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BULLION METALS OUTLOOK -
GOLD - The price of gold has traded in positive side most of the trading session in last trading week.
Investment demand from hedge funds in the futures market and investors using exchange-traded
products have so far been relatively muted with the Federal Open Market Committee in tightening mode
and universal expectations of a stronger dollar providing a headwind. The resilience seen especially in
the last week, where the dollar strengthened, should provide some additional support but first a key
technical level at 29540 needs to be taken out. Notwithstanding the strong demand for gold and silver
globally, buying activity in the U.S. retail market for physical bullion has fallen noticeably in the wake
of Donald Trump’s election victory. And retail selling in the U.S. has increased. The bullion markets
have entered a new phase. The Significance levels for Precious metal is 29460-29520 is down side and
29780-29930 is Upside on MCX
GOLD CHART-
Chart Details - The Bollinger Bands show price giving support from the Upper band a good test and
I expect price to eventually move back up to the upper band and push even higher into that band to set
up the final rally high. Gold Futures in MCX trading in a sideways range of Rs.29550 to Rs.29780.
Prices could settle around these levels for this week. A strong upside till Rs.29800 to Rs.29900 could
come on a close above Rs.29500 levels. Gold prices trading higher over 6% for the last two months
after a sharp fall from Rs.32000. This medium term rally could continue till said levels as prices holding
firm above Rs.29000.
Monday, 27 February 2017
SILVER - Silver has been the best performer on a relative basis with the XAUXAG ratio at 68.6, down
from 72.4 at the beginning of the year. Hedge funds have been continuous buyers of silver for the past
seven weeks and in the week ending February 14 it led to funds holding a bigger position in silver than
gold. On that basis we see a potential bigger upside to gold in the short term from a positioning
perspective.
Chart Details ;Silver prices hovering around its important resistance at $18. The medium term trend
remains bullish and next upside move could come above $18.2 till $18.5 to $19.Prices closed bullish for
the continuous eighth week and expect the rally to continue for near term. Silver March Futures in MCX
consolidating higher around Rs.42500 to Rs.43000 levels. We can expect fresh sort of buying around
the support of Rs.42500 till Rs.43500 to Rs.44000 levels.
MCX DAILY LEVELS✍
DAILY EXPIRY DATE R4 R3 R2 R1 PP S1 S2 S3 S4
ALUMINIUM 30-DEC-2016 131 129 127 126 125 124 123 121 119
COPPER 28-FEB-2016 411 405 399 396 393 390 387 381 375
CRUDE OIL 19-OCT-2016 3719 3683 3647 3631 3611 3595 3575 3539 3503
GOLD 03-FEB-2016 30008 29870 29732 29678 29594 29540 29456 29318 29180
LEAD 30-DEC-2016 159 156 153 151 150 148 147 144 141
NATURAL GAS 27-DEC-2015 197 193 189 186 185 182 181 177 173
NICKEL 30-DEC-2016 772 754 736 730 718 712 700 682 664
SILVER 03-MARCH-2016 44305 43966 43627 43490 43288 43151 42949 42610 42271
ZINC 30-DEC-2016 199 195 191 190 187 186 183 179 175
MCX WEEKLY LEVELS✍
DAILY EXPIRY DATE R4 R3 R2 R1 PP S1 S2 S3 S4
ALUMINIUM 30-DEC-2016 137 133 129 127 125 123 121 117 113
COPPER 28-FEB-2016 453 434 415 405 396 386 377 358 339
CRUDE OIL 19-OCT-2016 3953 3846 3739 3677 3632 3570 3525 3418 3311
GOLD 03-FEB-2016 31171 30597 30023 29823 29449 29249 28875 28301 27727
LEAD 30-DEC-2016 172 165 158 154 151 147 144 137 130
NATURAL GAS 27-DEC-2015 244 223 202 193 181 172 160 139 118
NICKEL 30-DEC-2016 863 816 769 746 722 699 675 628 581
SILVER 03-MARCH-2016 46094 45084 44074 43714 43064 42704 42054 41044 40034
ZINC 30-DEC-2016 216 207 198 193 189 184 180 171 162
FOREX DAILY LEVELS✍
DAILY EXPIRY DATE R4 R3 R2 R1 PP S1 S2 S3 S4
USDINR 26-OCT2016 69.65 68.98 68.58 68.02 66.92 65.01 64.78 64.13 64.07
EURINR 26-OCT2016 78.54 77.75 72.93 71.03 70.14 69.35 68.36 67.41 66.17
GBPINR 26-OCT2016 88.58 87.25 86.24 83.85 83.56 82.07 79.78 78.11 77.03
JPYINR 26-OCT2016 62.86 60.75 58.84 56.72 55.15 54.08 52.18 51.38 50.78
FOREX WEEKLY LEVELS✍
WEEKLY EXPIRY DATE R4 R3 R2 R1 PP S1 S2 S3 S4
USDINR 26-OCT2016 72.88 71.03 69.05 67.22 66.84 66.07 65.18 64.28 63.67
EURINR 26-OCT2016 80.48 78.41 76.49 74.11 72.94 70.84 68.15 66.94 64.12
GBPINR 26-OCT2016 97.80 95.79 93.77 91.84 89.63 87.10 85.14 82.74 79.75
JPYINR 26-OCT2016 69.44 67.87 65.77 61.96 58.52 56.24 54.85 52.55 50.12
NCDEX DAILY LEVELS✍
DAILY EXPIRY DATE R4 R3 R2 R1 PP S1 S2 S3 S4
SYOREFIDR 20-JAN-2016 667 663 659 657 655 653 651 647 643
SYBEANIDR 20-JAN-2016 3010 2969 2928 2912 2887 2871 2846 2805 2764
RMSEED 20-JAN-2016 3866 3834 3802 3788 3770 3756 3738 3706 3674
JEERAUNJHA 20-JAN-2016 18100 17855 17610 17505 17365 17260 17120 16875 16630
GUARSEED10 20-JAN-2016 3821 3718 3615 3580 3512 3477 3409 3306 3203
TMC 20-APR-2016 7166 7048 6930 6864 6812 6746 6694 6576 6458
NCDEX WEEKLY LEVELS✍
WEEKLY EXPIRY DATE R4 R3 R2 R1 PP S1 S2 S3 S4
SYOREFIDR 20-JAN-2016 757 725 693 674 661 642 629 597 565
SYBEANIDR 20-JAN-2016 3190 3095 3000 2948 2905 2853 2810 2715 2620
RMSEED 20-JAN-2016 3960 3900 3840 3806 3780 3746 3720 3660 3600
JEERAUNJHA 20-JAN-2016 19517 18757 17997 17698 17237 16938 16477 15717 14957
GUARSEED10 20-JAN-2016 4202 3956 3710 3628 3464 3382 3218 2972 2726
TMC 20-APR-2016 7699 7411 7123 6961 6835 6673 6547 6259 5971
MCX - WEEKLY NEWS LETTERS
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES ( BULLION & ENERGY )✍
Gold prices hit three-and-a-half month highs on Friday as hopes for rapid tax reforms under the Trump
administration faded, bolstering demand for the precious metal. Gold for April delivery settled up 0.53%
at $1,258.05 on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, having touched its highest
since November 11 at $1,258.8 earlier. Gold finished the week with gains of 1.56%, notching up its fourth
straight weekly increase. On Thursday U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he wants to see
"very significant" tax reform passed before Congress' August recess, but indicated that much work was
still needed. He also suggested that any steps the Trump administration takes on policy would probably
have a limited impact this year. The remarks dampened expectations for policy changes that investors had
anticipated would spur inflation and drive up U.S. interest rates. Elsewhere in precious metals trading,
silver was at $18.40 a troy ounce late Friday, and ended the week up 2.24%, in its ninth straight weekly
gain. Copper was at $ 2.696 a pound and ended the week down 0.92%, its second straight weekly drop as
concerns over the demand outlook weighed. Platinum ended up 1.89% to $1,031.05 late Friday, hitting its
highest since February 9. In the week ahead, global financial markets will focus on U.S. President Donald
Trump's address to Congress on Tuesday for further details on his promises of tax reform, deregulation
and infrastructure spending. This week is also peppered with a handful of Fed appearances, most
importantly Fed Chair Janet Yellen on Friday. Investors will also be watching a revised reading of fourth-
quarter U.S. growth to gauge the strength of the economy. Private sector survey data from the UK and
euro zone inflation data will also be in focus. Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a
list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets.
Monday, February 27
The U.S. is to release data on durable goods orders and pending home sales.
Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan is to speak at an event in Oklahoma.
Tuesday, February 28
New Zealand is to release trade data and a report on business confidence.
The U.S. is to release revised data on fourth quarter growth and a report on consumer confidence.
San Francisco Fed President John Williams and St. Louis Fed President James Bullard are to speak.
Also Tuesday, President Donald Trump will make his first major address to Congress.
Wednesday, March 1
Australia is to release data on fourth quarter growth.
China is to release official data on manufacturing and service sector activity as well as the Caixin
manufacturing index.
In the euro zone, Germany is to release preliminary inflation data and a report on unemployment change.
The U.K. is to release its manufacturing index and a report on bank lending.
The Bank of Canada is to announce its benchmark interest rate and publish a rate statement which outlines
economic conditions and the factors affecting the monetary policy decision.
The Institute of Supply Management is to report on manufacturing activity.
Dallas Fed head Kaplan and Fed Governor Lael Brainard are scheduled to speak.
Thursday, March 2
Australia is to produce data on building approvals and trade.
The U.K. is to report on construction sector output.
The euro zone is to release preliminary data on inflation.
Canada is to release its monthly report on GDP.
The U.S. is to report on initial jobless claims and Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester is to speak.
Friday, March 3
Japan is to release data on inflation and household spending.
Germany is to publish figures on retail sales.
The U.K. is to report on service sector activity.
The ISM is to report on service sector activity.
Meanwhile, Chicago Fed President Charles Evans, Richmond Fed President Jeffrey Lacker, Fed Governor
Jerome Powell and Fed Vice Chair Stanley Fischer will deliver remarks and Fed Chair Janet Yellen is to
speak at an event in Chicago.
Gold reached its highest in 3-1/2 months on Friday as the dollar fell to a one-week low after the new U.S.
Treasury chief poured cold water on the "Trumpflation trade" that had boosted the greenback this year.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Thursday that any steps U.S. President Donald Trump's
administration takes on policy would probably have only limited impact this year, though he wants to see
tax reform passed by August. comments suggested much work was still needed on the sweeping tax plan
that Mnuchin called his main priority, and which investors had bet would stoke growth and inflation this
year.
"We've got a vacuum of policy, real interest rates going down, the dollar going sideways and geopolitical
(jitters) around the world ... all helping gold. "There is apparently a move of institutional investor money
into gold and there are usually very good reasons for that."
Spot gold XAU= was up 0.6 percent at $1,256.75 an ounce by 2:26 p.m. EST (1926 GMT), having
touched its highest since Nov. 11 at $1,260.10 earlier, zeroing in on the 200-day moving average. It was
on track to finish the week higher for the fourth straight week. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 settled up 0.55
percent at $1,258.30. Tempering gains in bullion, a poll on Friday suggested French presidential candidate
Emmanuel Macron would beat far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who has promised a referendum on
European Union membership. global stock markets fell as investors scaled back bets that Trump's policies
would benefit economic growth. The dollar later pared losses. Holdings of the largest gold-backed
exchange-traded fund, New York's SPDR Gold Trust HLDSPDRGT=XAU , have risen more than 5
percent this month on geopolitical risk. "These dollar-denominated and perceived safe-haven precious
metals have risen during a time when Wall Street has repeatedly hit new all-time highs and despite the
dollar holding near its multi-year highs, " The metals' remarkable performance may suggest that investors
are positioning themselves up for a major risk-off event - such as a collapse in the US stock markets."
Silver XAG= rose 0.8 percent to $ 18.30 per ounce, having touched its highest in 3-1/2-months at $18.40.
Silver has gained about 1.8 percent this week in what could be its ninth straight weekly gain.
Platinum XPT= rose 1.8 percent to $ 1,023.75 per ounce, after hitting its highest since early October at $
1,028.60. Palladium XPD= fell 0.7 percent to $ 767.25.
Gold demand in Asia remained sluggish this week as a price rally on political concerns and dollar
weakness kept buyers on the sidelines.
The yellow metal has gained 1.6 percent this week, hitting its highest in about 3-1/2-months on Friday, as
the dollar softened and uncertainties surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump's policies and elections in
Europe fuelled safe-haven demand. Traders said both retail buyers and jewellers were hesitating to chase
higher prices in India, the world's second-largest consumer of the metal. "The buyers think prices will not
sustain at higher levels," In the local market, gold futures MAUc1 closed at 29,451 rupees per 10 gram on
Thursday, and have risen nearly 10 percent since falling to 26,862 rupees in December 2016, the lowest
since Feb. 2, 2016. Dealers in India were charging a premium of up to $1 an ounce this week over official
domestic prices, compared with a discount of $1 last week. The domestic price includes a 10 percent
import tax. Dealers are charging premiums amid weak demand as they think demand will revive even if
prices sustain at current levels for a week. India's gold imports in January fell 30 percent from a year ago
to $2.04 billion. has gone down due to demonetisation. This has also been helping banks in charging
premiums," said a Mumbai-based bank dealer with a private bank. Smuggled gold avoids import duties
and makes its way on to the so-called "grey market" where it is usually sold to end-users at a discount.
Premiums in China, the world's top consumer, were quoted around $7-$8 over international spot prices
XAU= , compared with $8-$10 last week. "The demand continues to be very soft. There is little bit of
buying as only few people are willing to buy at these levels. "There is good safe-haven buying for
investments, expecting prices to go up due to uncertainties in the United States and Europe." Premiums in
Hong Kong and Singapore were around 90 cents to $1, while prices in Japan were at a discount of 50
cents to $1, unchanged from the previous week. "The selling continues to increase rather than buying due
to firm prices," said a Tokyo-based trader.
