable!  However, from here at 79.68, such “milestone” (understatement) is “only” another +25.5% higher.

“But has that ever happened before in just three days, mmb?”

Very nearly so, Squire!  For the three-day stint within the thrashing of 2008’s “Black Swan” turbulence:  after 16 September, come 19 September, Silver had gained as much as 24.2%.  Either way, here’s Silver’s stance at present, (practically through the top of her two panels):

 

And now into New Year we go, the record-high precious metals miraculously “Going to a Go-Go” –[The Miracles, ’65].  As teased in the opening Gold Scoreboard, we’re revamping its look and expanding its summary of what we deem as critical “need-to-know” info on Gold, Silver, and too, the S&P 500:  thus you’ll have a tidy summary at the top every Saturday.  Indeed next Saturday shall be our month/quarter/year-end edition of The Gold Update (plus one trading day in January), including our Gold forecast high for 2026.  So don’t give it a miss, as miracles do happen!

A Safe and Happy New Year to Everybody!

…m…

26 December 2025 – 08:43 Central Euro Time

Today’s full session for the BEGOS Markets presently finds the Bond and Swiss Franc below their respective Neutral Zones, whilst above same are all three elements of the Metals Triumvirate, both Gold and Silver having again recorded new highs at 4562 and 75.50. Session volatility is moderate, noting therein that Silver has traced 105% of its EDTR (see Market ranges). Tomorrow’s 841st consecutive Saturday Edition shall give an estimate of how much the Money Supply (“M2”) need increase to catch up in matching these otherwise overvalued levels of the precious metals. Meanwhile, Gold by its BEGOS Market Value is (in real-time) +371 points above its smooth valuation line; the Spoo is currently +147 points above same. Nearby volume-dominant Market Profile support for Gold is 4518 whilst for the Spoo ’tis 6960. Nothing is due for the Econ Baro, (albeit 36 metrics remaining missing).

24 December 2025 – 08:33 Central Euro Time

We’ve furtherance of record highs this morning for the precious metals, Gold having tapped 4555 and Silver 72.75. At present above today’s Neutral Zones are both Silver and Copper; the balance of the BEGOS Markets are within same, and volatility for the abbreviated session is pushing toward moderate; (session closures range today from 18:00 GMT for stocks to 18:15 GMT and 18:45 GMT for the various BEGOS components). The S&P 500 yesterday settled at an all-time high (6910), albeit did not achieve its record intra-day high (6920 on 29 October); by Fair Value (+50 points) to the futures, the S&P at this instant would open lower by -6 points. And per Market Values, the Spoo in real-time is +134 points above its smooth valuation line; Gold is +364 points above same as price continues to break further above Fair Value (3896). Due for the Econ Baro are last week’s Initial Jobless Claims. Back on Friday for a full session, and thus a most Merry Christmas to one and all!

23 December 2025 – 08:33 Central Euro Time

Gold has cleared the 4500 handle in trading thus far to as high as 4531, whilst Silver has cleared its 70 handle in thus far reaching up to 70.16: whilst we welcome such lofty prices, a word to the wise is sufficient: Gold is at present +16% above Fair Value and Silver +24% above same. Too, the yellow metal is currently above today’s Neutral Zone, as are the Bond and Swiss Franc, a phenomena not unusual as we glide toward year-end. Session volatility for the BEGOS Markets is mostly moderate. Copper’s “Baby Blues” of linreg consistency (see Market Trends) continue to inch below the key +80%, albeit price has yet to respond in kind. They may be quite an array of data arriving today for the Econ Baro: problematic thereto is much conflict between our reporting sources as to what shall or shall not be issued, either timely or in arrears; we’ll have it all updated later in the session; also there is “talk” of another StateSide “shutdown” come late January.

22 December 2025 – 08:47 Central Euro Time

The current edition of The Gold Update entitled “Merry Metals!” is being well-vindicated this morning with record highs for both Gold (4453) and Silver (69.53); both are presently above today’s Neutral Zones as are Copper, Oil and the Spoo; below same is the Bond, and BEGOS Markets’ volatility is moderate, duly noting that Gold has traced 130% of its EDTR (see Market Ranges). Too, The Gold Update graphically summarizes the precious metals’ best pure swing Market Rhythms as currently Gold’s 12-hour Parabolics and Silver’s six-hour Moneyflow. The Spoo has regained the 6900s: currently 6910, the all-time high is 6975 (12 December); the futs-adj’d “live” P/E of the S&P 500 is 56.0x; the amount of money to move the S&P one point is the thinnest ’tis been since 15 October, (i.e. mind the froth). Nothing is scheduled today for the Econ Baro.

