Markets continued their rapid rise. Since the summer of 2010, Western stock market indices have risen at strong rate, showing remarkable resilience after one of the worst recessions in recent memory.

Commodities have also continued to rise. Gold has continued to reach record highs, then break those highs weeks or months later, breaking through $1,400/oz in December 2010. For most of 2010 oil held steady in the $70-$80 per barrel range, until unrest in some northern African countries, notably Libya which produces 2% of the world’s crude, caused an aggressive spike in the price of oil and drove oil through $100 per barrel. As a result, Saudi Arabia committed to increasing its production to make up for the shortfall, but it hasn’t seemed to relieve high oil prices as there are fears that Saudi Arabia could experience a similar revolt to that of Libya. The world is keeping a close eye on the political situation in Northern Africa as well as the Middle East to determine the risk to world oil supply and the potential for higher food and commodity costs.