Gold set for first weekly fall in five as risk appetite improves

Reuters 

By Eileen Soreng

Spot gold was down 0.7 percent to $1,281.83 per ounce at 1330 GMT, having hit its lowest since Jan. 9 at $1,280.85.

gold futures were down 0.9 percent to $1,281.20.

"Rising risk appetite among market participants is reflected in the rising stock markets," said Daniel Briesemann, adding "today gold just does not seem to be in demand as a safe haven."

"It looks like the $1,300 hurdle seems hard to overcome ... Gold has the potential to cross that mark and to move even higher but not for now."

Global stocks rose to their highest in more than a month after a report suggested progress towards resolving the trade dispute between the and China, while the dollar was supported after Treasury yields rose amid improved risk appetite.

Spot gold is due for a sharp move, as its consolidation within a neutral range of $1,285-$1,299 per ounce is ending, according to

Autocatalyst palladium slipped 0.9 percent to $1,384 per ounce, having hit an all-time high of $1,434.50 on Thursday. The is still on track to rise for a fourth consecutive week.

The price of palladium, used mainly in emissions-reducing catalysts for vehicles, is up nearly 70 percent since a low marked in mid-August. Prices for the overtook gold for the first time in 16 years early in December.

"This is the eighth consecutive year where palladium is going to be in deficit and there are no signs that it is going to go away," said Dominic Schnider, and APAC forex at in Hong Kong.

"The question people need to ask here is how long it would take for the to switch to platinum, which is trading around $800."

Holdings in palladium exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracked by have nearly halved from January last year as people took delivery and sold or gave the metal for lease due to insufficient supplies, analysts said.

In other metals, platinum fell 0.6 percent to $800.50 per ounce, while silver fell 1.03 percent to $15.36.

(Reporting by Eileen Soreng, Additional reporting by in Bengaluru; Editing by Mark Potter)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Fri, January 18 2019. 19:42 IST