Gold prices climbed to three-month highs on Friday, as the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s most recent
policy meeting continued to weigh on the U.S. dollar and as policital uncertainty around the world
boosted demand for safe-haven assets. On the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange,
gold futures for April delivery were up 0.25% at a three-month high of $ 1,254.55. The April contract
ended Thursday’s session 1.47% higher at $1,251.40 an ounce. Futures were likely to find support at $
1,236.1, Thursday’s low and resistance at $ 1,318.60. Late Wednesday, the minutes of the Fed’s January
policy meeting showed that policymakers thought it may be appropriate to raise interest rates again "fairly
soon." However, the minutes also revealed the central bank’s uncertainty over the lack of clarity of the
Trump administration's economic program, dampening demand for the greenback. The dollar was also
weighed by a report by the U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday showing that initial jobless claims
increased by 6,000 to 244,000 last week. Analysts had expected jobless claims to rise by 2,000 to
241,000. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket
of six major currencies, was steady at 100.94, just off Thursday’s three-day low of 100.86. A weaker U.S.
dollar usually supports gold, as it boosts the metal's appeal as an alternative asset and makes dollar-priced
commodities cheaper for holders of other currencies. The precious metal was also supported by ongoing
political uncertainty in Europe and the U.S. Markets were jittery after French centrist Francois Bayrou
said on Wednesday that he was offering an alliance with independent candidate Emmanuel Macron in
May's presidential election. The move could hinder far-right candidate Marine Le Pen's chances of
winning.
Investors were looking ahead to an address by U.S. President Donald Trump to Congress next week for
further clarity on his economic policy. Elsewhere in metals trading, silver futures for March delivery
gained 0.59% to $18.223 a troy ounce, while copper futures for March delivery advanced 0.59% to $2.659
a pound.
Gold prices edged higher during European morning hours on Thursday, as investors digested the latest
Federal Reserve meeting minutes. Comex gold futures rose $ 3.95, or about 0.3%, to $ 1,237.25 a troy
ounce by 3:15AM ET, after losing $ 5.60, or around 0.5%, on Wednesday. Spot gold was steady at $
1,236.70 per ounce. Minutes from the Fed's latest meeting showed policymakers thought it may be
appropriate to raise interest rates again "fairly soon" should jobs and inflation data come in line with
expectations. However, the U.S. central bank gave no firm signal on the timing of its next rate move, with
policymakers noting uncertainty over economic policy under the Donald Trump administration. Fed fund
futures priced in about a 22% chance of a rate hike in March, according to Investing.com’s Fed Rate
Monitor Tool, little changed from before the release of the Fed minutes. Odds of a May increase was seen
at around 54%, while June odds were at 74%.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six
major currencies, was steady at 101.32 in London morning trade, retreating from the prior session's high
of 101.71. Treasury yields were little changed, with the U.S. 10-Year yield around 2.415%. On the data
front, Thursday's calendar features weekly jobless claims at 8:30AM ET and FHFA home prices at 9AM
ET. Market players will also focus on comments from Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who appears on
CNBC's "Squawk Box" at 7AM ET, for further hints on tax reform and fiscal stimulus. Mnuchin on
Wednesday praised the strong dollar as a reflection of confidence in the U.S. economy, telling The Wall
Street Journal in an interview that it was "a good thing" in the long run. Meanwhile, markets were also in
a wait-and-see mode in anticipation of President Donald Trump’s address of a joint session of Congress
on Tuesday next week, at which he is expected to announce tax policies. Also on the Comex, silver
futures for March delivery tacked on 1.2 cents, or about 0.1%, to $17.96 a troy ounce. Meanwhile,
platinum was down 0.3% to $ 999.65, while palladium shed 0.5%, to $765.10 an ounce. Elsewhere in
metals trading, copper futures lost 2.2 cents, or about 0.8%, to $2.711 a pound, despite concerns over
supply disruptions in Chile and Indonesia supported prices. Prices of the red metal rallied to a 20-month
peak of $2.822 last week after strikes at BHP Billiton Chilean Escondida and Freeport McMoran
Indonesian Grasberg mine. Combined, the mines produce roughly 10% of the world's total copper supply.
Gold prices edged lower during European morning hours on Wednesday, as market players looked ahead
to the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting for further hints on the timing and pace of
future rate hikes. U.S. gold futures shed $3.65, or about 0.3%, to $1,235.35 a troy ounce by 3:05AM ET,
after ending Tuesday's session little changed. Spot gold was down 0.1% at $1,234.65 per ounce. The
Federal Reserve will release minutes of its most recent policy meeting on Wednesday at 2:00PM ET. The
U.S. central bank held interest rates steady following its meeting on February 1 and painted a relatively
upbeat picture of the economy, although it gave no firm signal on the timing of its next rate move amid
considerable uncertainty over economic policy under the Donald Trump administration. Besides the Fed
minutes, there are two Fed speakers Wednesday. Fed Governor Jerome Powell speaks at 1:00PM ET in
New York at the Forecasters Club of New York on the economic outlook and policy. Dallas Fed President
Robert Kaplan discusses issues facing the global economy at a Dallas Fed event at 7:05PM ET. On the
data front, Wednesday's calendar features existing home sales at 10AM ET. Fed fund futures priced in
about a 22% chance of a rate hike in March, according to Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool. Odds
of a May increase was seen at around 50%, while June odds were at 73%.
The precious metal is sensitive to moves in U.S. rates, which lift the opportunity cost of holding non-
yielding assets such as bullion, while boosting the dollar in which it is priced. The U.S. dollar index,
which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was up
0.2% to 101.60 in London morning trade, within sight of last week's more than one-month high of 101.75.
Meanwhile, 10-year U.S. government bond yields were steady at 2.443%. Both a strong dollar and higher
interest rates are typically bearish for gold, which is denominated in dollars and struggles to compete with
yield-bearing assets when borrowing costs rise. Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery
dipped 3.3 cents, or 0.2%, to $17.96 a troy ounce.
Gold prices edged lower during European morning hours on Tuesday, amid a rise in the dollar as market
players awaited further hints on the timing of the next U.S. rate hike. Gold for April delivery on the
Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange shed $4.95, or about 0.4%, to $1,234.15 a troy
ounce by 3:10AM ET. There was no settlement in Comex gold prices on Monday, due to the President’s
Day holiday in the U.S. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-
weighted basket of six major currencies, was up 0.35% to 101.27 in early London morning trade, within
sight of last week's more than one-month high of 101.75. Global financial markets will focus on minutes
of the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting this week as well as housing-related data for more clues on
the timing of the next U.S. rate hike. There are also more than a few Fed speakers in the coming days,
including Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari, Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker and
Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart. Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester said on
Monday she would be "comfortable" raising interest rates at this point if the economy maintained its
current pace of performance. Fed Chair Janet Yellen said last week that the U.S. central bank will likely
need to raise interest rates at an upcoming meeting, although she flagged considerable uncertainty over
economic policy under the Donald Trump administration. Fed fund futures priced in about a 20% chance
of a rate hike in March, according to Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool. Odds of a June increase was
seen at around 70%. Headlines from Washington will most likely remain in focus in the week ahead, as
traders await further details on President Donald Trump's promises of tax reform, deregulation and
infrastructure spending. Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery dipped 8.7 cents, or 0.5%,
to $17.94 a troy ounce.
Gold prices edged lower during European morning hours on Monday, as market players awaited further
hints on the timing of the next U.S. rate hike. Gold for April delivery on the Comex division of the New
York Mercantile Exchange shed $3.35, or about 0.3%, to $1,235.75 a troy ounce by 3:15AM ET. Trading
activity was likely to stay light as markets in the U.S. remain closed for President’s Day on Monday.
Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester said in a speech in Singapore on Monday she would
be "comfortable" raising interest rates at this point if the economy maintained its current pace of
performance. Fed Chair Janet Yellen said last week that the U.S. central bank will likely need to raise
interest rates at an upcoming meeting, although she flagged considerable uncertainty over economic
policy under the Donald Trump administration. Global financial markets will focus on Wednesday’s
minutes of the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting in the week ahead for more clues on the timing of
the next U.S. rate hike.
Market players will also keep an eye out on U.S. housing data to gauge if a recent increase in consumer
spending and inflation is translating into higher home prices and a pick-up in home sales. There are also a
handful of Fed speakers this week, with Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari and Philadelphia Fed
President Patrick Harker due to speak Tuesday, while Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart is scheduled
for Thursday. Fed fund futures priced in a less than 20% chance of a rate hike in March, according to
Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool. Odds of a June increase was seen at around 70%. Headlines from
Washington will most likely remain in focus in the week ahead, as traders await further details on
President Donald Trump's promises of tax reform, deregulation and infrastructure spending. The dollar
index was little changed at 100.86 in early London morning trade. Upbeat U.S. inflation and retail sales
data last week sent this index to 101.75, its strongest level since January 12. Also on the Comex, silver
futures for March delivery dipped 5.7 cents, or 0.3%, to $17.97 a troy ounce.
Meanwhile, platinum was flat at $1,005.80, while palladium slumped 0.6%, to $774.83 an ounce.
Elsewhere in metals trading, copper futures rose 1.7 cents, or about 0.7%, to $2.724 a pound, as concerns
over supply disruptions in Chile and Indonesia supported prices. Prices of the red metal rallied to a 20-
month peak of $2.822 last week after strikes at BHP Billiton Chilean Escondida and Freeport-McMoran
Indonesian Grasberg mine.
Gold prices fell on Friday as the stronger dollar outweighed concerns about uncertainty surrounding U.S.
policy and upcoming elections in Europe. Gold for February delivery settled down 0.46% at $ 1,235.85 on
the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the
greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, rose 0.44% to 100.89 late
Friday, reversing Thursday’s 0.72% drop and leaving it up 0.16% for the week. A strong dollar is
typically bearish for gold, which is denominated in dollars and struggles to compete with yield-bearing
assets when borrowing costs rise. The precious metal still notched up a weekly gain of 0.35% as
uncertainty over the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump spurred safe haven demand for bullion.
Elsewhere in precious metals trading, silver was at $ 17.97 a troy ounce late Friday, and ended the week
with gains of 0.25%. Copper was down 0.39% at $2.708 a pound and ended the week down 2.55% amid
profit taking, but prices looked set to remain supported amid concerns over supply disruptions. A strike at
BHP Billiton Escondida in Chile, the world's largest copper mine, has boosted sentiment as has an output
halt at Freeport-McMoRan's giant Grasberg mine in Indonesia. Platinum was down 0.92% at $1,006.35
late Friday, while palladium fell 2.0% to $777.42. The metal, used in emission-controlling catalytic
converters for the automotive industry, touched its highest level since January 24 at $ 795.85 during the
previous session and has gained almost 14% so far this year. In the holiday shortened week ahead, the Fed
is to publish the minutes of its February meeting on Wednesday, which will be scrutinized for clues on the
timing of the next rate hike. Investors will be looking to U.S. housing data in order to see whether the rise
in consumer spending and inflation is translating into higher house prices and a pick-up in home sales.
Markets will also be watching survey data on private sector activity in the euro zone on Tuesday. Ahead
of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect
the markets.
Gold ended slightly higher on Friday, after the latest U.S. jobs report showing weak wage growth last
month dampened expectations for a faster rate of interest rate hikes this year. Gold for April delivery
settled up 0.2% at $ 1,221.85 on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The Labor
Department said the U.S. economy added 227,000 jobs in January from the prior month, while the
unemployment rate ticked up to 4.8% from 4.7% in December, as more Americans joined the workforce.
But average hourly earnings rose 2.5% in January from a year earlier, slowing from 2.8% in December.
The slowdown in wage growth prompted speculation that the Fed will avoid hiking interest rates too
quickly. In its latest monetary policy statement on Wednesday the Fed stuck to its view that the economy
is strengthening, but gave no clear signal on the timing of its next rate hike as officials wait to assess the
possible economic impact of the Trump administration’s protectionist policies and recent remarks about
currencies. The precious metal was 2.14% higher for the week, as the dollar remained under pressure
amid concerns over Donald Trump's presidential style and a lack of clarity on rate hikes. Both a strong
dollar and higher interest rates are typically bearish for gold, which is denominated in dollars and
struggles to compete with yield-bearing assets when borrowing costs rise. Elsewhere in precious metals
trading, silver was at $17.51 a troy ounce late Friday and ended the week with gains of 1.7%. Copper was
trading at $2.61 a pound late Friday and ended the week down 2.86%, and platinum was up 0.73% on the
day at $1,006.85 an ounce. In the coming week, China is to release data on service sector activity and
trade, while a report on German factory orders will be in focus in the euro zone. The U.S. is to release
monthly trade figures in what will be a thin week for economic data.
Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely
to affect the markets.
Monday, February 6
Australia is to release data on retail sales.
China is to publish its Caixin services PMI.
In the euro zone, Germany is to report on factory orders.
Tuesday, February 7
The Reserve Bank of Australia is to announce its benchmark interest rate and publish a rate statement
which outlines economic conditions and the factors affecting the monetary policy decision.
New Zealand is to release a report on inflation expectations.
The UK is to publish a report on house price inflation.
Canada is to release reports on trade, building permits and business activity.
The U.S. is also to release its latest trade figures.
Wednesday, February 8
The European Commission is to release its latest economic forecasts for the European Union.
Thursday, February 9
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is to announce its benchmark interest rate and hold a press conference
to discuss the monetary policy decision.
Australia is to release a report on business confidence.
Canada is to report on new house price inflation.
The U.S. is to publish data on initial jobless claims and Chicago Fed President Charles Evans is to speak.
Friday, February 10
The RBA is to publish its monetary policy statement.
China is to release trade figures.
The UK is to produce reports on manufacturing production and trade.
Canada is to publish its monthly employment report.
The U.S. is to round up the week with preliminary figures on consumer sentiment.
Gold was little changed on Friday, erasing earlier losses as the dollar came under pressure from a U.S.
payrolls report that flagged up weak wage growth last month, weakening the case for near-term interest
rate hikes. While U.S. job growth surged more than expected in January as construction firms and retailers
ramped up hiring, wages barely rose. gold XAU= was unchanged at $1,215.75 an ounce by 2:25 p.m. EST
(1925 GMT), off an earlier low of $1,207.10. U.S. gold futures GCv1 for April delivery settled up 0.1
percent at $1,220.80 per ounce. "Markets seem to be looking at the soft wage data, which signal rather
weak inflationary pressure, and therefore less need for the Fed to raise interest rates, report. The U.S.
dollar .DXY and 10-year U.S. Treasury yields US10YT=RR were little changed, having come off session
highs.
