🤑 It doesn’t get more affordable. Grab this 60% OFF Black Friday offer before it disappears…CLAIM SALE

PRECIOUS-Gold gains to near 3-week top as weaker yuan hits equities

Published 12/08/2015, 04:36 pm
Updated 12/08/2015, 04:46 pm
© Reuters.  PRECIOUS-Gold gains to near 3-week top as weaker yuan hits equities
XAU/USD
-
XAG/USD
-
PA
-
PL
-

* Asian stocks slide as China allows yuan to fall for 2nd day

* Gold has rebounded over 3 pct from July's multi-year low

* Fed seen on track to hike rates this year (Updates prices)

By Manolo Serapio Jr

MANILA, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Gold gained for a fifth session in a row on Wednesday to trade near a three-week high, benefiting from safe-haven demand as risky assets slid after China's devaluation of the yuan that stoked fears of a currency war.

China's surprise 2 percent devaluation of the yuan on Tuesday, seen as a move to bolster a flagging economy, was condemned by U.S. lawmakers as a grab for an unfair export advantage.

The move hit global equities, prompting some investors to seek safe-haven assets such as gold which has now recovered more than 3 percent from a 5-1/2-year low of $1,077 during a late July rout.

Asian stocks and emerging market currencies tumbled on Wednesday after Beijing allowed the yuan to fall sharply for a second day.

Spot gold was up 0.5 percent at $1,114.40 an ounce by 0623 GMT, after peaking at $1,119 on Tuesday, its highest since July 20.

"The only reason gold may benefit will be purely from a safe-haven perspective," said OCBC Bank analyst Barnabas Gan.

But if China's action indeed spurs a currency war, every currency would depreciate and the dollar's strength continues, said Gan, which would eventually weaken gold.

Gan also said the weaker yuan would make it more expensive for China, the world's top consumer, to import gold, potentially extending weak Chinese demand that has been the case since 2014.

U.S. gold for December delivery gained 0.5 percent to $1,113.10 an ounce.

China's currency devaluation is unlikely to distract the U.S. Federal Reserve from a domestic economy that appears increasingly ready for higher interest rates, according to economists and Fed watchers.

That could limit gold's upside potential. A looming hike in U.S. interest rates had weighed on non-interest yielding bullion.

"We are still looking for a rate hike this year despite all that's happened," said Gan.

Spot silver XAG= dropped 0.4 percent to $15.22 an ounce after hitting a one-month high on Tuesday. Platinum XPT= was steady at $984.70 an ounce, having touched a three-week top overnight and palladium XPD= was also little changed at $601.90.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.