Gold steadied on Friday as equity markets turned negative after non-farm payrolls data showed the US unemployment rate soared to its highest since 1983. The metal was down some 3 percent in earlier trading from its late Wednesday level as risk aversion receded after a trickle of better than expected economic data and a positively-received statement from the G20 leaders summit.
However the March payrolls data and fresh weakness in stock markets is turning attention back to gold. Employers slashed 663,000 US jobs in March and cut workers hours to the lowest on record, the numbers showed. Spot gold was quoted at $898.80/900.80 an ounce at 1530 GMT from $903.15 late in New York on Thursday, having earlier touched a low of $894.90.
"I think there are a number of things that have made people conclude that things are not as bad as they were a month or two ago," said Standard Chartered analyst Daniel Smith. "But I think the optimism is a bit overdone." "For the time being gold is likely to remain under pressure and other markets...will remain quite strong, but I dont think that is supported by the underlying picture," he said.
"Things are not accelerating downwards as they were but that does not mean we are moving back towards boom times." "Recent (economic) data has not been better, but it has been better than expected, so now people are talking about a slowdown of a slowdown," Commerzbank analyst Eugen Weinberg said.
"For quite some time people were too positive for gold, so it is not surprising we are under pressure." On the foreign exchange markets, the dollar rose against most currencies as the jobs data dulled hopes of a recovery and boosted the US currencys safe haven appeal. Gold is often bought as an alternative investment to the dollar and typically moves in the opposite direction to it.
However, the relationship has been weakened in recent months as both assets benefited from risk aversion. Gold was also pressured by reports the G20 had discussed the sale of 403 tonnes of gold held by the International Monetary Fund, approved last year. Investment bank UBS said it expected the sale to be conducted under the terms of the Central Bank Gold Agreement.
Signatories of the pact, which include the IMF and the European Central Bank, are limited to sales of 500 tonnes of gold a year. "Due to the limited amount of time available before the expiry of the second agreement (in September) and the legislative hurdles that must be cleared, we believe this almost guarantees that a third five-year CBGA will be announced," it said.
Among other precious metals, spot platinum was at $1,141/1,151 an ounce from $1,153.50, while spot palladium was at $216/221 an ounce from $221. Spot silver was at $12.74/12.79 an ounce from $12.90. The worlds largest silver-backed exchange-traded fund, the iShares Silver Trust, said its holdings dipped from a record on Thursday. ETFs, which back up the securities they issue with physical commodities, are a major element of demand.
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