The Gold Update: No. 840 – (20 December 2025) – “Merry Metals!”

The Gold Update by Mark Mead Baillie — 840th Edition — Monte-Carlo — 20 December 2025 (published each Saturday) — www.deMeadville.com

Merry Metals!

Merry metals, indeed!  En route to finishing the final full trading week of 2025, both Gold and Silver made fresh All-Time Highs!  “Surprise, surprise, surprise!” –[G. Pyle, ’64-’69].  Toward the week’s respective settles:

  • Gold on Thursday traded to as high as 4410 in closing Friday at 4369, +66% year-to-date;
  • Silver yesterday (Friday) traded to as high as 67.68 in closing at 67.40, +130% year-to-date.

“And how about from 2001, mmb?”

Squire we “ought” save that stat for our year-end edition still two missives hence.  However, as does Hollywood, let’s tease it.  So century-to-date:

  • Gold is presently +1,496%;
  • Silver is +1,352%;
  • and the S&P 500 (ex-dividend) is +418%.

Funny how the FinMedia focuses on the latter (i.e. the least-gainer) of those three; but precious metals investing is too boring for the followers of FinMedia to generate enough lifeblood (advertising revenue).  “Well ya know, uh Bud, these stocks are gonna like, uh, triple between now and the close…”

As to the year’s final two “shortened” weeks, there remain just 7½ trading days within the holiday haze, risking one’s becoming lost in the merry markets’ maze.  Bearing in mind that “trend trumps hype”, our best Market Rhythm on a pure swing basis for Gold is currently the 12-hour Parabolics, whilst for Silver ’tis the six-hour Moneyflow.  Here — with the benefit of hindsight — are the cumulative results of the last 10 pure swings for both metals, (basis one futures contract, for which a one-point move in Gold is +/- $100 and that for Silver is +/- $5,000 … “past performance not guaranteeing ‘futures’ results, right mmb?”  Never, Squire:

Still, from the “Means Reversion Dept.”, Gold (4369) by the opening Scoreboard is +12% above Fair Value (3896), vis-à-vis the regression of Gold’s price to the U.S. “M2” Money Supply, duly incorporating the increase in the yellow metal’s tonnage, (which for those of your scoring at home is today some 218k tonnes, having doubled since April 1986).

Too, by our measure of BEGOS Markets Value, per the pricing of the yellow metal by its movement relative to those of the five primary BEGOS Markets (Bond, Euro, Gold, Oil and S&P 500), at 4369 ’tis +247 points (+6%) “high” above its smooth valuation line (4122) as below depicted:

As for Sister Silver (herself not a primary BEGOS component for a Market Value calculation), she nonetheless today at 67.40 is +20% above her Fair Value of 56.13.  So as merry as are our metals, corrections will occur; do try not to get carried away.

For as we next turn to the metals’ Market Trends for the last three-months to date featuring Gold on the left and Silver at center, we’ve also included Copper on the right.  As you well know, Cousin Copper does influence Sister Silver such that she’ll on occasion shed her precious metal pinstripes for her industrial metal jacket.  And by Copper’s baby blue dots of regression trend consistency, note the word “SELL” pointing at the rightmost “Baby Blue” having just slipped below its key +80% axis.  How has such Copper “SELL” previously affected Silver?  From a year ago-to-date there’ve been four like Copper “SELL” signals, then finding Silver within the ensuing 21 trading days (one month) respectively dropping by as much as:  -21.3%, -5.5%, -0.4% (“whew”), and -14.8%.  Just something of which to be aware.  Here’s the graphic, (minding, too, the “Baby Blues” of the precious two):

‘Course, the mainstay graphic of The Gold Update is price’s weekly bars and parabolic trends from one year ago-to-date.  And as we rhymingly reprise, the picture looks great!  The fresh parabolic Long trend is now two weeks in duration with a net price gain of +3.3%.  As for old lurking Ebenezer, we told him away back in 1843 when priced at $20.67/oz. that “Shorting Gold is a bad idea”, (it having since risen 21,037%):

