It’s another one of those weird, late-2008 type of days for financial markets as the dollar, treasuries, and gold bullion are about the only things going up. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that, yesterday, the inventory at the popular SPDR Gold Shares ETF (NYSE:GLD) reached a new all-time high as indicated below.

After leveling off in recent weeks at about five or six tonnes above the old highs from last June, a mark that was approached in late-December before falling back again early in the new year, the new total of 1146.5 is now well clear of the old highs with more additions likely to come, given what’s happening in markets today.

Full Disclosure: Long gold coins and GLD at time of writing

Eric Sprott of Sprott Asset Management (who was unsuccessful in buying some of that IMF gold) talks to Maria Bartiromo about China, government spending,  and, of course, the  natural resource markets including the new Sprott Physical Gold Trust (NYSE:PHYS).

The new fund offers a number of intriguing features such as low tax rates and the option for physical delivery but, best of all, the custodian is the Royal Canadian Mint rather than JP Morgan or HSBC. As for stocks in general, he says he’s been “wrong since March of ‘09″ and doesn’t intend to change that view anytime soon.

Full Disclosure: No position in PHYS at time of writing

The popular Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (NYSE:GDXJ) passed the important milestone of $1 billion in assets the other day after just five months of trading – that’s a pretty impressive start.

Launched back in early November, shares were bid higher in advance of the December 2nd high in the gold price at about $1,225 an ounce and, on that day, GDXJ reached a peak at just under $30. It looks to be closing in on that level again as the gold price appears to have broken out of its recent trading range, headed back for a test of last year’s high.

Full Disclosure: Long GDXJ at time of writing.

A new high for the “tonnes in the trust” at the popular SPDR Gold Shares ETF (NYSE:GLD) seemed about as inevitable as Dow 11,000, the former occurring yesterday with the latter likely for today. Yesterday, the GLD ETF added 9.7 tonnes, the biggest one day gain since last September, bringing its total holdings to a record 1140 tonnes.

You may now begin adding comments on such subjects as GLD actually having no gold and this particular ETF being one more grand scheme to defraud the public, but, before you do, you might want to read this commentary by  Adam Hamilton.

Full Disclosure: Long gold coins and GLD at time of writing.

The “tonnes in the trust” at the popular SPDR Gold Shares ETF (NYSE:GLD) rose by another tonne yesterday, the latest in a series of small additions in recent weeks, bringing the total to within three tonnes of the all-time high set last June at 1134 tonnes.

Interestingly, the entire move up last fall in the gold price – from around $950 an ounce to a new record high of over $1,225 an ounce – came as the GLD inventory simply moved back up to its mid-year high. This time around, inventory has been building while prices have consolidated around the $1,100 an ounce level with the action in recent days looking like a big move to the upside could be right around the corner.

Full Disclosure: Long GLD at time of writing.