Notable ETF Movers of the Day 04/08: (GDX) (EWJ) (XLE) Higher; (XRT) (TAN) (UUP) (FAA) Lower

• Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSE: GDX) up 2.27 percent to $63.93. Gold hitting record prices all over the place as investor turn to precious metals as a hedge against the impending U.S. government shutdown, global inflation, and European debt concerns. Currencies don't appear to be the safe play here today. The U.S. dollar is weaker as Republicans and Democrats are nearing a deal to prevent a government shutdown, but nothing is confirmed yet. Gold June contracts are $12.4 stronger to $1,471.7 per ounce on the Comex.
  
  
• iShares MSCI Japan Index (NYSE: EWJ) up 2.09 percent to $9.99. Japan's most recent earthquake, at 7.1 magnitude, caused a little bit of a stir yesterday, but investors have since shrugged off the event as nothing major has been reported as a result. Nikkei closed 1.8 percent stronger this morning.
  
  
• Energy Select Sector SPDR (NYSE: XLE) up 0.63 percent to $79.94. Oil on the rise again today, with continued issues in North Africa adding pressure to the market. Reports of Libya's Sarir oil field, it's largest, on fire Friday sent prices higher on possible reduction in supply from the region. Tensions are also increasing in Syria, as protestors and the government clash.

• SPDR S&P Retail (NYSE: XRT) down 0.65 percent to $52.21. Retailers lower today following an overall positive reporting day for the month of March yesterday. The black sheep of the group is Ann Taylor (NYSE: ANN), which is in the green today as Ken Griffin's Citadel fund showed a 5.7 percent stake in the chain, up from its previous stake over 2.74 percent. Ann Taylor is up 1.1 percent today.
  
  
• Guggenheim Solar (NYSE: TAN) down 0.58 percent to $8.53. The ETF being influenced by SunPower (Nasdaq: SPWRA), which received a downgraded from JMP today from Market Outperform to Market Perform, suspending its $30 price target in the process. SunPower is down 0.35 percent at mid-day.
  
  
• PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish (NYSE: UUP) down 0.67 percent to $21.52. As mentioned, the possible shutdown of the U.S. government if agreements can't be reached is putting pressure on the currency.

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