Next to our 10-day Market Profiles for Gold (below left) and for Silver (below right).  With such an array of underlying support levels, ’tis truly a Santa Bananarama, which is “Really Saying Something … bop-bop shoobie do-wah” –[’82]:

Toward the week’s wrap we’ve the economy (or lack thereof) on tap.  Per the next graphic, there still in arrears are 40 “shutdown” metrics which haven’t arrived, (of which some shan’t ever do).  And whilst November’s inflation at the retail level (Consumer Price Index) was again recorded at a +0.2% monthly clip, the Philly Fed Index took a hit in recording its fifth negative month in the last seven.  Moreover, the Baro has been beleaguered throughout December per those metrics made available:

Yet despite the Baro’s woes, the S&P 500 still seeks a Santa Claus rally, the Mighty Index now down just -14 points from November’s settle.  We’ve recently pointed out that for the 24 completed Decembers thus far this century, 16 have been up, (which for you WestPalmBeachers down there means eight have been down).

Regardless, the FinMedia is “freaking out” (technical term).  This past week brought two items of note from the children’s writing pool at the once highly-respected Barron’s.  To wit:

—> (Tuesday) “Stock Markets Are Suffering Amid Bubble Fears”“Suffering”?  The S&P settled Tuesday a scant -1.5% below its all-time closing high.  Now ’tis but -1.0%.  But wait, it gets funnier:

—> (Friday)  “The Stock Market Has a 10% Chance of a 30% Crash in 2026” … Since when did a 30% correction be deemed a “Crash”?  More accurately, we’d opine — by employing the lost art of proper portfolio theory in concert with the S&P’s “live” price/earnings ratio of now 55.8x — that “The Stock Market Has a 100% Chance of a 50% Crash in 2026” … (write it down).

Rightly or wrongly either way, here’s the Gold Stack for Santa’s sleigh sack:

The Gold Stack (continuous contract pricing):
Gold’s All-Time 
Intra-Day High:  4410 (18 December 2025)
2025’s High:  4410 (18 December 2025)
10-Session directional range:  up to 4410 (from 4199) = +211 points or +5.0%
Trading Resistance:  Per the Profile 4410
Gold’s All-Time Closing High:  4374 (20 October 2025)
Gold Currently:  4369, (expected daily trading range [“EDTR”]:  66 points)
Trading Support:  Profile notables  4369 / 4359 / 4336 / 4304 / 4263 / 4236
10-Session “volume-weighted” average price magnet:  4313
The Weekly Parabolic Price to flip Short:  4014
Gold’s Fair Value per Dollar Debasement, (from our opening “Scoreboard”):  3896
The 300-Day Moving Average:  3295 and rising
2025’s Low:  2625 (06 January)
The 2000’s Triple-Top:  2089 (07 Aug ’20); 2079 (08 Mar’22); 2085 (04 May ’23)
The Gateway to 2000:  1900+
The Final Frontier:  1800-1900
The Northern Front:  1800-1750
On Maneuvers:  1750-1579
The Floor:  1579-1466
Le Sous-sol:  Sub-1466
The Support Shelf:  1454-1434
Base Camp:  1377
The 1360s Double-Top:  1369 in Apr ’18 preceded by 1362 in Sep ’17
Neverland:  The Whiny 1290s
The Box:  1280-1240

Et voilà:

A Most Merry Metals’ Christmas to Everyone Everywhere!

…m…

19 December 2025 – 08:43 Central Euro Time

Gold yesterday by its “continuous contract” reached another All-Time High at 4410; (the “front month” currently is February, which itself had reached 4433 on 20 October but with a lot of forward “premium” at that time when ’twas not yet the “front month”). Either way, more on having achieved 4410 in tomorrow’s 840th consecutive Saturday edition of The Gold Update. For the present, with session volatility for the BEGOS Markets moving toward moderate, we’ve the Bond and Swiss Franc below today’s Neutral Zones, whilst above same are Silver and Copper. Of note, Copper’s “Baby Blues” for linreg consistency (see Market Trends) yesterday dropped below their key+80% axis indicative of lower prices near-term; Copper’s best Market Rhythm of late is its daily MACD. The Econ Baro looks to December’s revision to the UofM Sentiment Survey and November’s Existing Home Sales; due too are that month’s Personal Income/Spending and “fed-favoured” Core PCE Index: instead however may come the still unreported data for October, given the “shutdown”.