SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Gold jumped more than 1 percent on Friday after Germany approved the expansion of the euro zonebailout fund, offering temporary relief to investors, but the precious metal was heading for its worst monthly decline in three years.......
By Lewa Pardomuan
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Gold jumped more than 1 percent on Friday after Germany approved the expansion of the euro zonebailout fund, offering temporary relief to investors, but the precious metal was heading for its worst monthly decline in three years.
With the euro debt crisis unlikely to be resolved any time soon, investors have shifted their attention to Greece, which
demands more far-reaching measures to prevent the crisis that started in Athens from spreading far beyond Europe.
Spot gold added $12.40 an ounce to $1,626.45 an ounce by 0636 GMT. Despite the gain, prices were headed for a monthly fall
of 11 percent, their worst since their October 2008 tumble of 17 percent after the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
"It seems that there are still hurdles ahead before the European debt crisis is resolved," said Ong Yi Ling, an analyst at
Phillip Futures in Singapore.
"By mid-October, Greece will start to run out of money and has to receive the next tranche of aid to avoid bankruptcy. I
think the outlook for the euro zone is still uncertain. The successful German vote provides a temporary bout of optimism
and more decisive policy action is still needed."
Gold rallied to a lifetime high around $1,920 an ounce in early September after the euro fell against the dollar on growing
doubts about Europe's ability to solve its debt crisis.
PHYSICALS BUZZ
Asian stocks fell on Friday, extending the worst monthly performance since the most volatile days of the global financial
crisis in October 2008 as fears of a spiralling European debt crisis caused investors to slash their bets on risky assets
in the September quarter.
The euro gave up modest gains made after Germany approved an expansion of the euro-zone bailout fund, pressured by a wall
of orders from Japanese exporters wrapping up deals for the end of their financial first half.
U.S. gold rose $12.0 an ounce to $1,629.30.
Holdings of the largest gold-backed exchange-traded-fund (ETF), New York's SPDR Gold Trust , fell 0.80 percent, and those
of the largest silver-backed ETF, New York's Shares Silver Trust dipped 0.23 percent from Wednesday to Thursday.
The physical sector saw a buzz of activity in Hong Kong, with jewellers from China stocking up before the Golden Week
holiday next week. Premiums for gold bars were steady at a 7-month high at $3 an ounce.
"Buying interest is still strong and people are rushing to stock up a bit before the holiday in China. We don't have much
stock of gold bars, though," said a dealer in Hong Kong. "There's also Indian buying because of the wedding season."
In top consumer India, retail gold demand traditionally gains pace from the month of August, when the festival and wedding
seasons start, culminating with Diwali, the Hindu festival of light.
Gold jewellery is an essential part of the dowry basket Indian parents give their daughters at weddings.
In other markets, Brent crude rose above $104 a barrel on positive economic news, but prices this quarter remain on track
for their biggest drop in 15 months on concerns that a slowing global economy will undercut fuel demand. [O/R]
London copper dropped more than 2 percent on Friday, heading for its worst month in three years on concerns that a global
economic slowdown will hit demand.
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