1) I was not asking for a specific cause, just speculation, as you provided in your answer.
2) I thought Blanchard had made a big deal about how they were leaving the gold-selling business, circa 2000, all but apologizing for having recommended that its customers buy gold for an investment. Has that changed? If so, when did that change?
Apparently Blanchard said what they did because the market wasn't worth it with the current manipulation going on however I don't if this is really true or not. Also a report from a couple of weeks ago is spreading through the more in the know investors known as the Howe/(someone else) report. Ever since then gold has been climbing steadily breaking its previous movement patterns. Venezuela has been cooking for some time with that commie in control their(admires and is supported by Castro) and that is why I believe that this mess is contrived to hurt the U.S. and allow communism to flow with less hindrance than past years here into South America. Iraq doesn't help. Large debt everywhere. Poor sales for the holiday season. Commodities on the rise(the momentum can have its effect). The Asians(see communist Chinese) and Arab states are buyers and could be helping this momentum upward to hurt our economy even further(don’t' rule out the strategic advantages for foreign countries not friendly to us). And I guess the list can go on for some length.
However, all of this and more has finally gotten the wiser investor to take some notice and at least take some risk exposure of their backs for that just in case event. Will be interesting to see if this turns into a panic of sorts.