Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE

Gold futures advance on haven appeal amid Greek debt concerns

Gold futures rose on demand for a haven as Greece remained locked in negotiations to secure funding and avoid a default.

Greek government bonds were set for their worst week since the aftermath of the Syriza party's election in January. The nation faces payments of almost 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) next month. Earlier, gold climbed as much as 0.8 percent to $1,207.80 an ounce.

Two Federal Reserve officials have said that a recent run of weak U.S. economic data makes them wary of raising borrowing costs too soon, reinforcing forecasts that the Fed will wait until September to tighten. Higher interest rates damp the appeal of gold, which generally offers returns only through price gains.

"Greece's debt concerns are causing gold to stay right at $1,200, and it's a driving factor of gold staying range-bound for now," Phil Streible, a senior market strategist at RJO Futures in Chicago, said in a telephone interview. "I think the Fed will raise rates in the September meeting."

Gold futures for June delivery climbed 0.4 percent to settle at $1,203.10 at 1:50 p.m. on the Comex in New York. The metal has climbed 5.4 percent from a four-month low of $1,141.60 on March 17.

The cost of living in the United States, excluding fuel and food, rose 0.2 percent in March, signaling that inflation is starting to firm. Some investors buy gold as a hedge against higher consumer prices.

Silver futures for May delivery fell 0.3 percent to $16.229 an ounce. This week, the price fell 0.9 percent, the third straight drop and the longest slump since Nov. 7.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, platinum futures for July delivery climbed 0.7 percent to $1,167.50 an ounce.

Palladium futures for June delivery advanced 0.4 percent to $782.95 an ounce. This week, the price rose 0.9 percent, the third straight gain and the longest rally since July 18.

This year, silver has climbed 4 percent with gold up 1.6 percent. Platinum has dropped 3.5 percent with palladium down 1.9 percent.

In 2015, the dollar has climbed 4.9 percent against a basket of 10 currencies, and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index of equities has increased less than 1 percent.


2 min read

Published

Updated

By Joe Deaux

Source: The Washington Post



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Watch now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world