Gold steadied on Monday after falling 3 percent last week, supported by scepticism about an economic recovery, but the dollar remained a downside risk.

Geithner sends the dollar on a thrill ride…  A failed UK gilt auction…  China set to recover first…  AUD and NZD rally again… And Now… Today’s Pfennig!

Geithner rescues the stock market…  Commercial real estate, the next big drag…  Norway: the new safe haven…  China pushes for a new reserve currency… And Now… Today’s Pfennig!

Gold rose in Europe on Friday, building on the previous session’s near 3 percent gains, as Wall Street’s slide to 12-year lows curbed appetite for equities and the dollar tumbled ahead of U.S. jobs data later this session.

US$ continues to be propped up…  SEK moves up vs. the US$…  Japanese yen falls….  Gold prices come down … And Now Today’s Pfennig!

World stocks rose on Wednesday from the previous day’s six-year lows after Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke signaled nationalization of big banks was not at hand, while the yen fell across the board.

Gold Bug Ted Peroulakis of Investors Daily Edge suggests that “you should own some gold in your portfolio as an insurance policy…” He recommends this Gold EFT as a safe haven during the global financial crisis, because no matter what happens with the markets, gold will always shine.

It’s clear that 2009 is going to be grim in economic terms. Martin Denholm says investors should stick to sectors that fare better during recessions. The healthcare sector, discount retailers and utilities companies provide essential products and generate repeat business. Martin picks the strongest companies in these “safe haven” sectors.

Given the implicit government guarantees, Eric Roseman says it is likely that investors will soon start to switch from low-yielding Treasury bonds to high-grade corporate debt. The Fed’s balance sheet is now polluted by the toxic debt it has taken on from banks. And demand for Treasuries will not keep pace with the deluge of supply in the coming year. Eric says this could make investment grade corporate debt the new safe haven in bonds in 2009.

US Treasuries are in a bubble, making them ripe for shorting. But that trade is too obvious, says Justice Litle. And the situation is more complex now that the Fed is getting involved. Bernanke & Co could support T-Bills in the medium term, but that will only increase the odds of an epic decline after.