Dow went up 133 (off early highs), advancers over decliners better than 3-1 & NAZ gained 71.  The MLP index remained in the 214s & the REIT index added 7 to 378 as Treasury yields declined.  Junk bond funds traded higher & Treasuries remained in demand, driving yields lower.  Oil continued weak, sinking 4+ to the 72s, & gold rose 10 to 1856 (more on both below).

AMJ (Alerian MLP Index tracking fund)

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Gold futures tallied a 4th straight session gain, with prices for the most-active contract settling at their highest since Jun 10.  Analysts have been eyeing the current rally in gold with caution in recent weeks as the risk of another hawkish surprise, either from economic data or Fed speak, has been on the rise.  However, prices action has become increasingly favorable & the technical outlook turned bullish with gold ending last year at a 6-month high.  Gold for Feb delivery rose $12 (0.7%) to settle at $1859 an ounce

Gold futures log a 4th straight session climb

US oil futures marked their lowest settlement in more than 3 weeks, pressured by ongoing worries about the outlook for global economic growth, which can lead to lower demand for oil.  Data from the Energy Information Administration due out tomorrow is also expected to reveal a weekly rise in US with a forecast for an increase of 4.5M barrels.  The US benchmark WTI crude for Feb fell $4.09 (5.3%) to settle at $72.84 a barrel, the lowest finish for a front-month contract since Dec 9

U.S. oil futures log lowest finish in more than 3 weeks

Dow Jones Industrials