Gold is on track to rise around 2 percent this week as the dollar headed for a fourth weekly drop on
worries about Donald Trump's presidential style and a lack of clarity on rate hikes. The yellow metal is
highly sensitive to rising U.S. interest rates, which increase the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding
bullion while boosting the dollar, in which it is priced. Holdings of the world's largest gold-backed
exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Shares GLD , rose for a second day on Thursday by 1.5 tonnes to
811.22 tonnes. A bounce in investment to a four-year high drove a modest gain in gold demand last year,
data from the World Gold Council showed on Friday, even as use of the metal in jewelry slid to its lowest
since 2009 and coin and bar buying slid. inflows were the sole driver of demand growth in 2016 - we saw
the second highest inflows since 2009. "Technical analysis still look bullish for the white metal, But the
lack of liquidity and concerns that China, due to its pollution problem, may direct the auto sector towards
electric vehicles looms in the shadows." Silver XAG= was down 0.2 percent at $17.40, having reached its
highest in more than 11 weeks at $17.73 in the previous session.
A bounce in investment to a four-year high drove a modest gain in gold demand last year, data from the
World Gold Council showed on Friday, even as use of the metal in jewellery slid to its lowest since 2009
and coin and bar buying dipped. Global demand for physical gold in the form of jewellery, coins and bars
fell 9 percent as higher prices and import curbs hurt demand, particularly in the major Chinese and Indian
markets. Central banks also bought a third less gold. However a surge in investment in gold-backed
exchange-traded funds offset that to lift overall gold demand by 2 percent to 4,309 tonnes, its highest
since 2013. "There are three primary factors that fuelled strong inflows into ETFs -- we had the spread of
negative interest rates, then the steady pushback in expectations surrounding U.S. interest rate (hikes), and
the uncertainty stemming from geopolitical risk. "Investment as a whole posted its best year since 2012,
but elsewhere demand was subdued."
ETF buying saw its strongest quarter on record in the first three months of last year, with 342.3 tonnes
added to funds, chiefly in the United States and Europe. That tailed off later in the year, however, with
outflows of 193.1 tonnes seen in the fourth quarter. Investment in coins and bars fell 2 percent. Britain,
where the pound fell after the June vote to leave the European Union, was a bright spot, with demand
rising 28 percent to 10.9 tonnes. Global jewellery demand, the single biggest demand segment for gold,
fell 15 percent to 2,042 tonnes.
Indian consumer demand fell 21 percent last year to 675.5 tonnes, its lowest since 2009, as prices rose and
import curbs were introduced. The WGC sees it remaining close to this level this year, at 650-750 tonnes.
Demand in number one consumer China is expected to improve to 950-1,000 tonnes, after it fell 7 percent
last year to 913.6 tonnes, its weakest since 2012. Central bank demand was in positive territory for a
seventh straight year, but was at its lowest since 2010 at 383.6 tonnes.
"If you look at gold as a percentage of FX reserves, the twin effects of FX reserves coming down and the
gold price rising has boosted gold as a reserve asset across central banks around the world," Hewitt said.
"That has been another factor that weighs on reserve managers' minds."
Demand for gold in India rose this week as many jewellers resumed purchases after having stayed away
for a few weeks hoping for an import duty cut in the government budget.
On Wednesday, the Indian government presented its budget for the 2017/18 financial year, but did not
change the import duty on gold. bullion industry had been urging a reduction in the duty to combat
smuggling, which has increased since India raised import duty to 10 percent in August 2013 in an effort to
narrow a gaping current account deficit. "Since there is clarity on duty structure now, jewellers have
started buying. Even at higher levels, they are making purchases.The local market, gold prices MAUc1
were trading around 28,900 rupees per 10 grams on Friday. In December, prices had hit 26,862 rupees per
10 grams, their lowest since Feb. 2, 2016. "Supply in the local market is limited as banks curtailed import
last week. That's why now they could charge a premium despite the price rise. Dealers in India, the
world's second-largest consumer of the metal, were charging a premium of up to $ 2 an ounce this week
over official domestic prices, unchanged from last week. The domestic price includes a 10 percent import
tax.
Gold demand in India will be muted this year after dropping to multi-year lows in 2016, with trading
dented as the government pushes to make markets for the metal more transparent and brings in a new tax,
the World Gold Council said on Friday. in Asia, demand remained subdued with Chinese markets shut for
the week-long Lunar New Year holidays. "The physical demand remained very quiet owing to Chinese
holidays and movements across Asia also remained very weak," a Singapore-based banker said. Premiums
in China, the top-consumer nation, were about $ 6 in the previous week. Meanwhile, premiums in
Singapore and Hong Kong remained unchanged at $1-$1.40 an ounce.
Gold prices moved lower on Friday, as the U.S. dollar recovered from the previous session’s shar losses,
but the precious metal remained within close distance of a two-and-a-half month peak amid ongoing U.S.
political uncertainty and ahead of a key U.S. jobs report.
On the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, gold futures for April delivery were down
0.30% at $1,215.75, not far from Thursday’s two-and-a-half month high of $1,224.20.The April contract
ended Thursday’s session 0.92% higher at $1,219.40 an ounce.
Futures were likely to find support at $1,197.90, Wednesday’s low and resistance at $1,224.20. The
greenback recovered from losses posted after Federal Reserve policymakers said on Wednesday that some
market-based measures of inflation were still low.However, the central bank also said that job creations
remained solid, inflation had increased and economic confidence was rising. The comments came after the
Fed left interest rates unchanged at the end of its two-day policy meeting, in a widely expected move. The
U.S. dollar has also been under pressure in recent weeks due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s
protectionist policies and immigration bans, spurring ongoing uncertainty in global markets. On Thursday,
Trump suggested the possibility of imposing new sanctions on multiple Iranian entities, seeking to
increase pressure on Tehran. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a
trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was steady at 99.88, off Thursday’s two-and-a-half month
trough of 99.19. A stronger U.S. dollar usually weighs on gold, as it dampens the metal's appeal as an
alternative asset and makes dollar-priced commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies.
Market participants were looking ahead to U.S. nonfarm payrolls data, due later in the day, for further
indications on the strength of the jobs market. Earlier Friday, data showed that China’s Caixin
manufacturing purchasing managers’ index ticked down to 51.0 in January from 51.9 the previous month.
Analysts had expected the index to slip to 51.8 last month. The data fueled fresh concerns over a
slowdown in China, which is also the world’s biggest gold consumer. Elsewhere in metals trading, silver
futures for March delivery slid 0.32% to $17.373 a troy ounce, while copper futures for March delivery
tumbled 1.04% to $2.655 a pound.
Gold prices gained in European morning trade on Thursday, rising toward the highest level in about 11
weeks as the U.S. dollar slumped after the Federal Reserve gave no firm signal on the timing of its next
rate hike. Gold for April delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose to a
session peak of $1,219.20 a troy ounce, the most since November 17. It was last at $ 1,216.65 by 3:15AM
ET, up $ 8.15, or around 0.7%, after losing $ 3.10, or about 0.3%, a day earlier.
The Fed held interest rates steady on Wednesday as expected in its first meeting since President Donald
Trump took office. The U.S. central bank painted a relatively upbeat picture of the economy, noting that
job gains remained solid, inflation had increased and economic confidence was rising, although it gave no
firm signal on the timing of its next rate move. The Fed projected at least three rate increases for 2017.
However, traders remained unconvinced. Instead, markets are continuing to price in just two rate hikes
during the course of this year, with the next being in June. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the
greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, fell to a daily low of 99.39, a
level not seen since November 14. It was last at 99.44 in European morning trade, down around 0.3%.
The greenback has been under pressure as concerns about the Trump Administration’s policies rattled
investors. Headlines from Washington will continue to dictate market sentiment as traders focus on
Trump for further details on his promises of tax reform, infrastructure spending and deregulation as well
as trade policies. Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery jumped 18.3 cents, or 1.1%, to $
17.63 a troy ounce, after rising to a more than two-month high of $ 17.66 earlier.
Gold demand in India will be muted this year after dropping to multi-year lows in 2016, with trading
dented as the government pushes to make markets for the metal more transparent and brings in a new tax,
the World Gold Council said on Friday. Lower demand from the world's second biggest consumer could
rein in global prices XAU= that have been trading near their highest in 11 weeks, although it would help
the south Asian country reduce its trade deficit. Gold is a mainstay of Indian culture, serving as the
primary vehicle for household savings for hundreds of millions of people in Asia's third-largest economy.
But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been trying to curb costly bullion imports and stop the metal from
being used to hide billions of dollars of undeclared 'black money'. More than two-thirds of gold is bought
with cash in India. Gold demand in the country fell 21.2 percent in 2016 from the year before to 675.5
tonnes as new rules such as those forcing customers to disclose their tax code for purchases above
200,000 rupees dampened demand. That was the lowest level in seven years. Consumption will likely be
between 650 and 750 tonnes in 2017, with appetite also hit by the introduction of the nationwide Goods
and Services Tax. Indian demand averaged at 845 tonnes over the last 10 years. "We believe many of the
issues are plaguing the industry ... this is not going to change quickly in 2017 and plus other big transition
of GST coming in, it could disrupt trading. report on gold demand and supply for 2016. The GST is
expected to be rolled out from July. said that a reasonable level of GST on gold jewellery could bring
transparency to bullion trading, but that a rate that was too high could encourage bullion smuggling. Gold
smuggling in India has surged since India raised its import duty to 10 percent in August 2013 in an effort
to narrow a gaping current account deficit. In 2016, smugglers brought in 100 to 120 tonnes gold in the
country.
A bounce in investment to a four-year high drove a modest gain in gold demand last year, data from the
World Gold Council showed on Friday, even as use of the metal in jewellery slid to its lowest since 2009
and coin and bar buying dipped. Global demand for physical gold in the form of jewellery, coins and bars
fell 9 percent as higher prices and import curbs hurt demand, particularly in the major Chinese and Indian
markets. Central banks also bought a third less gold. However a surge in investment in gold-backed
exchange-traded funds offset that to lift overall gold demand by 2 percent to 4,309 tonnes, its highest
since 2013. "There are three primary factors that fuelled strong inflows into ETFs -- we had the spread of
negative interest rates, then the steady pushback in expectations surrounding U.S. interest rate hikes, and
the uncertainty stemming from geopolitical risk. "Investment as a whole posted its best year since 2012,
but elsewhere demand was subdued." ETF buying saw its strongest quarter on record in the first three
months of last year, with 342.3 tonnes added to funds, chiefly in the United States and Europe. That tailed
off later in the year, however, with outflows of 193.1 tonnes seen in the fourth quarter. Investment in
coins and bars fell 2 percent. Britain, where the pound fell after the June vote to leave the European
Union, was a bright spot, with demand rising 28 percent to 10.9 tonnes. Global jewellery demand, the
single biggest demand segment for gold, fell 15 percent to 2,042 tonnes. Indian consumer demand fell 21
percent last year to 675.5 tonnes, its lowest since 2009, as prices rose and import curbs were introduced.
The WGC sees it remaining close to this level this year, at 650-750 tonnes. Demand in number one
consumer China is expected to improve to 950-1,000 tonnes, after it fell 7 percent last year to 913.6
tonnes, its weakest since 2012. Central bank demand was in positive territory for a seventh straight year,
but was at its lowest since 2010 at 383.6 tonnes.
"If you look at gold as a percentage of FX reserves, the twin effects of FX reserves coming down and the
gold price rising has boosted gold as a reserve asset across central banks around the world. "That has been
another factor that weighs on reserve managers' minds."
Gold prices were little changed in European morning trade on Wednesday, holding near the prior session's
one-week high as market players looked ahead to the outcome of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting for
further clues on the timing of the next rate hike. Gold for April delivery on the Comex division of the
New York Mercantile Exchange dipped $ 1.00, or around 0.1%, to $1,210.35 a troy ounce by 3:15AM ET
, after rallying $ 15.40, or about 1.3%, a day earlier.
Prices of the yellow metal rose to a one-week high of $1,217.40 on Tuesday. The Fed is expected to keep
interest rates unchanged on Wednesday in its first policy decision since President Donald Trump took
office, as policymakers await greater clarity on his economic policies.
The central bank's latest policy decision is due at 2:00PM ET. Fed Chair Janet Yellen is not due to hold a
press conference. The Fed projected at least three rate increases for 2017. However, traders remained
unconvinced. Instead, markets are pricing in just two rate hikes during the course of this year, according
to Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool. Besides the Fed meeting, there is also ADP payrolls at
8:15AM ET and ISM manufacturing data at 10:00AM ET. In addition, headlines from Washington will
continue to dictate market sentiment as traders focus on Trump for further details on his promises of tax
reform, infrastructure spending and deregulation as well as trade policies. The U.S. dollar index, which
measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was up 0.2% at
99.74 in European morning trade, remaining within sight of the prior session's seven-week low of 99.53.
The greenback tumbled on Tuesday after Peter Navarro, Trump’s top trade adviser, called the euro
"grossly undervalued.” Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery inched down 4.1 cents, or
0.2%, to $17.50 a troy ounce, easing off the previous day's more than two-month high of $17.63.
Meanwhile, platinum tacked on 0.2% to $ 998.45, while palladium climbed around 1% to $761.45 an
ounce. Elsewhere in metals trading, copper futures were little changed at $2.729 a pound. Futures rose to
a one-and-a-half year peak of $2.738 earlier with investors watching developments surrounding a strike
by workers in Chile at the world's largest mine.
Gold prices were higher in European morning trade on Tuesday, adding to the prior session's gains amid
uncertainty over the outlook for U.S policy after President Donald Trump introduced immigration curbs
that sparked criticism at home and abroad. Gold for April delivery on the Comex division of the New
York Mercantile Exchange rose $5.85, or around 0.5%, to $1,201.95 a troy ounce by 3:25AM ET
(08:25GMT), after adding $4.90, or about 0.4%, a day earlier. Market sentiment was bruised after Trump
suspended travel to the United States from Syria, Iraq, Iran and four other Muslim-majority countries on
Friday, saying the moves would help protect Americans from terrorist attacks. The executive order led to
huge protests in many U.S. cities and sparked global backlash, raising worries about the potentially
destabilizing impact of Trump's policies. Adding to concerns, the president fired acting U.S. Attorney
General Sally Yates after she ordered Justice Department lawyers not to enforce the travel restrictions.
Trump named Dana Boente, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to replace Yates, White
House spokesman Sean Spicer said in a tweet. Headlines from Washington will most likely continue to
dictate market sentiment as traders focus on Trump for further details on his promises of tax reform,
infrastructure spending and deregulation as well as trade policies. Meanwhile, traders were also looking
ahead to the Federal Reserve's two-day meeting on monetary policy starting on Tuesday for further clues
on the timing of the next U.S. interest rate hike.
