RTRS: COMMODITIES-Gold jumps on weak U.S. jobs data; Brent oil rises
By Barani Krishnan
NEW YORK, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Gold surged on Tuesday after
weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs creation in September boosted the
precious metal's safe haven edge, while the dollar's sharp fall
against the euro lifted other commodities priced in the U.S.
currency.
Geopolitical and supply-demand concerns pushed some markets
higher. Benchmark Brent crude oil out of Europe rose to above
$110 a barrel after news of a deterioration in relations between
the United States and key OPEC oil producer Saudi Arabia.
U.S. crude prices, however, fell after higher inventories of
oil reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
That drop weighed on the Thomson Reuters/CoreCommodity CRB
index, which counts on U.S. crude as its main
component.
By 11:15 a.m. EDT (1515 GMT), the CRB was slightly lower
despite some sharp gains in several markets it tracked.
Nickel and silver led the CRB's advance,
rising more than 2 percent each. Cocoa, copper,
lean hogs, aluminium and gold all rose about 1
percent or more.
Gold's most active futures contract on New York's
COMEX was up 2 percent at above $1,342 an ounce, after surging
to a three-week high of $1,344.70.
Gold rallied while the dollar fell to its lowest in nearly
two years against the euro after the soft U.S. jobs data for
September raised expectations that the Federal Reserve will have
to stimulate the economy at the current pace into 2014.
U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose by 148,000 last month, the Labor
Department said, well below the 180,000 forecast in a Reuters
poll. The data raised worries that the world's largest economy
had lost momentum even before a government shutdown this month.
"We were not even close to the 180,000 number ... the main
takeaway is that Fed tapering is still a long way away, probably
not for this year and that's the reason why everything shot up -
equities, commodities and gold in particular," said Robin Bhar,
a metals analyst with Societe Generale in London.
"The next 24 hours are crucial because on what we have just
seen, gold should hold and even move higher if the dollar
weakens."
The spot price of bullion traded at above $1,341 an
ounce after touching a session high at $1,344.46.
Oil's benchmark Brent crude jumped after a source close to
Saudi policy said Riyadh would make a "major shift" in dealings
with the United States in protest at Washington's perceived
inaction over the Syria war and its overtures to Iran.
The planned change in ties between the energy superpower and
its traditional U.S. ally would have wide-ranging consequences,
including on arms purchases and oil sales, the source said.
Benchmark Brent crude oil out of Europe's North Sea
edged higher at above $109 a barrel, after a session peak at
$110.94. U.S. crude fell 0.9 percent to below $99 a
barrel.