Gold, Platinum Jumps as Stimulus Bonanza Stalls Cash Hunt

Gold rebounded on Friday, rising as much as 3.1%, as a wave of fiscal and monetary stimulus by global central banks to counter the economic impact from coronavirus spread halted investors lure for cash.

Spot gold was up 0.7% at $1,480.53 per ounce at 01:34 p.m. EDT. However, bullion has lost more than 3% so far this week. U.S. gold futures settled 0.4% higher to $1,484.6.

“Finally gold starting to stabilize here. As we are seeing monetary stimulus hit the market and it is providing little bit of bounce not just in gold also in equities,” said Edward Moya, a senior market analyst at broker OANDA.

“As we get beyond this initial risk-on day, we probably will start to see gold have a better outlook as the scramble for cash has exhausted and lot more investors remaining confident that it will maintain its safe-haven status.”

Gold has lost more than $200 since surging past $1,700 per ounce last week, mainly due to hunt for cash and to meet margin calls.

Market participants are counting on further policy easing by central banks in the next few days as the U.S. Senate mulls a $1 trillion package that would include direct financial help for Americans.

Several other countries also rolled out measures to stem the economic damage, while the Bank of England cut its key interest rate.

Further helping gold, the dollar index fell 0.4% after hitting a more than three-year high.

“The surprising direct correlation between stock markets and the bullion price is continuing and is being helped by the greenback slowing down after yesterday’s record,” ActivTrades chief analyst Carlo Alberto De Casa said in a note.

“The (gold) price now faces the first key static resistance, which is placed at $1,520. A climb above this level would create space for further rallies.”

Elsewhere, palladium was little changed at $1,652.84 per ounce.

“While the COVID-19 outbreak has so far been relatively muted in South Africa, developments there are worth following,” Bank of America analysts wrote in a note.

“Shuttering operations there would potentially impact 75% and 40% of global platinum and palladium output respectively. All of these disruptions could reduce the supply overhang somewhat.”

Platinum rose 4% to $610.03, but was on track for its biggest ever weekly fall. Silver gained 2.2% to $12.37, but was heading for second straight week of losses.