The Fed indicated last month that at least three rate increases were in the offing for 2017. However,
traders remained unconvinced. Instead, markets are pricing in just two rate hikes during the course of this
year, according to Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the
greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was down 0.1% at 100.30 in
European morning trade, pulling back from the prior session's peak of 100.81. Also on the Comex, silver
futures for March delivery inched up 6.6 cents, or 0.4%, to $ 17.21 a troy ounce. Meanwhile, platinum
tacked on 0.2% to $995.30, while palladium climbed around 1.6% to $749.92 an ounce. Elsewhere in
metals trading, copper futures rose 2.3 cents, or 0.9%, to $2.678 a pound.
Gold prices were higher in European morning trade on Monday, starting the week off with gains as the
dollar slumped after immigration curbs introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump heightened concerns
about the impact of the new administration's policies on trade and the economy. Gold futures for April
delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose $ 2.35, or around 0.2%, to $
1,193.45 a troy ounce by 3:00AM ET. Trump on Friday put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into
the U.S. and temporarily barred travelers from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries, saying the
moves would help protect Americans from terrorist attacks. The executive order led to huge protests in
many U.S. cities and raised worries about the potentially destabilizing impact of Trump's policies.
Headlines from Washington will most likely continue to dictate market sentiment this week, as traders
focus on Trump for further details on his promises of tax reform, infrastructure spending and deregulation
as well as trade policies. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-
weighted basket of six major currencies, was down 0.1% at 100.46 in European morning trade. Lackluster
U.S. fourth-quarter growth figures also weighed on the greenback as it dampened expectations for a faster
rate of interest rate hikes this year. The annual rate of economic growth slowed to 1.9% in the three
months to December the Commerce Department reported Friday, slowing sharply from the 3.5% rate of
growth seen in the third quarter. The slowdown in growth prompted speculation that the Federal Reserve
will avoid hiking interest rates too quickly. Gold is highly sensitive to rising U.S. rates, which increase the
opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset. Global financial markets will be busy with central bank
meetings in the week ahead, with policy decisions due in the U.S., U.K. and Japan. Investors will also
keep an eye out on key economic data, with the monthly U.S. employment report and euro zone inflation
data in the spotlight. Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery inched up 5.2 cents, or 0.3%, to
$ 17.18 a troy ounce. Meanwhile, platinum futures tacked on 0.2% to $ 985.25, while palladium futures
shed around 0.9% to $ 732.20 an ounce. Elsewhere in metals trading, copper futures rose 0.6 cents, or
0.2%, to $ 2.694 a pound.
Gold ended little changed on Friday, after weaker-than-expected figures on U.S. fourth quarter growth
dampened expectations for a faster rate of interest rate hikes this year. Gold for April delivery settled at
$1,190.0 on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The precious metal was 1.35% lower for the week, as the stronger U.S. dollar weighed. The annual rate of
economic growth slowed to 1.9% in the three months to December the Commerce Department reported
Friday, slowing sharply from the 3.5% rate of growth seen in the third quarter. The economy grew just
1.6% in 2016 as a whole, the slowest rate of growth since 2011. The slowdown in growth prompted
speculation that the Federal Reserve will avoid hiking interest rates too quickly. Investors also remained
cautious as they pondered the economic implications of President Donald Trump's pledges of increased
fiscal spending, tax cuts and protectionism. Elsewhere in precious metals trading, silver was at $17.16 a
troy ounce late Friday and ended the week little changed. Copper was trading at $2.69 a pound late Friday
and ended the week up 2.86%, and platinum was up 0.69% on the day at $ 988.45 an ounce. In the week
ahead, markets will be paying close attention to Friday’s U.S. nonfarm payrolls report for January as well
as Wednesday’s policy statement by the Fed. Investors will also be watching central bank meetings in
Japan and the UK. Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other
significant events likely to affect the markets.
Monday, January 30
Financial markets in China will be closed for the Lunar New Yearholiday.
In the euro zone, Germany is to release preliminary data on inflation.
The U.S. is to release figures on personal income and spending as well as a report on pending home sales.
Tuesday, January 31
Markets in China will be closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.
The Bank of Japan is to announce its benchmark interest rate and publish a policy statement which
outlines economic conditions and the factors affecting the monetary policy decision. The announcement is
to be followed by a press conference. The euro zone is to release preliminary estimates of consumer price
inflation and fourth quarter GDP.
European Central Bank President Mario Draghi is to speak at an event in Frankfurt.
Canada is to publish its monthly report on GDP.
The U.S. is to release private sector data on consumer confidence.
Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz is to speak at an event in Alberta.
Wednesday, February 1
Markets in China will remain shut for the Lunar New Year holiday.
China is to release survey data on manufacturing and service sector activity.
New Zealand is to publish its quarterly employment report.
The UK is to release data on manufacturing activity.
The European Commission is to publish its latest economic forecasts for the European Union.
The U.S. is to release the ADP nonfarm payrolls report for January and the Institute for Supply
Management is to release its manufacturing PMI.
The Federal Reserve is to announce its benchmark interest rate and publish a monetary policy statement.
Thursday, February 2
Markets in China will remain shut for the Lunar New Year holiday.
Australia is to release data on building approvals and the trade balance.
The UK is to release data on manufacturing activity.
The Bank of England is to announce its benchmark interest rate and publish the minutes of its monetary
policy meeting along with its quarterly inflation report. BoE Governor Mark Carney, along with other
policymakers will also hold a press conference to discuss the inflation report.
ECB President Mario Draghi is to speak at an event in Slovenia.
The U.S. is to publish data on initial jobless claims and labor costs.
Friday, February 3
China is to publish its Caixin manufacturing PMI.
The UK is to release data on manufacturing activity.
Chicago Fed President Charles Evans is to speak.
The U.S. is to round up the week data on factory orders and the non-farm payrolls report for January,
while the ISM is to release its services PMI.
ENERGY
India's state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp ONGC.NS will take control of Hindustan Petroleum Corp
HPCL.NS as part of the government's plan to create an integrated public sector oil entity, the Economic
Times daily reported on Monday citing top government officials. India plans to create a giant oil company
by combining state-owned firms, finance minister Arun Jaitley said in the budget speech earlier this
month as the world's third largest oil consumer looks to better compete with global majors in acquiring
foreign assets. is a very big decision. A cabinet note will soon be moved. The government of India will
transfer its majority shareholding of 51.11 percent in HPCL to ONGC, which will then become the
holding company of HPCL," the paper wrote citing one of the officials.
Brent oil prices edged up on Monday and were set to rise for five out of seven sessions as a global supply
glut appears to ease, but rising U.S. production limited gains. Brent crude LCOc1 was up 0.04 percent at
$56.01 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 was unchanged at $ 53.99 a barrel. Oil prices
tumbled on Friday after U.S. Energy Information Administration data showed U.S. crude inventories rose
for a seventh straight week. But the market has been supported within a tight $ 4 to $ 5 range since
November, when the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers agreed to
cut production. "EIA data showed stocks rose 564,000 barrels to 518.7 million last week. "However, it
was the lowest increase over the past couple of months. If this trend of lower imports and smaller gains in
inventories persists over the coming weeks, it would suggest that the OPEC led production cuts are
starting to have an impact. "OPEC's record compliance with the deal has surprised the market, and the
biggest laggards, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, have pledged to catch up with their targets.
International Energy Agency put OPEC's average compliance at a record 90 percent in January, and based
on a Reuters average of production surveys, it stands at 88 percent.
Saudi Arabia has offered to reduce oil production if rival Iran caps its own output this year, four sources
familiar with the discussions told Reuters, as Riyadh tries to strike an elusive OPEC deal to curtail supply
and boost prices.
Oil futures ended lower on Friday, moving further away from the strongest level since January as
concerns over rising production and swelling stockpiles in the U.S. offset optimism that OPEC and its
allies have been following through on their commitment to cut production.
The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude April contract slumped 46 cents, or around 0.9%, to end at
$53.99 a barrel by close of trade Friday. The U.S. benchmark reached $55.03 on Tuesday, a level not seen
since January 3. Despite Friday's losses, New York-traded oil futures tacked on 13 cents, or almost 0.3%,
on the week. Elsewhere, on the ICE Futures Exchange in London, Brent oil for April delivery shed 59
cents, or about 1.1%, to settle at $55.99 a barrel by close of trade. For the week, London-traded Brent
futures scored a loss of 71 cents, or around 1.3%, the third straight weekly decline. Concerns that the
ongoing rebound in U.S. shale production could derail efforts by other major producers to rebalance
global oil supply and demand pressured crude prices. Data from oilfield services provider Baker Hughes
on Friday revealed that the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil rose by five last week, the sixth
weekly increase in a row. That brought the total count to 602, the most since November 2015. Meanwhile,
the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Thursday that crude supplies rose by 564,000 barrels
last week to yet another all-time high, feeding concerns about a global glut. Oil prices have been trading
in a narrow $5 range around the mid-$50s over the past two months as sentiment in oil markets has been
torn between hopes that oversupply may be curbed by output cuts announced by major global producers
and expectations of a rebound in U.S. shale production. OPEC and non-OPEC countries have made a
strong start to lowering their oil output by almost 1.8 million barrels per day to 32.5 million by the end of
June, with compliance currently at around 90%. OPEC could extend its oil supply-reduction pact with
non-members or even apply deeper cuts from July if global crude inventories fail to drop to a targeted
level, OPEC sources said earlier this month. Elsewhere on Nymex, gasoline futures for March shed 1.3
cents, or about 0.9% to $ 1.514 on Friday. It ended down about 0.2% for the week. March heating oil
slipped 1.6 cents, or 1%, to finish at $1.640 a gallon. For the week, the fuel gained almost 0.3%. Natural
gas futures for April delivery rose 3.8 cents, or almost 1.4%, to $2.834 per million British thermal units. It
posted a weekly loss of around 7%.
In the week ahead, market participants will eye fresh weekly information on U.S. stockpiles of crude and
refined products on Tuesday and Wednesday to gauge the strength of demand in the world’s largest oil
consumer. Meanwhile, traders will also continue to pay close attention to comments from global oil
producers for further evidence that they are complying with their agreement to reduce output this year.
Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely
to affect the markets.
Tuesday, February 28
The American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, is to publish its weekly report on U.S. oil supplies.
Wednesday, March 1
The U.S. Energy Information Administration is to release weekly data on oil and gasoline stockpiles.
Thursday, March 2
The U.S. government is to produce a weekly report on natural gas supplies in storage.
Friday, March 3
Baker Hughes will release weekly data on the U.S. oil rig count.
Oil was lower Friday as the focus turned to U.S. rig count data due out later in the session. Brent crude
was off 50 cents, or 0.88%, at $56.08 at 08:00 ET. U.S. crude fell 41 cents, or 0.75%, to $ 54.04. Oil
earlier had held onto gains after Energy Information Administration official inventory data on Thursday.
The EIA reported a rise in U.S. crude stocks of 564,000 barrels in the latest week, well below a forecast
increase of 3.475 million barrels. The market is looking to Baker Hughes rig count figures to gauge the
level of U.S. shale activity. Increased North American output could work against agreed production cuts
by other major producers. OPEC and non-OPEC producers have agreed cuts of 1.8 million barrels a day
in the first half of the year. Initial compliance levels with the cuts in production have been high.
Oil prices held gains on Friday on data showing U.S. stockpiles rose for a seventh straight week but at a
pace that was well below expectations, and news of oil being sold out of storage in Southeast Asia. U.S.
West Texas Intermediate CLc1 was unchanged at $54.45 a barrel by 0526 GMT, pulling back from early
losses. WTI was on track for a weekly gain of about 2 percent, which would be its biggest so far this year.
Brent crude LCOc1 was up 3 cents at $56.61 and was on track for a weekly gain of about 1.4 percent.
U.S. crude inventories USOILC=ECI rose by 564,000 barrels in the week to Feb. 17, up for a seventh
week, although below analysts' expectations for an increase of 3.5 million barrels, the Energy Information
Administration said. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and producers including
Russia have pledged to cut production by around 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) to tackle a global glut
that has kept prices depressed since 2014.
While OPEC appears to be sticking to its deal, producers that were not part of the deal, particularly U.S.
shale drillers, have increased output, driving the growth in inventories in the United States, the world's
biggest oil consumer. "Current oil prices are neither sustainable for OPEC or the industry, "As such,
inventories will have to fall, which we expect will be clearer in the spring after the seasonal build." Signs
are emerging that this is happening in Asia with traders selling oil held in tankers anchored off Malaysia,
Singapore and Indonesia, Reuters reported on Friday. More than 12 million barrels of oil has been taken
out of storage in tankers berthed off Southeast Asian countries this month, shipping data in Thomson
Reuters Eikon shows. have been benefiting from a market feature known as contango where prices for
later delivery are higher than those for immediate dispatch. But the future premium is falling and future
prices may slip below spot prices, known as backwardation. "Tightening fundamentals will push the crude
market into backwardation in the coming months," BMI Research said in a note. This "will benefit
participants in the paper market but hamper the profits of oil traders who are unable to exploit the cash
and carry arbitrage.
U.S. oil prices fell on Friday after government data released late on Thursday showed stockpiles rose last
week for a seventh straight week, although losses were muted as inventory growth was well below
expectations. U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 fell 13 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $ 54.32 a barrel by 0048
GMT, having closed up 86 cents in the previous session. Brent crude LCOc1 was trading down 13 cents,
or 0.2 percent, at $ 56.45. The contract rose 74 cents in the previous session to settle at $ 56.58. U.S.
crude inventories USOILC=ECI rose by 564,000 barrels in the week to Feb. 17, up for a seventh week,
although below analysts' expectations for an increase of 3.5 million barrels, the Energy Information
Administration said. Gasoline inventories fell far more than expected as refineries cut output, the EIA
said. Crude imports USOICI=ECI , however, slumped 1.4 million barrels per day, while exports rose
185,000 bpd to a record high of 1.2 million bpd, driven in part by surging exports to Asia in the wake of a
deal by many non-U.S. oil producers to cut output. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
and producers including Russia have pledged to cut production by around 1.8 million barrels per day to
tackle a global glut that has kept prices depressed since 2014. On Thursday, sources told Reuters that the
joint OPEC/non-OPEC technical committee reported an 86 percent compliance on the oil cuts in January.
Earlier, sources reported over 90 percent compliance within OPEC. While OPEC appears to be sticking to
its deal, producers that were not part of the deal, particularly U.S. shale drillers, have increased output,
driving the growth in inventories in the United States, the world's biggest oil consumer. "Current oil prices
are neither sustainable for OPEC or the industry," As such, inventories will have to fall, which we expect
will be clearer in the spring after the seasonal build."
