Their last trump card...

The current circumstances in the precious metals markets are remarkably similar to those on June 27 and 28 of 2013.

1. Gold put down a new low since the 2014 recovery faltered. But the yellow metal is cutting its intraday loss towards the close.
2. Gold is playing it solo: though platinum group metals followed in the plunge, their recovery was swift and Palladium reversed to the positive, while platinum is breaking even by 4 pm and seems to evolve to a positive close.
3. Silver reluctantly follows gold, but never was down more than a couple of cents.

Failure of a rigging scheme (?)

The majority of traders in precious metals futures probably aren't the geniuses the outside world takes them for. They do have more and better market information and statistics and consistently apply those sources of information, with the algorithms implemented on their trading platforms. They continue adding to their personal -or their company's- profits until proven wrong.

Nearing the end of a major pull-back ?

Any major trend reversal never comes without any hick-up, questioning the reversal. Throughout the gold-miner bear market we have seen quite a few false recoveries, which were merely decent exit points allowing investors to mitigate their loss. In every occasion worse was to come. The major pull-back we faced in the second half of March is one of those key-events questioning the emerging trend. Anybody doubting the reversal should have sold by mid-March, the believers were and still are offered an opportunity to add to their positions.