* Gold down on firmer U.S. dollar, below 3-week high
* Coming Up: Redbook weekly U.S. retail sales; 1355 GMT
(Updates prices)
By Lewa Pardomuan
SINGAPORE, Nov 13 (Reuters) – Gold slipped in thin trade on
Tuesday after the euro dropped to a two-month low against the
U.S. dollar and as uncertainty about another tranche of
financial aid for Greece kept investors cautious.
Although the threat of looming U.S. tax increases and
spending cuts could still attract interest in gold, gains would
be capped by a firmer dollar and weakening share prices, which
often prompt investors to sell bullion to cover losses.
Gold fell $2.70 to $1,725.04 an ounce by 0710 GMT,
down from a 3-week high around $1,738 struck on Friday. Despite
the recent fall, gold is still up around 10 percent so far this
year.
“I think there’s some disappointed selling,” said Ronald
Leung, director of Lee Cheong Gold Dealers in Hong Kong,
attributing this to gold’s failure to break through $1,738,
while strength in the dollar also affected the precious metal.
“Physical buying is still minimal at these levels. I think
(people) are still waiting for $1,700 to buy,” said Leung,
referring to jewellers.
U.S. gold futures for December slipped $5.50 an
ounce to $1,725.40.
Cash gold powered to a record of about $1,920 in 2011, when
investors turned to the metal as a safe haven during Europe’s
debt crisis. Volatile trading this year saw a surge to an
11-month high in the third quarter peter out below $1,800.
But Jamie Sokalsky, chief executive of the world’s biggest
producer, Barrick Gold, said prices may hit $2,000 in
2013 as costs and barriers to production restrict supply, while
demand from central banks and Chinese consumers keeps climbing.
At the same time, economic uncertainties and new investment
tools in Asia have driven more investors into gold, boding well
for prices, he told Reuters on the sidelines of a London Bullion
Market Association (LBMA) conference in Hong Kong that ends on
Tuesday.
In other markets, shares ticked lower on worries about a
U.S. fiscal policy standoff, while the euro dropped to
its weakest in two months after the euro zone and the
International Monetary Fund clashed over a target date to shrink
the debt pile.
Amid a global fright over Washington’s political
brinkmanship, U.S. lawmakers return to the capital on Tuesday
with a seven-week deadline to reach agreement on scheduled tax
hikes and budget cuts that threaten to trigger another
recession.
Gold could benefit from the recession fears.
“Whilst the uncertainty around the U.S. presidential
elections came to an end with Obama’s win, the so-called fiscal
cliff is now the omnipresent topic,” precious metals refiner
Heraeus said in a report.
“It describes cutbacks and tax increases in case a budget
for new indebtedness cannot be agreed. Due to the strong
opposition in Congress, difficult negotiations can be expected
and hence new volatility and uncertainty.”
Silver and platinum tracked gold lower, but
palladium rebounded from intraday lows.
Dealers will watch an industry report on Tuesday by platinum
refiner Johnson Matthey to gauge how reduced supply due
to mine labour violence in top producer South Africa might hit
overall output this year.
Holdings of the largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund,
New York’s SPDR Gold Trust, dropped 0.07 percent on Friday from
Thursday, while those of the largest silver-backed ETF, New
York’s iShares Silver Trust rose 0.45 percent over the same
period.
Precious metals prices 0710 GMT
Metal Last Change Pct chg YTD pct chg Volume
Spot Gold 1725.04 -2.70 -0.16 10.31
Spot Silver 32.29 -0.10 -0.31 16.61
Spot Platinum 1557.99 -2.25 -0.14 11.84
Spot Palladium 606.47 1.50 +0.25 -7.05
COMEX GOLD DEC2 1725.40 -5.50 -0.32 10.12 15753
COMEX SILVER DEC2 32.29 -0.23 -0.71 15.67 3059
Euro/Dollar 1.2687
Dollar/Yen 79.25
COMEX gold and silver contracts show the most active months
(Editing by Jeremy Laurence)
