Gold gains In New Year

Gold prices gained some ground on Wednesday, as the U.S. dollar was trading near nine-year highs against a basket of other major currencies. Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, gold futures for February delivery were up 0.47% to $1,187.40.The February contract ended Monday's session 1.12% lower at $1,181.90 an ounce.

Safe-haven demand strengthened after Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said on Monday that he will recommend parliamentary elections are held on January 25, almost 18 months before his coalition's term was due to end. Samaras failed in his third attempt to persuade lawmakers to back his candidate for head of state, forcing the legislature’s dissolution.Dollar remained supported after final data last week showed that U.S. gross domestic product rose 5.0% in the third quarter, exceeding expectations for a growth rate of 4.3% and up from 3.9% in the three months.

Data fuelled further optimism over the strength of the U.S. economic recovery and added to expectations for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates next year.Higher U.S. interest rates would boost the greenback and weigh on gold, which has benefited from central bank liquidity and a low interest rate environment since the 2008 financial crisis.The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, was steady at 90.55, not far from the nine-year high of 90.66 hit overnight.

Trading volumes were expected to remain light this week ahead of the New Year's holiday.

How To Trade The Parabolic SAR in Meta Trader 4

I’m going to introduce you to the Parabolic SAR indicator for MetaTrader 4. Parabolic SAR is far and away the most popular indicator that doesn’t use lines on the chart. It’s used by range traders, although it’s widely used by trend traders. The indicator provides long term opportunities by spotting entry and exit signals.The Parabolic SAR starts with a dot underneath the price. The longer that the dot remains underneath the price, the dots move exponentially races to catch up with the individual bar lows formed in the market.

If the Parabolic SAR started only 5 bars ago, the rate of change between the dots is very small. But as you get 20-30 bars into an opportunity, as you see here, the space between each successive dot increases rapidly. It’s like the PSAR is saying this trend has got to end soon. It’s waiting for the final bit of confirmation to flip direction.
The dots on this chart are either above the price or below the price. When they start below the price, the moment that they flip is when this low touches the dot formed on the last bar. At the precise moment when the bar’s low touches the PSAR value on the last bar, the dot flips.

The dot is now above the price. That is a valid sell signal. The sell signals work in the opposite way to the long signals. You’re waiting for a bar high to touch the dot and create a new buy signal.The indicator gives you an always in the market reading, either long or short. All of the signals alternate purely back and forth between buy and sell signals.The way to use this in a trending strategy is as basic as the indicator. Buy when the dot flips below the price. Sell when the dot flips above the price.You do give up substantial ranges on profitable trend trades by waiting for the dots to catch up. There’s not much that can be done about that except by playing with the PSAR acceleration values. You can do that by left clicking on the chart and choosing indicators, then Parabolic SAR. The inputs window shows the step and acceleration, which you can play with to suit your trading style.

Japan’s savings rate turned negative mode for the first time

Dramatic change from when the Japanese saved nearly a quarter of their income (23.1%) when the savings rate peaked in 1975.

Japan had the highest household saving rate in the OECD in the 1960s until it fell to the lowest. After all, an aging population draws down savings and Japan is the fastest-aging country in the world; its population has been shrinking for a decade.
It’s another blow to the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who just won another term to try and implement his policies dubbed Abenomics. On the campaign trail, he said that Abenomics aimed to raise wages and employment to revive the economy and defeat deflation or price falls.


Japans debt crisis in the early 1990s, the Japanese have been reluctant to borrow on a large scale. So, unless wages rise sustainably, it’s hard to see how household spending can. Without more domestic demand, firms are reluctant to raise wages and invest, which is why they still hold substantial cash.Abe has a  mandate for the introduction of another sales tax hike but the low turnout for his recent re-election sends a clear message that all is not well.3

Retail trade y/y for November, +0.4%
expected 1.1%, prior was 1.4%
Retail sales m/m for November, -0.3%
expected is 0.2%, prior was -1.4%
Industrial Production m/m for November (preliminary reading), -0.6%
expected 0.8%, prior was 0.4%
Industrial Production y/y for November (preliminary), -3.8%
expected -2.4%, prior was -0.8%

Gold Remains $1174.74 Ahead of Unemployment Claims

 

Gold Remains Listless Ahead of Unemployment ClaimsGold is showing little movement on Wednesday, as the spot price stands at $1174.74 per ounce. The metal had traded closed to the key 1200 line for most of December, but posted sharp losses to start off the week. In the US, today’s highlight is Unemployment Claims. The markets are not expecting much change from the previous release, with the estimate standing at 291 thousand.

