This morning, after the U.S. Labor Department announced the disappointing non-farm payroll report gold started to surge higher. The catalyst for the rise in gold is the anticipation and speculation of another quantitative easing program by the Federal Reserve. Today, the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE:GLD) are trading higher by more than $5.00 from the pre-market low to $155.49 a share. 

This morning, the United States Gasoline Fund (NYSEARCA:UGA) is once again trading higher. The UGA is climbing by 0.97 cents to $58.09 a share. The move today in the UGA puts it at a new three year high. Gasoline prices at the pump have steadily increased since late December 2011. The average price of regular unleaded gasoline in the United States is now $3.89 a gallon.

In July 2008, WTI crude traded as high as $147.00 a barrel. This high price of crude at that time was straw that broke the camels back. Many traders and investors believe that the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers was the catalyst for the 2008 stock market crash, however, the high energy prices really started that sharp decline in the economy.

While the cheerleaders on the cable financial news networks are shaking their pom-poms and jumping out of their seats about the recent stock market rally oil prices have surged higher over the past month. The price of WTI crude futures (CL) has soared higher by nearly $20.00 since the October 4, 2011 low when oil was trading at $74.95 a barrel. Can the U.S.