On a mid-December Wednesday, gold has settled at a low point after a week of fluctuating market conditions, priced around $2645.93 per ounceThe previous day's trading saw a slight dip in gold prices, influenced by stronger-than-expected U.Sretail sales figures for November, which seemed to suggest a potential hawkish stance from the Federal Reserve (Fed). Nonetheless, there remained a support for gold prices from investors looking to buy on the dipsThe Fed's final policy meeting of the year commenced Tuesday, where analysts speculate that a more gradual approach to interest rate cuts may be communicatedExpectations indicate that U.STreasury yields are likely to continue their upward trend for the second consecutive month.

The recent uptick in U.Sconsumer spending — which has been notably seen in the purchase of vehicles and online goods — helped push retail sales beyond analysts' predictions for November, reflecting robust momentum as the year draws to a close

According to a report from the U.SDepartment of Commerce published on Tuesday, the retail sales increased by 0.7% month-over-month, contrary to the forecasted 0.5%, with estimates varying from a decrease of 0.1% to an increase of 1.0%, and with October's figure revised upward to a 0.5% increaseThis rise in retail sales is not adjusted for inflationYear-on-year, retail sales showed a growth of 3.8%. Economists anticipate that the Fed's policymakers will indicate a reduction in the frequency of rate cuts in their latest economic forecast summary during Wednesday's meetingCurrently, the Fed's target rate is between 4.50% and 4.75% after increasing it by 5.25 percentage points from March 2022 to July 2023.

In the days leading up, gold’s reaction to the market was cautiousOpening at around $2653, prices faced upward pressure in early Asian trading, where they brushed against $2659 before reversing into a decline

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The European market brought further downward pressure, culminating in a fresh low of $2633 before making a slight recovery, eventually finishing the day with minimal gains, resulting in an overall small upward candle on the daily chartAnalyzing the daily movements, the Bollinger Bands are becoming increasingly flat indicative of indecision; the K-line is positioned below the middle band, with both the MA5 and MA10 moving downwardsThe MACD indicators continue to exhibit a shrinking energy column, complemented by KDJ indicators displaying bearish crossesA broader view shows the gold market poised for a correction with suggested resistance levels primarily indicating sell positions.

Accordingly, for December 18th, trading strategies suggest:

1. Consider selling in the range of $2651 to $2653, placing a stop-loss roughly at $6.5, targeting lower levels around $2642, $2630, and further down to $2618.

2. Should prices reach around $2662 to $2664 at any moment, a sell position is advisable with the same stop-loss level, targeting declines to $2650 and $2632.

3. For those looking to buy, a position around $2603 to $2605 may be appropriate, with the same $6.5 stop-loss, but targeting upwards towards $2615 to $2630.

Turning to silver, analysis for December 18th reveals:

Opening around $30.3, silver traded with volatility throughout the Asian and European sessions, then continued its downtrend after the U.S

market opened, reaching a day low near $30.14 but eventually rebounding slightly, closing the day with a modest upward candleDaily Bollinger Bands indicate signs of flattening, while the K-line shows fluctuations near the lower bandAs the moving averages (MA5 and MA10) trend downwards, the MACD's energy column is likewise retracting, albeit with KDJ indicators providing a bullish crossover signal, suggesting a potential for some upward momentum; yet the overall outlook still suggests a downtrend with space to fall, especially at higher price points.

For December 18th, trading recommendations for silver are as follows:

1. A selling strategy in the region of $30.62 to $30.75 should be employed, with a stop-loss set at $30.98, targeting declines towards $30 down to $29.52.

2. Alternatively, buying around resistance levels from $31.23 to $31.38 could yield potential with a stop-loss at $31.57, aiming upwards to $30.75 and back to $30.

3. Should prices dip to around $29.35 to $29.46, this is also a suitable level to consider buying with a stop-loss of $29.12, targeting an upward move to $30 to $30.52.

Lastly, regarding crude oil on December 18th:

Brent crude opened at about $70.6, showing downward momentum across both Asian and European trading hours before continuing to decline throughout the U.S

session, with a final low of approximately $68.8 reached prior to a slight reboundThe daily chart exposed a long lower shadow, suggesting buyers stepping in at lower prices, yet watching for potentially bearish fluctuations may still be criticalThe Bollinger Bands are also indicating a flattening, with K-line oscillating between lower and upper bandsThe MA5 and MA10 averages show signs of stabilization while MACD shows diminishing momentum with a bearish signal from KDJMaintaining a keen eye on market trends suggests the continuation of downward pressure with an expectation to sell on any recovery.

For crude oil trades on December 18th, it is recommended to:

1. Sell in the range of $70.2 to $70.4, with a stop-loss placed at $71.3, targeting a drop to $69, $67.2, and $66.

2. Any testing around $72 or $72.2 should also prompt a sell strategy, stopping out at $73 while targeting similar levels of $71 and dipping to $69.

3. Buying opportunities may lie in the area of $67 to $67.2, with a stop-loss at $66, and looking for potential upsides of $68.5 to $69.8.