Technical analysis: key levels for gold and crude
Gold continues to gain, testing the recent highs around $1250, while the pain trade has resumed for WTI, which has taken another leg lower as it heads back to fresh 52-week lows.
Gold targets 200-day SMA
The price of gold is nudging above $1250 resistance, which it tested earlier in December.
Above here the 200-day simple moving average (SMA) at $1253 and then the $1261 area comes into play. A fresh drop targets $1236, which held as support earlier in the week. Longer term, the upward move from the August low is intact, and any deeper retracement would still be a buying opportunity.
![Gold price chart](http://a.c-dn.net/c/content/dam/publicsites/igcom/uk/images/ContentImage/Gold 191218.png/jcr:content/renditions/original-size.webp)
WTI hit hard by selling
The sideways trading of WTI evident since the beginning of the month has finally ended, with a sharp drop over the past two days.
Near-term support is found around $45.78, but descending trendline resistance around $50.00 could well contain any gains.
![WTI chart](http://a.c-dn.net/c/content/dam/publicsites/igcom/uk/images/ContentImage/WTI 191218.png/jcr:content/renditions/original-size.webp)
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