Gold Daily and Silver Weekly Charts

Gold and silver are back in sync with equities.

The miners are struggling here.

SP 500 and NDX Futures Daily Charts - Manhattan Melodrama

There is quite a bit of 'tension on the tape' despite its calm outward appearance and rangebound trade.

They will either break this out into a new phase of the bubble, or the market will take a dive. I do not think we are more than a week or two away from a resolution to this, but it could drag on until the end of March and the final reckoning over Greece.

Whatever happens, go with the flow, because the pent up energy could provoke quite a move in either direction.

Or even better, get out and stay away until the situation clarifies in Europe and the Mideast unless you are an active, professional trader.

As may recall, the film Manhattan Melodrama was made famous by the introduction of the previously unrecorded song Blue Moon but with a different set of lyrics. It was such an attractive meldoy that the studio brought the song out afterwards with the original lyrics and a classic was born.

It was also the last film seen by John Dillinger before he was gunned down outside a Chicago theatre in the company of 'the lady in red' by Melvin Purvis and his G-men.

SP Futures Intraday

Cynical trade on light volume.

Within a range and a longer term trend, the markets and the supporting commentary from the financial news demimonde are pure manipulation.

And it appears that the Fed was aware of this artificiality as early as 2004 when it allowed the global banks inflate a fraudulent housing bubble in the US and in Europe, and failed in its responsibilities as regulator in addition to managing monetary policy and employment.

The better to loot them all, my dears. The privileged few must have their due, and honest work with all its risk is not on their agenda.

People's Bank of China Opens Direct Currency Swaps with Dubai and the UAE

This is not a particularly large deal, but it is another sign of the continuing erosion of the ad hoc Bretton Woods II currency regime and a growing disorder in global banking. Change is not just coming, it's here.

The usual US public reponse is dismissive: 'where else will they put their money?'

But behind the scenes the US is working very hard on this, often in conjunction with the Banks of England and at times Japan, to move to an alternative in the SDR based on a composition favorable to the dollar and the pound and the yen.   Europe is being held off balance by the ratings agencies, suffering from a crisis in leadership and coherent policy.  Germany is being urged to accept a 'separate peace' and assume a more powerful and controlling role on the Continent.

A significant area of contention is the petro-dollar, hence the heavy and continuing US military presence in the region.

But don't count out China, Russia, India and South America. Never play checkers when the other guys are playing chess (or Go).

Press Release
People's Bank of China

January 17, 2012 - People's Bank of China, Dubai and the UAE Central Bank have signed bilateral currency swap agreements, aimed at strengthening bilateral financial cooperation and promote bilateral trade and investment and jointly safeguard regional financial stability.

The 35 billion yuan swap / 200 million dirhams, is valid for three years and may be extended by mutual agreement.