August 24, 2016 -- Markets stood almost still in yesterday's trading. U.S. stocks finished up slightly, gold and silver edged a shade lower, the dollar was essentially unchanged along with 10-year Treasuries. Crude oil showed a bit of life, gaining more than a buck and finishing the U.S. session at nearly $48 per barrel.

Volatility in the U.S. stock markets remains extraordinarily low. The Wall Street Journal calls it "scarily quiet," reporting swings in the market from high to low are the lowest they have been since 1995!

Market volume will be picking up some as the summer vacation season comes to an end. It is an election year, however, and some investors may take a wait-and-see approach.

Tuesday's stock market gains were widely attributed to very strong report on new home sales. But that good news was somewhat mitigated by disappointing data on manufacturing.

Live prices at MoneyMetals.com show gold currently trading at $1,339.05 per ounce on the global market, and silver is coming in at $18.95.