Oil was higher Thursday after industry data showed an unexpected fall in U.S. inventories. Brent crude
was up 85 cents, or 1.52%, at $56.69 at 08:00 ET. U.S. crude added 80 cents, or 1.49%, to $54.39.
American Petroleum Institute data Wednesday showed a surprise draw of 884,000 barrels in U.S. crude
stocks in the latest week. Energy Information Administration official inventory figures are due out later
Thursday.
The EIA is forecast to report a rise of 3.475 million barrels in U.S. crude stocks. Sentiment remains
upbeat on a high compliance level with agreed cuts of 1.8 million barrels a day by OPEC and non-OPEC
producers. However, increased North American shale activity could undermine the potential draw in
inventories of the agreed cuts.
U.S. oil futures rose nearly 1 percent on Thursday after data released by an industry group showed a
surprise decline in U.S. crude stocks as imports fell, lending support to the view that a global glut is
ending.
The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude April contract CLc1 added 41 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $54.00 a
barrel at 0011 GMT. Brent crude LCOc1 was yet to trade. It ended 82 cents, or 1.5 percent, lower at
$55.84 a barrel on Wednesday. Crude inventories fell by 884,000 barrels in the week to Feb. 17 to 512.7
million, compared with analysts' expectations for an increase of 3.5 million barrels, data from industry
group the American Petroleum Institute showed on Wednesday. Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma,
delivery hub were down by 1.7 million barrels and U.S. crude imports fell last week by 1.5 million barrels
per day to 7.398 million bpd, according to the API. Refinery crude runs fell by 182,000 bpd, the data
showed, while gasoline stocks dropped by 893,000 barrels, largely in line with analysts' expectations in a
Reuters poll. Official data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration is
scheduled to be released at 11 a.m. EST on Thursday, a day later than normal because of a holiday
Monday.
Oil prices fell more than 1 percent on Wednesday on expectations of another surge in U.S. inventories,
retreating from multi-week highs hit in the previous session after OPEC signalled optimism over its deal
with other producers to curb output. In post-settlement trade, prices pared losses sharply after data from
industry group the American Petroleum Institute showed a surprise drop in U.S. crude stocks last week as
imports slumped. U.S. crude inventories fell 884,000 barrels in the week to Feb. 17, compared with
analysts' expectations for an increase of 3.5 million barrels. Before last week, crude stocks have risen for
six straight weeks. Official data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration
is scheduled at 11 a.m. EST on Thursday, delayed by a holiday on Monday. Brent crude LCOc1 ended 82
cents, or 1.5 percent, lower at $55.84 a barrel, having touched its highest since Feb. 2 at $57.31 in the
previous session. The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude April contract CLc1 , the new front-month
future, settled 74 cents, or 1.4 percent, lower at $53.59.
Both contracts pared losses to trade about 0.8 percent lower in after-hours trade. Despite the swelling
inventories, analysts and traders were largely optimistic about the sustainability of the rally over the last
four sessions. "We've seen a fairly significant increase in crude stocks since the beginning of the year and
yet the market has been able to maintain its relative buoyancy," "I think the underlying sentiment is
bullish ... what's been key to the market is you've seen the tightening of the spreads, especially in the
front." During a near two-year period of oversupply, the contango or time spread between contracts in the
futures markets - when prompt barrels are cheaper than later supplies - deepened. But the contango has
narrowed since the start of the year, when a deal under the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting
Countries' umbrella to cut global output took effect, suggesting that the oversupply could be abating. The
discount of the prompt WTI contract to the second month CLc1-CLc2 tightened to as little as 26 cents per
barrel on Wednesday, its narrowest since Oct. 20. Brent crude's spread LCOc1-LCOc2 came within cents
of flipping into backwardation - when prompt supplies become most expensive compared with later
deliveries - on Tuesday amid optimism over the OPEC deal. On Tuesday, OPEC Secretary General
Mohammad Barkindo said the group and other producers including Russia will boost compliance with
agreed output curbs in a bid to boost prices. non-OPEC oil producers that joined the OPEC deal have
delivered at least 60 percent of promised curbs so far, OPEC sources said on Wednesday, higher than
initially estimated. Sachs reiterated its outlook for a recovery in prices in the second quarter - WTI to rise
to $57.50 and Brent to $59 - before declining respectively to $55 and $57 for the rest of the year.
investment bank said "while the reduction in oil supplies out of core OPEC in the Gulf and Russia has
exceeded our and consensus expectations, the market is starting to doubt that this will be sufficient to
translate into large oil inventory draws by the second quarter."
U.S. oil prices held near seven-week highs on Wednesday after OPEC signaled optimism over its deal
with other producers including Russia to curb production and clear a glut that has weighed on the market
since 2014. The U.S. April crude contract CLc1 , the new front-month future, was up 3 cents at $54.36 a
barrel at 0028 GMT. On Tuesday, the March contract expired up 66 cents, or 1.2 percent, at $54.06, after
peaking at $54.68, the highest since Jan. 3. Brent crude LCOc1 was yet to trade after ending the previous
session at $ 56.66 a barrel, up 48 cents or 0.9 percent. It earlier reached its highest since Feb. 2 at $ 57.31.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers outside the group agreed in
November to cut output by about 1.8 million barrels per day in an effort to drain a glut that has depressed
prices for over two years. Mohammad Barkindo, OPEC secretary general, told an industry conference in
London that January data showed conformity from member countries participating in the output cut had
been above 90 percent. Oil inventories would decline further this year, he added. countries involved
remain resolute in the determination to achieve a higher level of conformity," Russia and the other outside
producers have so far delivered a smaller percentage of cuts, but Barkindo said this would increase. It was
too early to say if the supply cut, which lasts for six months from Jan. 1, would need to be extended or
deepened at the next OPEC meeting in May, he said.
Oil prices rose about 2 percent to near three-week highs on Tuesday after OPEC said it was sticking to its
agreement to cut production and hoped compliance with the deal would be even higher as it expects other
producers join its efforts to curb a global glut. OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo told an
industry conference in London that January data showed conformity from participating OPEC nations
with output curbs had been above 90 percent and oil inventories would decline further this year. "All
countries involved remain resolute in the determination to achieve a higher level of conformity," Barkindo
said. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers outside the group agreed in
November to cut output by about 1.8 million barrels per day in an effort to drain a glut that has depressed
prices for over two years. Barkindo said it was too early to say if the supply cut, which lasts for six
months from Jan. 1, would need to be extended or deepened at the next OPEC meeting in May. "While
Barkindo's statement puts a confident spin on market fundamentals, we'd say questions do remain, given
that Iran seems to be signaling increased production rather than improved compliance," Tim Evans, an
energy futures specialist at Citi Futures said in a note. Under the deal, Iran was allowed to boost output
from its October level and Tehran expects its oil production to reach 4 million barrels per day by mid-
April. crude futures LCOc1 traded at $ 57.08, 90 cents or 1.6 percent higher by 11:17 a.m. EST GMT
after hitting the highest since Feb. 2 at $57.31.
U.S. light crude CLc1 was up $1.07, or 2 percent, at $54.47, after peaking at 54.68, its highest since Jan.
3. Futures for delivery in March were set to expire at the end of the trading session. The more active U.S.
crude futures for April delivery CLJ7 were up 1.9 percent at $ 54.81.
From a technical perspective, the tight consolidation above last year's key broken resistance levels
suggests oil prices have been coiling to break higher. OPEC cuts have spurred a speculative move into
crude oil that has pushed prices towards the top of their recent ranges. Money managers hold the highest
number of net long Brent and U.S. crude futures and options on record, data showed on Monday and
Friday, betting on higher prices to come as OPEC and other key exporters reduce production. "Should
there come a time when these speculative positions decide to unwind, oil prices will be in for a significant
correction. Still, the Relative Strength Index in U.S. crude futures remained at about 58 on Tuesday, well
below the overbought level of 70, Reuters data showed.
Oil was higher Tuesday as investors opted to focus on agreed output cuts by major producers. Brent crude
was up 85 cents, or 1.51%, at $57.03 at 08:00 ET. U.S. crude added 92 cents, or 1.71%, to $54.70.
OPEC and non-OPEC have agreed to cut output by 1.8 million barrels a day in the first half. OPEC
Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo was upbeat about high compliance levels with the cuts.
Observers noted record net long position-taking in oil futures and options. However, the market is also
looking to developments in North American shale activity which could cancel out the agreed cuts.
American Petroleum Institute stockpile data are due out Wednesday. These will be followed Thursday by
official Energy Information Administration inventories.
U.S. crude futures rose for a second day on Tuesday, with data showing hedge funds are betting big across
oil markets following OPEC production cuts agreed last year. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1
was up 23 cents at $ 53.63 a barrel at 0032 GMT. It gained about 29 cents, or 0.5 percent, on Monday,
which was a shortened session due to a U.S. national holiday. Brent futures LCOc1 were yet to trade, after
ending the previous session up 0.7 percent at $ 56.18 a barrel.
Investors now hold more crude futures and options than at any time on record, after members of the
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries committed last year to cut production. Speculators
raised their bets on a rally in Brent oil prices to a record last week, data from the InterContinental
Exchange showed on Monday, mirroring the optimism in the U.S. crude market. Data on Friday showing
net long U.S. crude futures and options positions in the week to Feb. 14 were at a record. "As bullish
positioning by hedge funds continues to push on in unchartered territory, the risk of a swift, sharp
snapback in prices continues to build, Especially given the bearish backdrop of record crude and gasoline
inventories amid lower fuel demand year-on-year," U.S. crude oil and gasoline inventories soared to
record highs last week as refineries cut output and gasoline demand softened, the Energy Information
Administration said last week. The oil market will have to wait until Thursday, a day later than normal,
for the release of this week's official data, due to the holiday on Monday.
Oil prices inched higher on Monday, as investor optimism over the effectiveness of producer cuts
encouraged record bets on a sustained rally, although growing U.S. output and stubbornly high stockpiles
kept price gains in check. Top OPEC exporter Saudi Arabia's crude oil shipments fell in December to
8.014 million barrels per day from 8.258 million bpd in November, official data showed on Monday.
futures LCOc1 ended the session up 0.7 percent at $56.18 a barrel. U.S. futures West Texas Intermediate
crude CLc1 gained about 29 cents or 0.5 percent to $53.69 prior to the close of trade at 1 p.m. EST, an
hour and a half early due to the Presidents Day holiday. Trading volume in Brent averaged about 181,000
lots of 1,000 barrels each, below the average of about 205,000. Volumes in U.S. crude also dipped, with
just over a couple of thousand lots traded, a day ahead of the expiration of WTI futures for delivery in
March. On average, more than 300,000 U.S. crude lots trade in a typical trading session. Prices received a
lift from a weaker dollar .DXY as well. A strong greenback typically makes oil more expensive for
holders of other currencies. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers,
including Russia, agreed last year to cut output by almost 1.8 million bpd during the first half of 2017.
Estimates indicate compliance with the cuts is around 90 percent. Reuters reported last week that OPEC
could extend the pact or apply deeper cuts from July if global crude inventories fail to drop enough. have
certainly taken OPEC members at their word on their commitment to cut production and now hold more
crude futures and options than at any time on record. However, the December Saudi figures may not
reflect the full picture, "Ahead of the agreed production cuts, Saudi Arabia had chosen not to reduce its
output as it normally would have in the winter half year, so as to be able at a later date to make this appear
part of the agreed reduction in production," "Presumably the decrease in production and exports in
December should be seen against this backdrop, and could already have been undertaken to pre-empt the
production cuts due to take force from January." Signs of rising output in the United States have tempered
money managers' appetite to push prices higher. Since the start of the month oil prices have gained around
$ 2. "There is still a general consensus that the OPEC/non-OPEC agreement helps supply to get in line
with demand. This bullish stance is countered by the ever-increasing inventories in the U.S. and rising rig
counts. "Assuming the U.S. oil rig count stays at the current level, we estimate U.S. oil production would
increase by 405,000 bpd between fourth-quarter 2017 and fourth-quarter 2016 across the Permian, Eagle
Ford, Bakken and Niobrara shale plays, "Annual average U.S. production would increase by 130,000 bpd
year over year on average in 2017."
Oil was higher Monday but with gains capped by expectations of higher U.S. supply. Brent crude was up
37 cents, or 0.66%, at $56.18 at 08:00 ET. U.S. crude added 25 cents, or 0.46%, to $ 54.03. Trading
volumes were on the low side due to the U.S. Presidents Day holiday. Baker Hughes weekly figures
Friday showed a rise in the U.S. rig count of six to 597, the highest level since November 2015. Increased
North American shale activity could offset agreed cuts by other major producers.OPEC has estimated an
initial high compliance level with cuts of 1.2 million barrels per day at the start of
BASE METAL’S OUTLOOK :
BASE METAL GUIDE -
Trading Ideas:
ZINC
 Zinc trading range for the day is 187.7-195.3.
 Zinc dropped as funds cut bets on higher prices ahead of minutes from the Federal Reserve's last
meeting and a stronger dollar.
 Europe’s largest zinc producer Nyrstar is considering restarting its idled and for sale Myra Falls zinc-
copper mine in light of improved market conditions
 Zinc daily stocks at Shanghai exchange came down by 2961 tonnes.
COPPER
 Copper trading range for the day is 398.4-407.2.
 Copper traded in the range amid a cooling in China’s property market and supply uncertainties.
 China's home price growth slowed for the fourth straight month as demand cooled further in the
biggest cities, official data showed.
 In Chile government-mediated talks but the two parties did not commit to a schedule of new wage
discussions.
BASE METAL
COPPER ( 27.02.2017 )✍
Even as strikes cripple output at the world's two biggest copper mines, Asia's copper industry is pretty
relaxed, sitting atop metal stockpiles that have grown by nearly two-thirds since the end of January.
Copper inventories tied to China's Shanghai Futures Exchange have surged 61 per cent since the week of
Jan. 20 to 2,77,659 tonnes, the most since May 2016, the latest data shows. Stockpiles held in bonded
warehouses in China have edged above 500,000 tonnes, from around 450,000 tonnes in November,
according to consultants CRU Group. When copper went haywire late Monday evening in London, all but
a few die-hard traders in China were asleep. The European workday was ending and Americans had a
public holiday. For traders still watching their screens, the reason behind whipsawing moves in London
copper was obvious: an algorithmic trading system had gone off the rails, said Guy Wolf, global head of
market analytics at commodities brokerage Marex Spectron Group Ltd. For half an hour, copper
zigzagged by almost $100 on the London Metal Exchange. More than 2,200 contracts traded between 6
p.m. and 6:35 p.m., the most for that time of day since 2012.