Wednesday, with mixed results. GDP was red-hot in Q3, jumping 5.0%, ahead of the estimate of 4.6%. This marked the indicator’s strongest gain since the third quarter of 2003. The US economy is expected to continue to surge in 2015, driven by increased consumer spending and lower oil prices. The news was not as positive from Core Durable Goods Orders, which posted a decline of 0.4%, its fourth decline in five readings. The reading was well off the estimate of 1.1%. Durable Goods Orders looked even worse, with a reading of -0.7%. This surprised the markets which had anticipated a strong gain of 3.0%.

Housing data continues to weaken as New Home Sales slipped to 438 thousand, its poorest showing since July and well short of the forecast of 461 thousand. UoM Consumer Sentiment continues to rise, hitting 93.6 points in December. This marked its highest level since February 2007, as the US consumer remains very optimistic about the economy as we move into 2015.

XAU/USD has shown little movement in the Asian and European sessions, as the pair trades just above support at 1174.74.
On the upside, 1200 has some breathing room as the pair trades at lower levels. 1215 is next.
On the downside, 1172 remains under strong pressure. Will the pair break below this line during the day?
Current range: 1174 to 1200

Further levels in both directions:
Below: 1170, 1156, 1130 and 1111
Above: 1200, 1215, 1240, 1255 and 1275

OANDA’s Open Positions Ratio
XAU/USD ratio is almost unchanged on Wednesday. This is consistent with the lack of movement we are seeing from the pair. The ratio has a majority of long positions, indicative of trader bias towards gold moving to higher ground.

XAU/USD Fundamentals
13:30 US Unemployment Claims. Estimate 291K.
15:30 US Crude Oil Inventories. Estimate -2.4M.
17:00 US Natural Gas Storage. Estimate -81B.

The world's biggest Christmas shop In USA

Bronner's, Michigan, USA. The shop, which is spread over a whopping 27 acres, is the world's largest Christmas store. Imagine the biggest supermarket you've ever been to, then replace all the food with tinsel, artificial trees and decorations, and you'll be close to the spectacle that Bronner's Christmas Wonderland provides.The shop was founded in 1945 by devout Christian and sign painter Wally Bronner, who was said to only and earned the nickname Mr Christmas.Bronner's has proved such a popular attraction over the years that in 1976 the state designated it an Embassy for Michigan Tourism.

Over two million people visit the shop each year, taking a stroll through Bronner's half-mile, which is lined with thousands of festive lights. Wally rapidly expanded the original store into the festive-themed shopping complex it is today. One of the more notable buildings on the grounds is the Silent Night Chapel, a replica of the original in Oberndorf in Austria, where the carol was written. In the grounds is a collection of plaques on which the carol is translated into different languages.

The store now deals in over 50,000 different trimmings and gifts, and sells around 600,000 glass tree ornaments, 500,000ft of garland and 150,000 postcards a year. Outside it is flanked by three gigantic Santas and a 15ft snowman, and hundreds of electric-light models are available to buy. It's no surprise, then, that their daily electricity bill is $900. The store proudly declare they've been "decorating hearts and homes with peace and love since 1945". Their official motto is "Enjoy CHRISTmas, It's HIS Birthday; Enjoy Life, It's HIS Way".

Crude oil dips below $59 a barrel

Crude oil prices settled below $59 a barrel Friday as renewed selling pressure pushed benchmark prices to new five year lows. And the carnage may not be over yet.

West Texas Intermediate crude fell 2.6% to $59.36, its lowest level since July 2009. Brent crude oil dropped 1.4% to $63.34.Saudi Arabia, the world's No. 2 oil producer after the U.S., suggested it would not cut production to prop up prices. Bank of America warned that crude oil prices could fall to $50 a barrel in 2015 as North American output, increased production in Iraq and Libya, hits markets already awash in supply.

Texas crude peaked this year at about $107 a barrel in July. Now it's down about 45%.
Crude's slide pushed gasoline futures down 1.3% to $1.62 a gallon on the New York Mercantile Exchange, which is likely to spell more relief at the pump.

Gasoline now averages $2.62 a gallon, down 30 cents from just a month ago and 64 cents below last Dec. 11. Prices are expected to come down to $2.50 or less a gallon before year's end. Oil company execs aren't sleeping at night, as motorists count the bundles of cash they've got left after each fill-up. And in North Dakota and Texas.

Microsoft announces new Lumia handsets, camera updates

Microsoft announced two new Lumia phones aimed at the entry-level smartphone market and an update to its Windows Phone operating system for Lumia phones that looks to enhance the camera experience.

Microsoft also announced the Nokia Lumia 830. Priced at about $430 unsubsidized  it will begin rolling out globally this month. No word on U.S. carriers or exact availability.

