RTRS:PRECIOUS-Gold falls over 1 pct on technicals, Europe worry lingers
* EU summit result disappoints; debt crisis worry stays
* Hong Kong gold flow to China in Oct jumps 51 pct on month
* Coming up: U.S. Federal budget for November; 1900 GMT
By Rujun Shen
SINGAPORE, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Gold prices fell more
than 1 percent on Monday on technical selling and concerns that
the European Union summit had stopped short of producing a
convincing plan to solve the euro zone debt crisis.
The approaching year-end and funding difficulties caused by
financial market turmoil have reduced liquidity in the gold
market, leaving prices prone to volatility. Spot gold prices
fell more than $10 in just two minutes.
Investors remained nervous even after Europe secured a
historic agreement on Friday to draft a new treaty for deeper
economic integration in the euro
zone.
"People are still worried about the economy and euro zone
debt crisis and gold remains under pressure," said Peter Fung,
head of dealing at Wing Fung Precious Metals in Hong Kong.
A stronger greenback also weighed on dollar-priced gold. The
euro slipped in Asia on Monday, and was expected to struggle
going into the year-end.
Spot gold lost as much as 1.7 percent to a two-week
low of $1,681.39 an ounce, and regained some lost ground to
$1,690.65 by 0735 GMT.
The most-active U.S. gold futures contract lost 1.7
percent to $1,688, before recovering to $1,694.70.
Traders said the price move below $1,700 triggered stop-loss
selling.
"On the technicals, we are heading for a triangular
formation. If we move lower, we'll break to the downside and
that is a bad signal," said Dominic Schnider, head of commodity
research at UBS Wealth Management in Singapore.
Gold from Hong Kong to mainland China jumped 51 percent on
the month to a record high of 85.7 tonnes in October, as buyers
took advantage of lower prices.
Silver slid along with industrial metals, losing more than 2
percent under the pressure of technical selling and an uncertain
euro zone economic outlook.
Spot silver fell to a 1-1/2-week low of $31.37 an
ounce, before trimming some losses to $31.51.
U.S. silver dropped 2.5 percent to $31.46, and
recovered to $31.59.
On this week's agenda, bond sales by Italy and Spain will
attract much attention from investors. Yields are likely to rise
again after the European Central Bank last week dashed hopes for
further bond purchases.
Prices of platinum group metals also weakened. Spot
palladium fell 1.5 percent to $673, and spot platinum
lost 0.8 percent to $1,499.75.
Demand for industrial metals will largely hinge on the
growth in China, the world's second-largest economy and top
consumer for many raw materials. Slower growth in China's
exports and imports in November showed fresh evidence of
faltering demand abroad and at home.
Precious metals prices 0735 GMT
Metal Last Change Pct chg YTD pct chg Volume
Spot Gold 1690.65 -19.77 -1.16 19.11
Spot Silver 31.51 -0.70 -2.17 2.11
Spot Platinum 1499.75 -11.67 -0.77 -15.15
Spot Palladium 673.00 -10.50 -1.54 -15.82
COMEX GOLD FEB2 1694.70 -22.10 -1.29 19.23 26732
COMEX SILVER MAR2 31.59 -0.67 -2.07 2.08 3706
Euro/Dollar 1.3320
Dollar/Yen 77.62
TOCOM prices in yen per gram. Spot prices in $ per ounce.
COMEX gold and silver contracts show the most active months