Gold firmer following downbeat U.S. data, looming U.S. gov't shutdown

Core Insights - Jim Wyckoff has over 25 years of experience in stock, financial, and commodity markets, including roles as a financial journalist and analyst [1][2] - He has covered all futures markets traded in the U.S. and has worked with various financial news and advisory services [1][2] Company and Industry Summary - Jim Wyckoff operates the "Jim Wyckoff on the Markets" service, which provides analytical, educational, and trading advisory content [2] - He has held positions as a technical analyst for Dow Jones Newswires and as a senior market analyst with TraderPlanet.com [2] - Wyckoff is also a consultant for the "Pro Farmer" agricultural advisory service and was the head equities analyst at CapitalistEdge.com [2] - He studied journalism and economics at Iowa State University, which supports his expertise in market analysis [2] - Daily updates and technical analysis are provided by Wyckoff on Kitco.com, indicating his active engagement in market commentary [3]