08:45 (WET)  ~  I’m in Gran Canaria for a week or so to try to finish my manual on long-term trading with a trader friend. It’s started out a bit cloudy this morning but already 63 degrees with clear skies predicted in a couple of hours.  I have been promised some windsurfing later….

U.S. markets closed higher last night, the Dow Jones 30 jumped 77 points to 16,124 after a takeover deal involving Facebook worth $19 billion buoyed the market and PMI numbers came in better than expected so tempering fears of a general economic slowdown.  The S&P500 was also up and is banging up against that persistent 1850 resistance level, so there maybe more short trading opportunities today once the index has risen slightly.

Despite the slightly stronger US dollar, gold prices resumed their climb upwards yesterday, closing $11 higher at $1323. The reason behind was probably some bargain hunting and the overall feeling the mixed picture for the US economic data is a catalyst to keep some extra cash into safe haven assets.