Interesting data from GVZ, volatility index for the GLD etf: it set new lifetime lows over the past two weeks as follows:
02/08/2011 15.61
02/10/2011 15.49
02/15/2011 15.23
02/16/2011 15.13
History only goes back to 2008 on this, so these are basically multi-year lows in gold's volatility.
With all that's going on, I'm taking a relatively agnostic view of what's next. My net deltas are presently short, but my risk profile is a smile: any movement of more than a couple of percent on either side will make me increasing amounts of money on that side, whether long or short. Basically, it's a complex strangle.
This is all set and ready for a huge breakout to one side or the other. While I'm leaning towards thinking it might be down, I'm not putting all my eggs in that basket, not with this market at the quietest it's been in years.