SINGAPORE — Gold slipped for a second session on Wednesday as a modest rebound in equities dented the metal’s safe-haven appeal, while weak physical trade in top buyer Asia also dragged on prices.
Bullion was trading in a narrow $3.52 range, the smallest since late December, as the closure of Chinese markets for the Lunar New Year holiday weighed on volumes. Caution ahead of a key US jobs report on Friday also hurt buying interest.
Spot gold slipped nearly 0.1% to $1,253.61 an ounce by 12.24am GMT, after dropping 0.2% on Tuesday.
Analysts, however, expect gold to gain in the near term as worries persist over global economic growth and capital flight from emerging markets following the US Federal Reserve’s move to taper its stimulus.
"The risk-aversion attitude in the market in quite significant and gold should benefit from that in the short term," Wing Fung Financial Group’s head of research, Mark To, said.
Mr To also said he did not expect US data and earnings to be strong enough to alleviate fears of economic growth.
Gold has gained 4% so far this year after a 28% drop in 2013. Bullion is often considered an alternative investment option to risky assets such as stocks.
Investor sentiment as measured by inflows into gold-backed funds seemed to be optimistic. SPDR Gold Trust, the world’s largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund (ETF), said its holdings rose 3.89 tonnes to 797.05 tonnes on Tuesday. The fund, which saw more than 17-million ounces of gold leave its vaults last year, has not seen any outflows in more than a week.
ETF Securities said on Tuesday its gold exchange-traded products saw inflows of $44m last week — the biggest since August.
Physical demand, however, has been weak as top buyer China is closed for the Lunar New Year holiday. Other parts of Asia were also subdued due to the recent gain in prices and weakness in regional currencies. Spot gold prices have risen in five out of the past six weeks.
A survey by online precious metals market BullionVault showed physical buying among private investors fell for a third consecutive month in January.
The release of US nonfarm payrolls data on Friday could provide a strong cue for price direction.
Spot platinum was holding steady after a sharp slide in the previous session as wage talks between the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and the world’s top-three platinum producers resumed to try to end a nearly two-week long strike.
The strike has halted production on about 40% of global platinum supply.
