Gold climbs in Europe

Gold touched its highest in nearly two weeks on Tuesday, supported by a softer dollar and geopolitical tensions in Spain and North Korea, though gains were capped by expectations of another US interest rate increase. Investors were particularly wary on Tuesday as Pyongyang celebrated the founding of its ruling party, a day after Russia and China both called for restraint on North Korea following a Twitter post from US President Donald Trump hinting that military action was on his mind.
In Spain, Catalonia's secessionist leader Carles Puigdemont is due to address the region's parliament in Barcelona around 1600 GMT and could ask the assembly to vote on a unilateral declaration of independence from Madrid. The dollar index ran into some profit-taking but was still in reach of a 10-week high scaled on Friday when surprisingly strong US jobs data enhanced already high expectations that the Fed would raise rates in December.
"The Fed is going to raise rates, so we see gold breaking out of the (current) range down to the $1,250 level, with geopolitical tensions supporting the downside," said Societe Generale analyst Robin Bhar. Spot gold was up 0.7 percent at $1,292.40 an ounce by 1425 GMT, having touched its highest since late September at $1,293.40.
US gold futures for December delivery climbed 0.8 percent to $1,295.10. Fed funds futures showed traders were pricing in a nearly 90 percent chance of a December rate increase. Gold is highly sensitive to rising interest rates, which increase the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion. Higher rates also tend to boost the US currency, making dollar-priced gold costlier for non-US investors.
In the wider markets, global shares ground out a record high on Tuesday, capping gains in safe-haven gold. "We still reiterate our view ... that the precious metal will likely remain under pressure over the short term, as we see a firmer dollar, resilient equity markets, rising interest rates and slightly quieter geopolitical conditions all combining to keep serious rallies in check," INTL FCStone said in a note.
In other precious metals, silver rose 1.5 percent to $17.19 an ounce, having touched a two-week high of $17.20. "The gold-silver ratio is trading above the 10-year average, suggesting silver is undervalued," Standard Chartered said in a note. "Silver's supply and demand dynamics are supportive of higher prices in light of stagnating mine output and firming industrial demand. India's silver imports are up almost 60 percent for the year to August while China's are up 45 percent." Platinum was up 2 percent at $929.80 an ounce, having hit its highest in nearly two weeks, while palladium rose 0.5 percent to $934.25.