U.S. Markets -Dec. 15-17

Investors continued to unwind some of their positions during the abbreviated Dec. 14-17 reporting period, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 192.79 points or 1.84% to finish at 10,308.26, while the S&P 500 index fell 18.03 points or 1.62% to 1,096.08. The Nasdaq lost 32.05 points or 1.45% to 2,180.05.

Gold lost some of its appeal during the three-day reporting period and could continue to correct through the end of the year as investors take profits and the U.S. dollar shows more vigorous signs of life.

The spot price for gold fell US$29.30 per oz. or 2.6% to US$1,097.10 per oz. Companies like Agnico-Eagle Mines, Randgold Resources, and Newmont Mining are all feeling the chill.

Agnico lost US$6.32 per share to close at US$53.99, Randgold fell US$4.82 to US$77.79, and Newmont slid US$3.94 to US$47.63.

The Amex Gold Bugs index tumbled 28.86 points or 6.42% to 420.7, while the Philadelphia Gold and Silver index dropped 9.85 points or 5.65% to finish at 164.53.

Higher oil prices, supported in part by the prospect of greater winter demand, helped lift shares of major coal companies such as Alpha Natural Resources, Consol Energy, and Peabody Energy. Alpha Natural Resources, a leading Central Appalachian coal producer, jumped US$2.57 to US$43.38, topping the list of value gains, while Consol Energy, the largest underground coal producer in the U.S., advanced US$1.02 per share to US$46.07. Peabody edged up US96¢ to US$44.11 per share.

Even juniors in the coal sector performed well, like L&L International Holdings, a U.S. company operating coal businesses in China, which increased 11.2% to US$6.05 per share on the back of strong financial results for the quarter ended Oct. 31.

Revenues increased about 139% year-over-year to US$24.48 million and net income jumped 195% year-over-year to US$6.94 million.

Quaterra Resources posted the largest percentage gain with a 15.4% surge to US$1.57 per share on news that it would join forces with Goldcorp to explore central Mexico.

U.S. most active issues
	VOLUME	WEEK
	(000s) HIGH	LOW	CLOSE	CHANGE
Alcoa* AA	70210 15.15	14.45	14.50	-0.32
Barrick Gold* ABX	49799 40.38	38.18	38.39	-1.51
Hecla Mining* HL	36269 6.84	6.21	6.21	-0.43
Freeport McMo*FCX	31429 80.29	75.76	75.96	-2.88
Goldcorp* GG	31166 40.44	37.42	37.51	-2.57
Silverado* SLGLF	27746 0.01	0.01	0.01	0.00
Newmont Mng* NEM	27512 51.98	47.50	47.63	-3.94
Silver Wheatn* SLW	23724 15.95	14.57	14.63	-0.99
Potash C Sask* POT	22536 119.80	111.26	111.84	-4.72
Kinross Gold* KGC	22248 19.24	17.89	17.93	-1.24

U.S. greatest percentage change
		VOLUME		WEEK
		(000s)	HIGH	LOW	CLOSE	CHANGE
Quaterra Res*	QMM	138	1.68	1.31	1.57	+ 15.4
Elray Res*	ELRA	142	0.26	0.20	0.25	+ 13.6
L&L Intl Hldg*	LLFH	982	6.45	5.31	6.05	+ 11.2
DRDGOLD*	DROOY	1384	6.85	5.43	6.11	+ 11.0
US Energy*	USEG	3212	5.78	5.17	5.48	+ 8.7
Crystallex In*	KRY	3398	0.42	0.34	0.39	+ 8.3
Exeter Res*	XRA	659	7.48	6.48	7.00	+ 8.0
Legend Intl H*	LGDI	1573	1.21	1.04	1.12	+ 7.6
Constittn Mng*	CMIN	2108	1.76	1.62	1.75	+ 6.7
Alpha Nat Res*	ANR	12604	43.59	40.31	43.38	+ 6.3
Canarc Res*	CRCUF	426	0.13	0.10	0.10	-28.5
Dejour Enterp*	DEJ	245	0.42	0.28	0.28	-26.3
Samex Mng*	SMXMF	510	0.38	0.30	0.31	-16.2
Radius Gold*	RDUFF	38	0.18	0.16	0.16	-15.7
Linux Gold*	LNXGF	372	0.07	0.06	0.06	-14.2
Pediment Gold*	PEZGF	337	1.38	1.16	1.20	-13.0
Seabridge Gld*	SA	1146	25.38	22.16	22.16	-12.2
Aurizon Mines*	AZK	4970	4.93	4.29	4.32	-11.2
Geovic Mng*	GVCM	237	0.64	0.57	0.57	-10.9
Agnico-Eagle*	AEM	16991	61.30	53.76	53.99	-10.4

U.S. greatest value change
WEEK
	VOLUME	CLOSE	CHANGE
Alpha Nat Res* ANR	12603670	43.38	+ 2.57
CONSOL Energy* CNX	6841936	46.07	+ 1.02
Peabody Enrgy* BTU	15415461	44.11	+ 0.96
DRDGOLD* DROOY	1384345	6.11	+ 0.61
L&L Intl Hldg* LLFH	981744	6.05	+ 0.61
Exeter Res* XRA	658700	7.00	+ 0.52
US Energy* USEG	3212432	5.48	+ 0.44
Cabot Corp* CBT	1554061	25.98	+ 0.39
Corriente Rs* ETQ	818923	6.85	+ 0.27
Westmoreland* WLB	87942	8.26	+ 0.24
Rio Tinto* RTP	2457140	202.60	-7.33
Agnico-Eagle* AEM	16991318	53.99	-6.32
Randgold Res* GOLD	4635929	77.79	-4.82
Potash C Sask* POT	22535894	111.84	-4.72
Newmont Mng* NEM	27511791	47.63	-3.94
Royal Gold* RGLD	1967418	47.00	-3.79
Seabridge Gld* SA	1146127	22.16	-3.09
Mosaic* MOS	17231356	56.03	-2.95
Freeport McMo* FCX	31429247	75.96	-2.88
BHP Billi-BHP* BHP	7994159	72.30	-2.85