MTS Help Center

Risk appetite was hit after European Union (EU) officials expressed concerns about Italy’s budget plan, which would widen the deficit significantly. The deficit blowout revived fears of the eurozone debt crisis.

However, the debt fears were tempered on reports that Italy will cut its budget deficit at a faster pace than expected.

·       Spot gold was up 0.2 percent at $1,205.66, as of 0505 GMT. Earlier in the session, the bullion touched a one-week high of $1208.31. It gained 1.3 percent on Tuesday in its biggest one-day percentage gain since Aug. 24.

U.S. gold futures climbed 0.2 percent to $1,209.50 an ounce.

·       “Gold has jumped a little bit on populist sentiments from euro zone, Italy deficit concerns, and fall in equities,” said Benjamin Lu, commodities analyst, Phillip Futures.

“Overall, our assessment is it’s a knee-jerk reaction. We are seeing a little bit of selling and buying activities supported by equity markets ... But it’s still a dollar story. Gold prices are still very susceptible to the dollar.”

·       “Shorts are nervous of uncertainty around Italy at least and that may well continue with gold above $1,204-$1,206. It may appear that with this new stress the big shorts are more on the defensive,” said Nicholas Frappell, global general manager, ABC Bullion, Australia.

“I expect with gold above $1,200, that $1,213 is the next target, at the top of the Daily Ichimoku cloud, which should prove resistive.”

·       “Going forward, gold prices are subject to the U.S. dollar and how fast Italy’s concerns will be removed or reduced,” said Argonaut Securities analyst Helen Lau.

·       Among other precious metals, silver rose 0.7 percent to $14.74 an ounce, hovering close to previous session’s $14.90, its highest in more than a month.

Platinum climbed 0.5 percent to $830.80 per ounce and palladium gained 0.2 percent at $1,053.65. 

Gold is trading in a bear trend but has been trapped in a range between 1,180.00 and $1,210.00 a troy ounce for several weeks.

Gold is breaking out towards the higher part of the range as it is trading near 1,200.00. The next target is 1,211.17 (July 19 low).

Since the range has been holding for so many weeks it remains to be seen what happens if the market reaches 1,211.17 resistance.

Main trend:                 Bearish

Short-term trend:        Bullish

Resistance: 1204.10, 1211.17, 1214.30

Support: 1194.30, 1189.49, 1182.90