Amid sluggish domestic demand and profit-booking by speculators, lead prices softened 0.39 per cent to
Rs 154.65 per kg in futures trade on Tuesday. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, lead for delivery in
March moved down by 60 paise, or 0.39 per cent, to Rs 154.65 per kg in business turnover of 15 lots.
Likewise, the metal for delivery in February contracts shed 45 paise, or 0.29 per cent, to Rs 154.35 per kg
in 389 lots. Analysts said besides sluggish demand from battery makers in the spot market, trimming of
positions by traders to book profits at current levels led to the fall in lead prices at futures trade.
ZINC ( 27.02.2017 )✍
Zinc futures traded 0.28 per cent lower at Rs 192.50 per kg today as speculators trimmed positions amid
subdued demand at the physical markets. Zinc for delivery in current month also fell by 55 paise, or 0.28
per cent, to Rs 192.60 per kg at the Multi Commodity Exchange, clocking a business turnover of 591 lots.
The metal for delivery in March softened by a similar margin to trade at Rs 192.60 per kg in 61 lots.
Analysts said the weakness in zinc at futures trade was mostly due to trimming of positions by speculators
amid a weak trend at the domestic spot markets.
COPPER ( 27.02.2017 )✍
Copper futures traded 0.12 per cent lower at Rs 404.55 per kg as speculators offloaded bets. Furthermore,
subdued demand at domestic spot market pushed down metal prices. At the Multi Commodity Exchange,
copper for delivery in February shed 50 paise, or 0.12 per cent, to Rs 404.55 per kg, in a business turnover
of 1,851 lots. Also, metal for delivery in April was trading down by a similar margin at Rs 408.55 per kg
in 92 lots. Analysts attributed the fall to offloading of positions by participants amids muted demand at the
domestic spot markets.
ZINC ( 27.02.2017 )✍
Zinc prices declined by 0.61 per cent to Rs 186.90 per kg in futures trade today as speculators cut down
their bets, driven by sluggish demand from consuming industries in the spot market. At Multi Commodity
Exchange, zinc for delivery in February month fell by Rs 1.15, or 0.61 per cent, to Rs 186.90 per kg in
business turnover of 297 lots. Similarly, the metal for delivery in March contracts shed Rs 1.05, or 0.56
per cent, to Rs 187.25 per kg in 3 lots. Analysts said offloading of positions by traders owing to slackened
demand from consuming industries in the physical market, mainly led to decline in zinc prices at futures
trade.
NICKEL ( 24.02.2017 )✍
Amid profit-booking by speculators, nickel prices traded lower by 0.66 per cent to Rs 740.80 per kg in
futures trading today. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, nickel for delivery in March month fell by Rs
4.90, or 0.66 per cent, to Rs. 740.80 per kg in business turnover of 16 lots. On similar lines, the metal for
delivery in February contracts was trading lower by Rs 3, or 0.41 per cent, to Rs 736.70 per kg in 406 lots.
Analysts attributed the fall in nickel futures to profit-booking by participants, driven by easing demand
from alloy-makers in the domestic spot market.
COPPER ( 24.02.2017 )✍
Copper prices rose by 0.20 per cent to Rs 401 per kg in futures trade today as speculators built up fresh
positions amid rising demand in domestic spot markets and a firming trend overseas. At the Multi
Commodity Exchange, copper for delivery in current month traded higher by 80 paise, or 0.20 per cent, to
Rs 401 per kg in a business turnover of 205 lots. Metal for delivery in April fell by a similar margin to
trade at RS 404.60 per kg in 14 lots. Analysts attributed the rise in copper futures to a firm trend at the
domestic markets following pick up in demand from consuming industries and strength in metal at the
London Metal Exchange as near-term supply disruptions intensified after Indonesia's Grasberg, the
world's second-largest mine said it could not fulfill its promised shipments due to export permit issues.
Meanwhile, copper rose 0.7 per cent to 6,000 per tonne at the LME.
ZINC ( 24.02.2017 )✍
London zinc prices have nearly doubled over the past 13 months and are closing in on nine-year highs, but
signs of tightening in the global market for refined zinc means the rally may have further to run. Zinc
bulls pushed prices higher after the closure of several giant zinc mines last year led to a steep drop in
global ore supply, setting the stage for a shortage of the metal used to rust-proof steel. There are now
signs that shortage is materialising, with global stocks shrinking and prices for spot metal rising, just as
post-holiday demand picks up in China and a strike at North America's second-largest zinc plant further
cuts supply.
NCDEX - WEEKLY MARKET REVIEW
FUNDAMENTALS –
Refined soya oil prices moved up by 0.22 per cent to Rs 680 per 10 kg in futures trade on Monday as
participants built up fresh positions supported by pick up in demand against restricted supplies from
producing belts. At the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange, refined soya oil for delivery in
February month went up by Rs 1.50, or 0.22 per cent to Rs 680 per 10 kg with an open interest of 54,310
lots. Similarly, the oil for delivery in March contracts edged up by 75 paise, or 0.11 per cent to Rs 665.50
per 10 kg in 25,480 lots. Analysts said fresh positions created by participants on the back of uptick in
demand in the spot market against tight stock position mainly led to rise in refined soya oil prices at
futures trade.
WHEAT✍ ( 27.02.2017 )
Wheat prices edged up by 0.46 per cent to Rs 1,738 per quintal in futures market as speculators built up
fresh positions amid pick up in demand at the spot market. At the National Commodity and Derivatives
Exchange, wheat for delivery in March month was trading higher by Rs 8, or 0.46 per cent, to Rs 1,738
per quintal with an open interest of 3,800 lots. Analysts said fresh positions created by traders amid uptick
in demand from flour mills in the spot market mainly contributed to the rise in wheat prices at futures
trade.
CARDAMOM✍ ( 27.02.2017 )
Cardamom futures fell by 0.93 per cent to Rs 1,470 per kg today as traders trimmed their holdings amid
sluggish spot demand. Besides, adequate stocks position following increased arrivals from producing
regions also fuelled the downtrend. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, cardamom for delivery in April
declined by Rs 13.80, or 0.93 per cent, to Rs 1,470 per kg in a business turnover of 29 lots. The spice for
delivery in March was down by Rs 3.90, or 0.26 per cent, to Rs 1,471 per kg with a trading volume of 57
lots. Analysts said offloading of positions by participants owing to a weak trend at spot market on
subdued demand mainly put pressure on cardamom prices at futures trade.
SUGAR✍ ( 27.02.2017 )
The food ministry has asked sugar mills to pay dues to farmers for 2015-16 and clear amounts pending
for 2016-17 as soon as possible. The ministry has also told millers not to hoard sugar and urged them not
to increase retail prices, a senior official said. The arrears to be paid by mills to sugarcane farmers for the
year ended September 2016 are Rs 334 crore, according to the fair and remunerative price set by the
Central government. Under the state advised price fixed by state governments to protect the interests of
farmers, the dues are Rs 1,206 crore, the food ministry official said. Most of the arrears were payable by
millers in Uttar Pradesh. For the current season that started in October 2016, the FRP dues were Rs 6,054
crore as of February 20, while on the basis of SAP, the outstanding amount for this period was Rs 9,764
crore, the ministry official said.
Sugar production is likely to fall short of the government’s estimate by about 10% even as the crushing
season in Maharashtra draws to a close. While the central government had projected sugar production to
be 22.5 million tonnes for 2016-17, the industry thinks actual production could be 20 million tonnes.
According to state government data, as on February 20, sugar mills in Maharashtra have produced 40.56
lakh tonnes of sugar compared to 65.62 lakh tonnes produced during the comparable period of the
previous year. Of the 150 sugar mills that had started cane crushing operations this year, 124 mills have
already closed due to non-availability of sugarcane. Only 26 mills are still producing sugar as against 121
mills that were in operation during the same period of the previous year.
WHEAT✍ ( 27.02.2017 )
Non-fumigated wheat that could harm people eating it could be entering India despite government rules to
not allow such imports. The rules will be made tighter from March 31, but some importers have devised
ways to bring in such wheat by producing fake fumigation documents. Wheat imports to India must be
fumigated with methyl bromide at the port of origin. If this is not done, consignments are fumigated at
Indian ports. From March 31, fumigation will have to be done only at the port of origin.
COFFEE✍ ( 24.02.2017 )
With less production in Brazil due to drought and increasing demand in global markets, coffee export
from India since January 1 has risen around six per cent in volume and 15 per cent in value over the same
period a year before. According to Coffee Board data, from January 1 to this Tuesday, our coffee export
and re-export was 46,000 tonnes, as against 43,436 tonnes a year before. In value terms, $119.2 million
(Rs 805.3 crore) from $103.3 mn (Rs 699.4 crore). Exporters hope this rising trend in prices will continue.
The Arabica variety is Rs 9,200-9,500 a bag (50 kg), from Rs 8,500 in December. Three years before, it
was Rs 12,000-13,000 a bag. Even so, the current level would enable one to break even, says Rohan
Colaco, a major grower in the Karnataka region, major source for the country's coffee.
Markets regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India is all set to allow futures trading in
degummed soya oil soon. Commodity exchanges, primarily the National Commodity & Derivatives
Exchange, had applied to Sebi seeking permission for launch of futures trading in degummed soya oil.
According to exchange source, NCDEX has also applied to Sebi to allow futures in yellow peas, black
pepper, RM seed cake or meal. The exchange is also planning for relaunch of chana futures, which were
suspended last year on the wake of very high price rise, now that the prices have moderated. Of these,
pepper and chana will be relaunched. Even the Multi Commodity Exchange is also awaiting expansion of
its agri commodity basket and it has proposed a few more agri commodities; it is awaiting Sebi approval.
Speaking to Business Standard, a Sebi source said, "We would soon allow futures trading in degummed
soya oil to all commodity exchanges, including NCDEX and MCX.”
WHEAT✍ ( 24.02.2017 )
Wheat production in India will probably fall short of a government forecast, spurring the world’s second-
biggest grower to import a large quantity amid declining domestic inventory. Production is set to total 91
million tonnes in the 2016-17 crop year, according to the median estimate of eight traders and analysts
surveyed by Bloomberg. That’s the lowest since 2014-15 and compares with the government’s estimate
for record 96.6 million tonnes this season. Imports in 2017-18 may total two million tonnes, the second
highest level in 11 years, the survey shows.
✍ SUGAR ( 24.02.2017 )
Sugarcane payment arrears to farmers in Uttar Pradesh stood at Rs 5,795 crore till last Friday, despite
lucrative sugar prices this time, indicating that the benefits of a good year for the sector don't necessarily
trickle down to growers. The ongoing 2016-17 sugar season, which started on October 1, will go on till
September-end 2017. As much as Rs 5,320 crore, or 92 per cent of these arrears of Rs 5,795 crore, was
owed by the corporate sector.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
This Document has been prepared by Ways2Capital (A Division of High Brow Market Research
Investment Advisor Pvt Ltd). The information, analysis and estimates contained herein are based on
Ways2Capital Equity/Commodities Research assessment and have been obtained from sources believed
to be reliable. This document is meant for the use of the intended recipient only. This document, at best,
represents Ways2Capital Equity/Commodities Research opinion and is meant for general information
only. Ways2Capital Equity/Commodities Research, its directors, officers or employees shall not in any
way to be responsible for the contents stated herein. Ways2Capital Equity/Commodities Research
expressly disclaims any and all liabilities that may arise from information, errors or omissions in this
connection. This document is not to be considered as an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any
securities or commodities.
All information, levels & recommendations provided above are given on the basis of technical &
fundamental research done by the panel of expert of Ways2Capital but we do not accept any liability for
errors of opinion. People surfing through the website have right to opt the product services of their own
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Commodity Research Report 27 february 2017 Ways2Capital

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Commodity Research Report 27 february 2017 Ways2Capital

  • 1.
  • 2. BULLION METALS OUTLOOK - GOLD - The price of gold has traded in positive side most of the trading session in last trading week. Investment demand from hedge funds in the futures market and investors using exchange-traded products have so far been relatively muted with the Federal Open Market Committee in tightening mode and universal expectations of a stronger dollar providing a headwind. The resilience seen especially in the last week, where the dollar strengthened, should provide some additional support but first a key technical level at 29540 needs to be taken out. Notwithstanding the strong demand for gold and silver globally, buying activity in the U.S. retail market for physical bullion has fallen noticeably in the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory. And retail selling in the U.S. has increased. The bullion markets have entered a new phase. The Significance levels for Precious metal is 29460-29520 is down side and 29780-29930 is Upside on MCX GOLD CHART- Chart Details - The Bollinger Bands show price giving support from the Upper band a good test and I expect price to eventually move back up to the upper band and push even higher into that band to set up the final rally high. Gold Futures in MCX trading in a sideways range of Rs.29550 to Rs.29780. Prices could settle around these levels for this week. A strong upside till Rs.29800 to Rs.29900 could come on a close above Rs.29500 levels. Gold prices trading higher over 6% for the last two months after a sharp fall from Rs.32000. This medium term rally could continue till said levels as prices holding firm above Rs.29000. Monday, 27 February 2017
  • 3. SILVER - Silver has been the best performer on a relative basis with the XAUXAG ratio at 68.6, down from 72.4 at the beginning of the year. Hedge funds have been continuous buyers of silver for the past seven weeks and in the week ending February 14 it led to funds holding a bigger position in silver than gold. On that basis we see a potential bigger upside to gold in the short term from a positioning perspective. Chart Details ;Silver prices hovering around its important resistance at $18. The medium term trend remains bullish and next upside move could come above $18.2 till $18.5 to $19.Prices closed bullish for the continuous eighth week and expect the rally to continue for near term. Silver March Futures in MCX consolidating higher around Rs.42500 to Rs.43000 levels. We can expect fresh sort of buying around the support of Rs.42500 till Rs.43500 to Rs.44000 levels.
