Global gold prices hold firm after second weekly gain

 

Gold edged higher on Monday, with some buyers tempted back to the market after a second week of gains suggested last month's price slide to a more than two-year low has run its course for now.

 

The precious metal rebounded quickly after coming under pressure on Friday from data showing U.S. employment rose more than expected in April, which eased concerns over the U.S. recovery and dampened talk that further monetary easing may be necessary.

 

Gold fell more than $25 an ounce from its highs on Friday, but recovered to end the week higher.

 

Spot gold was up 0.2% at $1,473.66 an ounce at 0915 GMT, while U.S. gold futures for June delivery were up $8.90 an ounce at $1,473.10. Trading is expected to be quiet in Europe, with London closed for a national holiday.

 

"Technically we are in a nice upward channel since the mid April low," Saxo Bank Vice President Ole Hansen said. "This morning we are sitting near the lower end of that channel so any dollar strength may just push it over the edge to the downside, but so far corrections have been pretty shallow."

 

Outflows from bullion-backed exchange-traded products, which have hit record levels in recent months, have also slowed, he said. The world's largest gold-backed ETP, New York's SPDR Gold Trust, reported an outflow of 3.6 tonnes on Friday, against an average 6.6 tonnes in April.

 

"ETP reductions slowed to the lowest in four weeks last week and hedge funds reduced their gross short positions," Hansen said. "All signs are that the market could potentially be gearing up for an attack on 1488 followed by 1525, especially considering the swift way we recovered despite price-negative news on Friday."

 

Strength in the dollar and weakness in stocks capped gains in gold, however. The dollar firmed 0.1% against a basket of currencies after Friday's jobs data reassured investors the U.S. recovery was ongoing.

 

European shares dipped early on Monday as investors took a breather following the previous week's rally to multi-year highs, although further gains were seen on the back of strong support from central banks. 

 

"With the Fed's recent commitment to stand ready to alter the pace of QE, based on employment and inflation expectations, bullion prices are likely to remain highly sensitive to changes in U.S. employment data," HSBC said in a note.

 

 

HEDGE FUNDS BOOST BULLISH BETS

 

Hedge funds and money managers increased their bullish bets in gold futures and options in the week to April 30 as the price of the precious metal rallied 4.5% during the period, a report by the CFTC showed on Friday.

 

Dealers noted higher demand from China, the world's second largest gold consumer, as Shanghai gold futures fetched premiums of more than $10 an ounce to cash gold, making it cheaper to buy the metal from the overseas market.

 

A surge in physical buying in Asia and other parts of the world lifted gold prices from April's low of $1,321.35 an ounce, leading to a shortage of gold bars, coins and nuggets in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo.

 

"Physical demand is... likely to remain firm until the price recovers sufficiently to limit further purchases to more normal levels," NAB said in a note. "However, offsetting risks remain prevalent, with soft inflation in the advanced economies and a shift in demand towards better performing equities likely to weigh on prices."

 

"We expect gold's final resting place at the end of 2013 to be around $1,470 an ounce, which is below levels recorded at the end of last year."

 

Among other precious metals, silver was up 0.1% at $24.11 an ounce, while spot platinum was down 0.2% at $1,493.49 an ounce and spot palladium was down 0.2% at $688.97 an ounce.