Strong dollar pushes bullion metals lower

Prices remain a bit volatile ahead of Fed's interest rate decision

Bullion metal prices ended lower on Wednesday, 23 June 2010 at Comex. A strong dollar pushed prices lower. Also, traders remained a bit cautious ahead of Fed's interest rate decision in US this week.



Generally, a stronger dollar pressures demand for dollar-denominated commodities, such as crude oil and gold, which become more expensive for holders of other currencies and also vice versa. Recently, the embattled euro has played stronger role in moving prices rather than dollar fluctuation. Bullion metals have registered increase in prices despite strong dollar in recent times and vice versa.

On Wednesday, gold for August delivery ended at $1,234.8 an ounce, lower by $6 (0.5%) an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Last Friday, prices rose to a high of $1263.7 during intra day trading. Last week, gold ended higher by 2.3%.

Gold for June delivery had settled above $1,200 in early December 2009, only to pull back to $1,172 area and dip as much as the $1,050 vicinity in early February 2010. Gold ended May higher by 3%. For the month of April, gold ended higher by 6%. For the first quarter of this year, gold rose by 1.7%, its sixth quarterly rise. On a year to date basis, gold is higher by 12.3%.

On Wednesday, July Comex silver futures ended lower by 44 cents (2.3%) at $18.45 an ounce. Last week, silver ended higher by 5.2%. For May, silver shed 1.1%. For the month of April, silver ended higher by 4.1%. For the first quarter of this year, silver rose by 3%. On a year to date basis, silver is higher by 8%.

In the currency market on Wednesday, the dollar index, which measures the strength of the dollar against a basket of six other currencies rose by 0.4%. But the dollar lost steam once bullion metal futures settled.

The Commerce Department reported today a worse-than-expected figure on new-home sales, which plunged a record 33% in May to a record low after a federal subsidy for home buyers expired. As per the report, sales dropped to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 300,000, the lowest since records begin in 1963. Sales in March and April were also revised lower; April's sales pace was 446,000 compared with 504,000 originally reported.

Gold had ended FY 2009 higher by 24%. Silver futures had ended 2009 up 50%. The dollar index had lost 4.2% against its counterparts last year.

Last year, after hitting a low at $807.30 per ounce on 15 January 2009, gold futures rallied almost 51% to hit an all-time high at $1217.40 per ounce during early December of 2009 but fell from those levels at the end. Silver futures had hit a low at $10.42 on 15 January 2009 and hit a high at $19.30 per ounce on 2 December 2009. Like gold, silver also ended lower than its all time high level.

At the MCX, gold prices for August delivery closed higher by Rs 61 (0.32%) at Rs 18,693 per ten grams. Prices rose to a high of Rs 18,744 per 10 grams and fell to a low of Rs 18,586 per 10 grams during the day's trading.

At the MCX, silver prices for July delivery closed Rs 296 (1%) lower at Rs 29,272/Kg. Prices opened at Rs 29,520/kg and fell to a low of Rs 29,125/Kg during the day's trading.