  • 4. MCX DAILY LEVELS✍ DAILY EXPIRY DATE R4 R3 R2 R1 PP S1 S2 S3 S4 ALUMINIUM 30-DEC-2016 131 129 127 126 125 124 123 121 119 COPPER 28-FEB-2016 411 405 399 396 393 390 387 381 375 CRUDE OIL 19-OCT-2016 3719 3683 3647 3631 3611 3595 3575 3539 3503 GOLD 03-FEB-2016 30008 29870 29732 29678 29594 29540 29456 29318 29180 LEAD 30-DEC-2016 159 156 153 151 150 148 147 144 141 NATURAL GAS 27-DEC-2015 197 193 189 186 185 182 181 177 173 NICKEL 30-DEC-2016 772 754 736 730 718 712 700 682 664 SILVER 03-MARCH-2016 44305 43966 43627 43490 43288 43151 42949 42610 42271 ZINC 30-DEC-2016 199 195 191 190 187 186 183 179 175 MCX WEEKLY LEVELS✍ DAILY EXPIRY DATE R4 R3 R2 R1 PP S1 S2 S3 S4 ALUMINIUM 30-DEC-2016 137 133 129 127 125 123 121 117 113 COPPER 28-FEB-2016 453 434 415 405 396 386 377 358 339 CRUDE OIL 19-OCT-2016 3953 3846 3739 3677 3632 3570 3525 3418 3311 GOLD 03-FEB-2016 31171 30597 30023 29823 29449 29249 28875 28301 27727 LEAD 30-DEC-2016 172 165 158 154 151 147 144 137 130 NATURAL GAS 27-DEC-2015 244 223 202 193 181 172 160 139 118 NICKEL 30-DEC-2016 863 816 769 746 722 699 675 628 581 SILVER 03-MARCH-2016 46094 45084 44074 43714 43064 42704 42054 41044 40034 ZINC 30-DEC-2016 216 207 198 193 189 184 180 171 162
  • 5. FOREX DAILY LEVELS✍ DAILY EXPIRY DATE R4 R3 R2 R1 PP S1 S2 S3 S4 USDINR 26-OCT2016 69.65 68.98 68.58 68.02 66.92 65.01 64.78 64.13 64.07 EURINR 26-OCT2016 78.54 77.75 72.93 71.03 70.14 69.35 68.36 67.41 66.17 GBPINR 26-OCT2016 88.58 87.25 86.24 83.85 83.56 82.07 79.78 78.11 77.03 JPYINR 26-OCT2016 62.86 60.75 58.84 56.72 55.15 54.08 52.18 51.38 50.78 FOREX WEEKLY LEVELS✍ WEEKLY EXPIRY DATE R4 R3 R2 R1 PP S1 S2 S3 S4 USDINR 26-OCT2016 72.88 71.03 69.05 67.22 66.84 66.07 65.18 64.28 63.67 EURINR 26-OCT2016 80.48 78.41 76.49 74.11 72.94 70.84 68.15 66.94 64.12 GBPINR 26-OCT2016 97.80 95.79 93.77 91.84 89.63 87.10 85.14 82.74 79.75 JPYINR 26-OCT2016 69.44 67.87 65.77 61.96 58.52 56.24 54.85 52.55 50.12
  • 6. NCDEX DAILY LEVELS✍ DAILY EXPIRY DATE R4 R3 R2 R1 PP S1 S2 S3 S4 SYOREFIDR 20-JAN-2016 667 663 659 657 655 653 651 647 643 SYBEANIDR 20-JAN-2016 3010 2969 2928 2912 2887 2871 2846 2805 2764 RMSEED 20-JAN-2016 3866 3834 3802 3788 3770 3756 3738 3706 3674 JEERAUNJHA 20-JAN-2016 18100 17855 17610 17505 17365 17260 17120 16875 16630 GUARSEED10 20-JAN-2016 3821 3718 3615 3580 3512 3477 3409 3306 3203 TMC 20-APR-2016 7166 7048 6930 6864 6812 6746 6694 6576 6458 NCDEX WEEKLY LEVELS✍ WEEKLY EXPIRY DATE R4 R3 R2 R1 PP S1 S2 S3 S4 SYOREFIDR 20-JAN-2016 757 725 693 674 661 642 629 597 565 SYBEANIDR 20-JAN-2016 3190 3095 3000 2948 2905 2853 2810 2715 2620 RMSEED 20-JAN-2016 3960 3900 3840 3806 3780 3746 3720 3660 3600 JEERAUNJHA 20-JAN-2016 19517 18757 17997 17698 17237 16938 16477 15717 14957 GUARSEED10 20-JAN-2016 4202 3956 3710 3628 3464 3382 3218 2972 2726 TMC 20-APR-2016 7699 7411 7123 6961 6835 6673 6547 6259 5971
  • 7. MCX - WEEKLY NEWS LETTERS INTERNATIONAL UPDATES ( BULLION & ENERGY )✍ Gold prices hit three-and-a-half month highs on Friday as hopes for rapid tax reforms under the Trump administration faded, bolstering demand for the precious metal. Gold for April delivery settled up 0.53% at $1,258.05 on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, having touched its highest since November 11 at $1,258.8 earlier. Gold finished the week with gains of 1.56%, notching up its fourth straight weekly increase. On Thursday U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he wants to see "very significant" tax reform passed before Congress' August recess, but indicated that much work was still needed. He also suggested that any steps the Trump administration takes on policy would probably have a limited impact this year. The remarks dampened expectations for policy changes that investors had anticipated would spur inflation and drive up U.S. interest rates. Elsewhere in precious metals trading, silver was at $18.40 a troy ounce late Friday, and ended the week up 2.24%, in its ninth straight weekly gain. Copper was at $ 2.696 a pound and ended the week down 0.92%, its second straight weekly drop as concerns over the demand outlook weighed. Platinum ended up 1.89% to $1,031.05 late Friday, hitting its highest since February 9. In the week ahead, global financial markets will focus on U.S. President Donald Trump's address to Congress on Tuesday for further details on his promises of tax reform, deregulation and infrastructure spending. This week is also peppered with a handful of Fed appearances, most importantly Fed Chair Janet Yellen on Friday. Investors will also be watching a revised reading of fourth- quarter U.S. growth to gauge the strength of the economy. Private sector survey data from the UK and euro zone inflation data will also be in focus. Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets. Monday, February 27 The U.S. is to release data on durable goods orders and pending home sales. Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan is to speak at an event in Oklahoma. Tuesday, February 28 New Zealand is to release trade data and a report on business confidence. The U.S. is to release revised data on fourth quarter growth and a report on consumer confidence. San Francisco Fed President John Williams and St. Louis Fed President James Bullard are to speak. Also Tuesday, President Donald Trump will make his first major address to Congress.
  • 8. Wednesday, March 1 Australia is to release data on fourth quarter growth. China is to release official data on manufacturing and service sector activity as well as the Caixin manufacturing index. In the euro zone, Germany is to release preliminary inflation data and a report on unemployment change. The U.K. is to release its manufacturing index and a report on bank lending. The Bank of Canada is to announce its benchmark interest rate and publish a rate statement which outlines economic conditions and the factors affecting the monetary policy decision. The Institute of Supply Management is to report on manufacturing activity. Dallas Fed head Kaplan and Fed Governor Lael Brainard are scheduled to speak. Thursday, March 2 Australia is to produce data on building approvals and trade. The U.K. is to report on construction sector output. The euro zone is to release preliminary data on inflation. Canada is to release its monthly report on GDP. The U.S. is to report on initial jobless claims and Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester is to speak. Friday, March 3 Japan is to release data on inflation and household spending. Germany is to publish figures on retail sales. The U.K. is to report on service sector activity. The ISM is to report on service sector activity. Meanwhile, Chicago Fed President Charles Evans, Richmond Fed President Jeffrey Lacker, Fed Governor Jerome Powell and Fed Vice Chair Stanley Fischer will deliver remarks and Fed Chair Janet Yellen is to speak at an event in Chicago.
  • 9. Gold reached its highest in 3-1/2 months on Friday as the dollar fell to a one-week low after the new U.S. Treasury chief poured cold water on the "Trumpflation trade" that had boosted the greenback this year. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Thursday that any steps U.S. President Donald Trump's administration takes on policy would probably have only limited impact this year, though he wants to see tax reform passed by August. comments suggested much work was still needed on the sweeping tax plan that Mnuchin called his main priority, and which investors had bet would stoke growth and inflation this year. "We've got a vacuum of policy, real interest rates going down, the dollar going sideways and geopolitical (jitters) around the world ... all helping gold. "There is apparently a move of institutional investor money into gold and there are usually very good reasons for that." Spot gold XAU= was up 0.6 percent at $1,256.75 an ounce by 2:26 p.m. EST (1926 GMT), having touched its highest since Nov. 11 at $1,260.10 earlier, zeroing in on the 200-day moving average. It was on track to finish the week higher for the fourth straight week. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 settled up 0.55 percent at $1,258.30. Tempering gains in bullion, a poll on Friday suggested French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron would beat far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who has promised a referendum on European Union membership. global stock markets fell as investors scaled back bets that Trump's policies would benefit economic growth. The dollar later pared losses. Holdings of the largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, New York's SPDR Gold Trust HLDSPDRGT=XAU , have risen more than 5 percent this month on geopolitical risk. "These dollar-denominated and perceived safe-haven precious metals have risen during a time when Wall Street has repeatedly hit new all-time highs and despite the dollar holding near its multi-year highs, " The metals' remarkable performance may suggest that investors are positioning themselves up for a major risk-off event - such as a collapse in the US stock markets." Silver XAG= rose 0.8 percent to $ 18.30 per ounce, having touched its highest in 3-1/2-months at $18.40. Silver has gained about 1.8 percent this week in what could be its ninth straight weekly gain. Platinum XPT= rose 1.8 percent to $ 1,023.75 per ounce, after hitting its highest since early October at $ 1,028.60. Palladium XPD= fell 0.7 percent to $ 767.25. Gold demand in Asia remained sluggish this week as a price rally on political concerns and dollar weakness kept buyers on the sidelines. The yellow metal has gained 1.6 percent this week, hitting its highest in about 3-1/2-months on Friday, as the dollar softened and uncertainties surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump's policies and elections in Europe fuelled safe-haven demand. Traders said both retail buyers and jewellers were hesitating to chase higher prices in India, the world's second-largest consumer of the metal. "The buyers think prices will not
  • 10. sustain at higher levels," In the local market, gold futures MAUc1 closed at 29,451 rupees per 10 gram on Thursday, and have risen nearly 10 percent since falling to 26,862 rupees in December 2016, the lowest since Feb. 2, 2016. Dealers in India were charging a premium of up to $1 an ounce this week over official domestic prices, compared with a discount of $1 last week. The domestic price includes a 10 percent import tax. Dealers are charging premiums amid weak demand as they think demand will revive even if prices sustain at current levels for a week. India's gold imports in January fell 30 percent from a year ago to $2.04 billion. has gone down due to demonetisation. This has also been helping banks in charging premiums," said a Mumbai-based bank dealer with a private bank. Smuggled gold avoids import duties and makes its way on to the so-called "grey market" where it is usually sold to end-users at a discount. Premiums in China, the world's top consumer, were quoted around $7-$8 over international spot prices XAU= , compared with $8-$10 last week. "The demand continues to be very soft. There is little bit of buying as only few people are willing to buy at these levels. "There is good safe-haven buying for investments, expecting prices to go up due to uncertainties in the United States and Europe." Premiums in Hong Kong and Singapore were around 90 cents to $1, while prices in Japan were at a discount of 50 cents to $1, unchanged from the previous week. "The selling continues to increase rather than buying due to firm prices," said a Tokyo-based trader. Gold prices climbed to three-month highs on Friday, as the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s most recent policy meeting continued to weigh on the U.S. dollar and as policital uncertainty around the world boosted demand for safe-haven assets. On the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, gold futures for April delivery were up 0.25% at a three-month high of $ 1,254.55. The April contract ended Thursday’s session 1.47% higher at $1,251.40 an ounce. Futures were likely to find support at $ 1,236.1, Thursday’s low and resistance at $ 1,318.60. Late Wednesday, the minutes of the Fed’s January policy meeting showed that policymakers thought it may be appropriate to raise interest rates again "fairly soon." However, the minutes also revealed the central bank’s uncertainty over the lack of clarity of the Trump administration's economic program, dampening demand for the greenback. The dollar was also weighed by a report by the U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday showing that initial jobless claims increased by 6,000 to 244,000 last week. Analysts had expected jobless claims to rise by 2,000 to 241,000. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was steady at 100.94, just off Thursday’s three-day low of 100.86. A weaker U.S. dollar usually supports gold, as it boosts the metal's appeal as an alternative asset and makes dollar-priced commodities cheaper for holders of other currencies. The precious metal was also supported by ongoing political uncertainty in Europe and the U.S. Markets were jittery after French centrist Francois Bayrou said on Wednesday that he was offering an alliance with independent candidate Emmanuel Macron in May's presidential election. The move could hinder far-right candidate Marine Le Pen's chances of winning. Investors were looking ahead to an address by U.S. President Donald Trump to Congress next week for further clarity on his economic policy. Elsewhere in metals trading, silver futures for March delivery
  • 11. gained 0.59% to $18.223 a troy ounce, while copper futures for March delivery advanced 0.59% to $2.659 a pound. Gold prices edged higher during European morning hours on Thursday, as investors digested the latest Federal Reserve meeting minutes. Comex gold futures rose $ 3.95, or about 0.3%, to $ 1,237.25 a troy ounce by 3:15AM ET, after losing $ 5.60, or around 0.5%, on Wednesday. Spot gold was steady at $ 1,236.70 per ounce. Minutes from the Fed's latest meeting showed policymakers thought it may be appropriate to raise interest rates again "fairly soon" should jobs and inflation data come in line with expectations. However, the U.S. central bank gave no firm signal on the timing of its next rate move, with policymakers noting uncertainty over economic policy under the Donald Trump administration. Fed fund futures priced in about a 22% chance of a rate hike in March, according to Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool, little changed from before the release of the Fed minutes. Odds of a May increase was seen at around 54%, while June odds were at 74%. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was steady at 101.32 in London morning trade, retreating from the prior session's high of 101.71. Treasury yields were little changed, with the U.S. 10-Year yield around 2.415%. On the data front, Thursday's calendar features weekly jobless claims at 8:30AM ET and FHFA home prices at 9AM ET. Market players will also focus on comments from Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who appears on CNBC's "Squawk Box" at 7AM ET, for further hints on tax reform and fiscal stimulus. Mnuchin on Wednesday praised the strong dollar as a reflection of confidence in the U.S. economy, telling The Wall Street Journal in an interview that it was "a good thing" in the long run. Meanwhile, markets were also in a wait-and-see mode in anticipation of President Donald Trump’s address of a joint session of Congress on Tuesday next week, at which he is expected to announce tax policies. Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery tacked on 1.2 cents, or about 0.1%, to $17.96 a troy ounce. Meanwhile, platinum was down 0.3% to $ 999.65, while palladium shed 0.5%, to $765.10 an ounce. Elsewhere in metals trading, copper futures lost 2.2 cents, or about 0.8%, to $2.711 a pound, despite concerns over supply disruptions in Chile and Indonesia supported prices. Prices of the red metal rallied to a 20-month peak of $2.822 last week after strikes at BHP Billiton Chilean Escondida and Freeport McMoran Indonesian Grasberg mine. Combined, the mines produce roughly 10% of the world's total copper supply. Gold prices edged lower during European morning hours on Wednesday, as market players looked ahead to the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting for further hints on the timing and pace of future rate hikes. U.S. gold futures shed $3.65, or about 0.3%, to $1,235.35 a troy ounce by 3:05AM ET, after ending Tuesday's session little changed. Spot gold was down 0.1% at $1,234.65 per ounce. The Federal Reserve will release minutes of its most recent policy meeting on Wednesday at 2:00PM ET. The U.S. central bank held interest rates steady following its meeting on February 1 and painted a relatively upbeat picture of the economy, although it gave no firm signal on the timing of its next rate move amid considerable uncertainty over economic policy under the Donald Trump administration. Besides the Fed minutes, there are two Fed speakers Wednesday. Fed Governor Jerome Powell speaks at 1:00PM ET in
