Notable ETF Movers of the Day 08/31: XME, GLD, XRT Higher; UNG, EWJ, VXX Lower

• SPDR S&P Metals & Mining (NYSE: XME) up 2.72% to $48.78. Mining shares are rallying in the U.S. markets today, as economic data shows an increase in consumer confidence. The ETF is being led today by Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE: ANR) which is 6.5% higher, and Helca Mining, which is also up about 6% today.
  
  
• SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE: GLD) up 0.78% to $121.87. Ahead of the Labor Day holiday next weekend, investors may be buying into gold as a safe-haven to riskier equities. Prices for gold are up about $8.6/ounce to $1247.8/ounce for December contracts, the most actively traded.
  
  
• SPDR S&P Retail (NYSE: XRT) up 0.80% to $36.31. Retail stocks are higher today, led by Saks Inc. (NYSE: SKS), which is about 20% higher on talks that the company may be on the auction block for $1.7 billion.

• United States Natural Gas (NYSE: UNG) down 1.41% to $6.31. Shares lower as threats to gas production in the Gulf of Mexico have been curbed and cooler seasonal weather is beginning to appear.
  
  
• iShares MSCI Japan Index (NYSE: EWJ) down 0.74% to $9.42. Stocks falling in Japan as the Bank of Japan announced plans to boost low-interest lending, which is an effort to stem the rise of the yen.
  
  
• iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (NYSE: VXX) down 0.81% to $22.00. The CBOE is lower today as consumer confidence came in above expectations, and markets are flattish overall. The DJIA is up about 41 points, Nasdaq is flat at a 0.86 point increase, and the S&P 500 has gained just 3.9 points so far today. All are rebounding from being in the red early.

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