Lumia 830 sports a 10 megapixel PureView camera, integrated wireless charging and what

Microsoft says is the thinnest optical image stabilization system to date on a Lumia. It comes pre-loaded with Microsoft Office Mobile and 15GB of free OneDrive storage

Entry-level dual SIM Lumia 730 are "built for Skype calls and selfies," Microsoft says. They each have front-facing, wide-angle, 5-megapixel cameras and come with a three-month Skype Unlimited World subscription thrown in.

Windows Phone 8.1 focuses on speed, quality and making the camera more intuitive to use. It will initially roll out as an update in the fourth quarter for Lumia 930, Lumia Icon and Lumia 1520 and as an over-the-air update for Lumia 830 and later to other Lumia Windows Phone 8.

Smartphone wars are about to heat up. Samsung on Wednesday revealed its latest oversized Note handsets, including the Note Edge with a separate curved display alongside the right edge. And coming up on Tuesday, Apple is slated to take the wraps off its newest iPhone.

HTC announced a version of its flagship HTC One M8 for Windows Phone.

Microsoft also has been focused on its app eco-system, which has lagged Android and Apple. There are now about 300,000 apps including recent additions such as Uber and Fitbit.

Apple iWatch Launching With 1.7 and 1.3 Launches in October

Apple lovers must read out the coming information as many rumors are coming for Apple iwatch. Apple is working on its final launching plans to release its new product Apple iWatch in the span of the coming months . The iWatch will be available to its users with two variants 1.7 inches and 1.3 inch screen . Smart watch will be available for both the genders. Men and Women .The iWatch having smaller screen size  will be available for women with vibrant colors and combinations.

Apple iWatch will  be launched  with a  OLED display . The OLED display, which will have 320 x 320 pixels resolution will provide a great vision to its users . It is heard from source that  iWatch will have a  flexible display to compete with its other big brand smart watches like Motorola, Samsung, LG etc.

Samsung the brand in technology is also working on flexible display smart watch and it will also launch in the couple of months. The Apple iWatch likely to be released at the end of September or in the beginning of the October 2014. In spite of the Apple, In the technology market Samsung Galaxy Gear, Motorola Moto 360, SonySmart Watches will also be seen till the end of this year. Apple Inc. Hired a Nike Key Designer to include a sporty look at its iWatch . 

The images for Apple iWatch looks a bit very interesting at the moment on the web portal. As per the images Apple iWatch seems so elegant and sporty whether it goes on men or if we talk about women.So Apple iWatch will be so impressive and smart in looks. Users have to wait a bit for the Apple iWatch to be launched in the Indian Markets. Price and other specification are not yet properly disclosed.

Google Joins Amazon in Dreams of Drone Delivery

Google on Thursday lifted the veil on an experimental program to deliver goods with tiny unmanned, or “drone,” aircraft that are a cross between a plane and a helicopter, according to Google. The project was detailed in alengthy Atlantic story.

Program, which Google is calling Project Wing, was led for two years by Nicholas Roy, an M.I.T. professor who took a sabbatical for the project. According to The Atlantic, Google now has dozens of people on Project Wing. They’re working on improving the technology, and may create a drone delivery application.

The Federal Aviation Administration has so far not been keen on the drone delivery concept. Earlier this year, it blocked an aerial delivery service proposed by a local brewery in Minnesota for ferrying beer to ice fishermen who didn’t want to come in from the cold.

A Google spokeswoman said the company has briefed the F.A.A. on its hopes for a fleet of baby helicopters, which would not be built for at least a few years.

The actual delivery would be handled, Google said it tried the parachute approach as well as shooting the package downward like a missile. They also tried landing it, but that was problematic because Google believed people might get too close to the vehicle and lose a finger to the drone’s rotors while trying to fetch their delivery.

In the end, they settled on a kind of fishing line that lowers the payload to customers from an airborne drone about 150 feet above the ground, as Google demonstrates with a package of dog food.

Gerard Pique and Shakira do ice bucket challenge

Gerard Pique and Shakira’s attempt at the ice bucket challenge ended in comical fashion after the pop star hit the Barcelona defender in the face with the pan .

Posted a video of him and his girlfriend completing the challenge – which aims to raise money and awareness about Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) – on his official Facebook page on Tuesday.

Shakira nominated Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and, interestingly, Pope Francis before having ice-cold water poured over her by Pique.

Seconds later, Pique then challenged compatriots Sergio Ramos and Cesc Fabregas, alongside MotoGP rider Marc Marquez, to undertake the task before his girlfriend dumped ice-cold water over the Barcelona man – but ended up accidentally hitting Pique in the face with the empty pan too.

Their ice bucket challenge may have ended rather comically, but, we love that Shakira has chosen Pope Francis to take on the charity initiative next …