Gold and silver spot prices went straight up in a 'flight to quality' on the news from Goldman Sachs that the Fed will have to engage in substantial quantative easing. This analysis received a boost by a much worse than expected existing home sales number, with 3.83 million units sold versus 4.72 million expected.

So the squid threw a rock in the pond ahead of Thursday's precious metals option expiration on the Comex, and caught many traders offsides in what was expected to be the usual 'skin the specs' easy money trade. As the metals market rig starts crumbling look for more players to break ranks and start taking chunks out of the bullion bank elephants for themselves.