(Best Syndication News) Gold prices hit a new all-time high as the ratio between the precious metal and platinum nears 1:1 (see futures charts below). Investor appetite for risk increased as equities advanced Monday. Precious Metals Gold is climbing so quick that it could reach parity with platinum within a day or two (see survey #2 settle price chart below). Only $13.8 separates the two metals. Back in March the difference was over $400. December gold on the COMEX climbed 39.70 (+2.14%) to $1,891.90 a troy ounce. October platinum on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) was also higher, jumping $30.80 (+1.64%) to $1,905.70 an ounce. Silver prices on the COMEX jumped 89 cents (+2.10%) to $43.33 an ounce. Metals were higher Monday on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM). Gold prices jumped 2.55 percent; silver jumped 3.28 percent and platinum was up 1.83 percent. Palladium advanced in New York and Asia. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) cut U.S. growth targets for the second half of 2011. This target downgrade, along with possible intervention by the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) to weaken the yen, helped push gold prices higher. Energy Prices Light sweet crude oil (WTI) on the NYMEX for September delivery advanced $2.16 (+2.63%) to $84.42 a barrel. Brent crude on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) was $108.62 a barrel. The ratio between the two crude oil prices tightened slightly. In Asia the price of crude oil advanced slightly but gasoline fell. Agricultural Products Most agricultural prices were higher Monday. The prices for cocoa, corn, cotton, soybeans, and wheat were higher, but sugar fell. Feeder cattle prices were higher, but lean hogs and live cattle were lower. See the survey #1 chart below for more information.

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