Gold News

INTERNATIONAL. Gold traded little changed in Asia amid a gain in the dollar and a drop in global equities ahead of further US economic data.

The Dollar Index, which tracks the greenback against six major trading partners, increased for a third day this week, while global stocks slid as US April retail sales fell 0.4 percent, compared with economists’ expectations for no change. A drop in crude oil also capped bullion’s gains.

“Gold’s a safety mechanism and it’s also an anti-inflation mechanism, so you get two for the price of one,” Joseph Saluzzi, co-head of equity trading at Themis Trading, said in a Bloomberg Television interview.

“Some people will claim there’s no value to it but so what, it does what it’s supposed to do.”

Gold for immediate delivery was at US$924.40 an ounce at 1.52 pm in Singapore. The metal rose to US$930.90 an ounce yesterday, the highest since 1 April. Gold for June delivery in New York was also little changed at US$924.80.

Gold holdings in the SPDR Gold Trust, the biggest exchange-traded fund backed by bullion, increased for the first time since 9 April yesterday to 1,105.62 metric tons, according to figures on the company’s website.

“I walk into the mall I see a lot of people not shopping. I see them walking around with no bags at all, that’s the real test,” said Saluzzi. Gold has “another 10% upside before some profit taking kicks in.”

The Euro declined to the lowest level in almost a week against the US Dollar on speculation European Central Bank officials will today signal they plan to take further unconventional measures to keep down borrowing costs.

Jobless claims in the US are forecast to have risen last week to 610,000 from 601,000 in the week ended 2 May, according to the median projection of 38 economists in a Bloomberg News survey. The US Labour Department will report the numbers today.

Among other precious metals for immediate delivery, silver was little changed at US$13.99 an ounce, platinum fell 0.8% to US$1,107.50 an ounce, and palladium climbed 1.1% to US$223.75 an ounce as of 1.55 pm Singapore time.