  • 12. New York at the Forecasters Club of New York on the economic outlook and policy. Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan discusses issues facing the global economy at a Dallas Fed event at 7:05PM ET. On the data front, Wednesday's calendar features existing home sales at 10AM ET. Fed fund futures priced in about a 22% chance of a rate hike in March, according to Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool. Odds of a May increase was seen at around 50%, while June odds were at 73%. The precious metal is sensitive to moves in U.S. rates, which lift the opportunity cost of holding non- yielding assets such as bullion, while boosting the dollar in which it is priced. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was up 0.2% to 101.60 in London morning trade, within sight of last week's more than one-month high of 101.75. Meanwhile, 10-year U.S. government bond yields were steady at 2.443%. Both a strong dollar and higher interest rates are typically bearish for gold, which is denominated in dollars and struggles to compete with yield-bearing assets when borrowing costs rise. Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery dipped 3.3 cents, or 0.2%, to $17.96 a troy ounce. Gold prices edged lower during European morning hours on Tuesday, amid a rise in the dollar as market players awaited further hints on the timing of the next U.S. rate hike. Gold for April delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange shed $4.95, or about 0.4%, to $1,234.15 a troy ounce by 3:10AM ET. There was no settlement in Comex gold prices on Monday, due to the President’s Day holiday in the U.S. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade- weighted basket of six major currencies, was up 0.35% to 101.27 in early London morning trade, within sight of last week's more than one-month high of 101.75. Global financial markets will focus on minutes of the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting this week as well as housing-related data for more clues on the timing of the next U.S. rate hike. There are also more than a few Fed speakers in the coming days, including Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari, Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker and Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart. Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester said on Monday she would be "comfortable" raising interest rates at this point if the economy maintained its current pace of performance. Fed Chair Janet Yellen said last week that the U.S. central bank will likely need to raise interest rates at an upcoming meeting, although she flagged considerable uncertainty over economic policy under the Donald Trump administration. Fed fund futures priced in about a 20% chance of a rate hike in March, according to Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool. Odds of a June increase was seen at around 70%. Headlines from Washington will most likely remain in focus in the week ahead, as traders await further details on President Donald Trump's promises of tax reform, deregulation and infrastructure spending. Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery dipped 8.7 cents, or 0.5%, to $17.94 a troy ounce. Gold prices edged lower during European morning hours on Monday, as market players awaited further hints on the timing of the next U.S. rate hike. Gold for April delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange shed $3.35, or about 0.3%, to $1,235.75 a troy ounce by 3:15AM ET. Trading
  • 13. activity was likely to stay light as markets in the U.S. remain closed for President’s Day on Monday. Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester said in a speech in Singapore on Monday she would be "comfortable" raising interest rates at this point if the economy maintained its current pace of performance. Fed Chair Janet Yellen said last week that the U.S. central bank will likely need to raise interest rates at an upcoming meeting, although she flagged considerable uncertainty over economic policy under the Donald Trump administration. Global financial markets will focus on Wednesday’s minutes of the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting in the week ahead for more clues on the timing of the next U.S. rate hike. Market players will also keep an eye out on U.S. housing data to gauge if a recent increase in consumer spending and inflation is translating into higher home prices and a pick-up in home sales. There are also a handful of Fed speakers this week, with Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari and Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker due to speak Tuesday, while Atlanta Fed President Dennis Lockhart is scheduled for Thursday. Fed fund futures priced in a less than 20% chance of a rate hike in March, according to Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool. Odds of a June increase was seen at around 70%. Headlines from Washington will most likely remain in focus in the week ahead, as traders await further details on President Donald Trump's promises of tax reform, deregulation and infrastructure spending. The dollar index was little changed at 100.86 in early London morning trade. Upbeat U.S. inflation and retail sales data last week sent this index to 101.75, its strongest level since January 12. Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery dipped 5.7 cents, or 0.3%, to $17.97 a troy ounce. Meanwhile, platinum was flat at $1,005.80, while palladium slumped 0.6%, to $774.83 an ounce. Elsewhere in metals trading, copper futures rose 1.7 cents, or about 0.7%, to $2.724 a pound, as concerns over supply disruptions in Chile and Indonesia supported prices. Prices of the red metal rallied to a 20- month peak of $2.822 last week after strikes at BHP Billiton Chilean Escondida and Freeport-McMoran Indonesian Grasberg mine. Gold prices fell on Friday as the stronger dollar outweighed concerns about uncertainty surrounding U.S. policy and upcoming elections in Europe. Gold for February delivery settled down 0.46% at $ 1,235.85 on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, rose 0.44% to 100.89 late Friday, reversing Thursday’s 0.72% drop and leaving it up 0.16% for the week. A strong dollar is typically bearish for gold, which is denominated in dollars and struggles to compete with yield-bearing assets when borrowing costs rise. The precious metal still notched up a weekly gain of 0.35% as uncertainty over the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump spurred safe haven demand for bullion. Elsewhere in precious metals trading, silver was at $ 17.97 a troy ounce late Friday, and ended the week with gains of 0.25%. Copper was down 0.39% at $2.708 a pound and ended the week down 2.55% amid profit taking, but prices looked set to remain supported amid concerns over supply disruptions. A strike at BHP Billiton Escondida in Chile, the world's largest copper mine, has boosted sentiment as has an output halt at Freeport-McMoRan's giant Grasberg mine in Indonesia. Platinum was down 0.92% at $1,006.35
  • 14. late Friday, while palladium fell 2.0% to $777.42. The metal, used in emission-controlling catalytic converters for the automotive industry, touched its highest level since January 24 at $ 795.85 during the previous session and has gained almost 14% so far this year. In the holiday shortened week ahead, the Fed is to publish the minutes of its February meeting on Wednesday, which will be scrutinized for clues on the timing of the next rate hike. Investors will be looking to U.S. housing data in order to see whether the rise in consumer spending and inflation is translating into higher house prices and a pick-up in home sales. Markets will also be watching survey data on private sector activity in the euro zone on Tuesday. Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets. Gold ended slightly higher on Friday, after the latest U.S. jobs report showing weak wage growth last month dampened expectations for a faster rate of interest rate hikes this year. Gold for April delivery settled up 0.2% at $ 1,221.85 on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The Labor Department said the U.S. economy added 227,000 jobs in January from the prior month, while the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.8% from 4.7% in December, as more Americans joined the workforce. But average hourly earnings rose 2.5% in January from a year earlier, slowing from 2.8% in December. The slowdown in wage growth prompted speculation that the Fed will avoid hiking interest rates too quickly. In its latest monetary policy statement on Wednesday the Fed stuck to its view that the economy is strengthening, but gave no clear signal on the timing of its next rate hike as officials wait to assess the possible economic impact of the Trump administration’s protectionist policies and recent remarks about currencies. The precious metal was 2.14% higher for the week, as the dollar remained under pressure amid concerns over Donald Trump's presidential style and a lack of clarity on rate hikes. Both a strong dollar and higher interest rates are typically bearish for gold, which is denominated in dollars and struggles to compete with yield-bearing assets when borrowing costs rise. Elsewhere in precious metals trading, silver was at $17.51 a troy ounce late Friday and ended the week with gains of 1.7%. Copper was trading at $2.61 a pound late Friday and ended the week down 2.86%, and platinum was up 0.73% on the day at $1,006.85 an ounce. In the coming week, China is to release data on service sector activity and trade, while a report on German factory orders will be in focus in the euro zone. The U.S. is to release monthly trade figures in what will be a thin week for economic data. Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets. Monday, February 6 Australia is to release data on retail sales. China is to publish its Caixin services PMI. In the euro zone, Germany is to report on factory orders.
  • 15. Tuesday, February 7 The Reserve Bank of Australia is to announce its benchmark interest rate and publish a rate statement which outlines economic conditions and the factors affecting the monetary policy decision. New Zealand is to release a report on inflation expectations. The UK is to publish a report on house price inflation. Canada is to release reports on trade, building permits and business activity. The U.S. is also to release its latest trade figures. Wednesday, February 8 The European Commission is to release its latest economic forecasts for the European Union. Thursday, February 9 The Reserve Bank of New Zealand is to announce its benchmark interest rate and hold a press conference to discuss the monetary policy decision. Australia is to release a report on business confidence. Canada is to report on new house price inflation. The U.S. is to publish data on initial jobless claims and Chicago Fed President Charles Evans is to speak. Friday, February 10 The RBA is to publish its monetary policy statement. China is to release trade figures. The UK is to produce reports on manufacturing production and trade. Canada is to publish its monthly employment report. The U.S. is to round up the week with preliminary figures on consumer sentiment. Gold was little changed on Friday, erasing earlier losses as the dollar came under pressure from a U.S. payrolls report that flagged up weak wage growth last month, weakening the case for near-term interest
  • 16. rate hikes. While U.S. job growth surged more than expected in January as construction firms and retailers ramped up hiring, wages barely rose. gold XAU= was unchanged at $1,215.75 an ounce by 2:25 p.m. EST (1925 GMT), off an earlier low of $1,207.10. U.S. gold futures GCv1 for April delivery settled up 0.1 percent at $1,220.80 per ounce. "Markets seem to be looking at the soft wage data, which signal rather weak inflationary pressure, and therefore less need for the Fed to raise interest rates, report. The U.S. dollar .DXY and 10-year U.S. Treasury yields US10YT=RR were little changed, having come off session highs. Gold is on track to rise around 2 percent this week as the dollar headed for a fourth weekly drop on worries about Donald Trump's presidential style and a lack of clarity on rate hikes. The yellow metal is highly sensitive to rising U.S. interest rates, which increase the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion while boosting the dollar, in which it is priced. Holdings of the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Shares GLD , rose for a second day on Thursday by 1.5 tonnes to 811.22 tonnes. A bounce in investment to a four-year high drove a modest gain in gold demand last year, data from the World Gold Council showed on Friday, even as use of the metal in jewelry slid to its lowest since 2009 and coin and bar buying slid. inflows were the sole driver of demand growth in 2016 - we saw the second highest inflows since 2009. "Technical analysis still look bullish for the white metal, But the lack of liquidity and concerns that China, due to its pollution problem, may direct the auto sector towards electric vehicles looms in the shadows." Silver XAG= was down 0.2 percent at $17.40, having reached its highest in more than 11 weeks at $17.73 in the previous session. A bounce in investment to a four-year high drove a modest gain in gold demand last year, data from the World Gold Council showed on Friday, even as use of the metal in jewellery slid to its lowest since 2009 and coin and bar buying dipped. Global demand for physical gold in the form of jewellery, coins and bars fell 9 percent as higher prices and import curbs hurt demand, particularly in the major Chinese and Indian markets. Central banks also bought a third less gold. However a surge in investment in gold-backed exchange-traded funds offset that to lift overall gold demand by 2 percent to 4,309 tonnes, its highest since 2013. "There are three primary factors that fuelled strong inflows into ETFs -- we had the spread of negative interest rates, then the steady pushback in expectations surrounding U.S. interest rate (hikes), and the uncertainty stemming from geopolitical risk. "Investment as a whole posted its best year since 2012, but elsewhere demand was subdued." ETF buying saw its strongest quarter on record in the first three months of last year, with 342.3 tonnes added to funds, chiefly in the United States and Europe. That tailed off later in the year, however, with outflows of 193.1 tonnes seen in the fourth quarter. Investment in coins and bars fell 2 percent. Britain, where the pound fell after the June vote to leave the European Union, was a bright spot, with demand rising 28 percent to 10.9 tonnes. Global jewellery demand, the single biggest demand segment for gold, fell 15 percent to 2,042 tonnes. Indian consumer demand fell 21 percent last year to 675.5 tonnes, its lowest since 2009, as prices rose and
  • 17. import curbs were introduced. The WGC sees it remaining close to this level this year, at 650-750 tonnes. Demand in number one consumer China is expected to improve to 950-1,000 tonnes, after it fell 7 percent last year to 913.6 tonnes, its weakest since 2012. Central bank demand was in positive territory for a seventh straight year, but was at its lowest since 2010 at 383.6 tonnes. "If you look at gold as a percentage of FX reserves, the twin effects of FX reserves coming down and the gold price rising has boosted gold as a reserve asset across central banks around the world," Hewitt said. "That has been another factor that weighs on reserve managers' minds." Demand for gold in India rose this week as many jewellers resumed purchases after having stayed away for a few weeks hoping for an import duty cut in the government budget. On Wednesday, the Indian government presented its budget for the 2017/18 financial year, but did not change the import duty on gold. bullion industry had been urging a reduction in the duty to combat smuggling, which has increased since India raised import duty to 10 percent in August 2013 in an effort to narrow a gaping current account deficit. "Since there is clarity on duty structure now, jewellers have started buying. Even at higher levels, they are making purchases.The local market, gold prices MAUc1 were trading around 28,900 rupees per 10 grams on Friday. In December, prices had hit 26,862 rupees per 10 grams, their lowest since Feb. 2, 2016. "Supply in the local market is limited as banks curtailed import last week. That's why now they could charge a premium despite the price rise. Dealers in India, the world's second-largest consumer of the metal, were charging a premium of up to $ 2 an ounce this week over official domestic prices, unchanged from last week. The domestic price includes a 10 percent import tax. Gold demand in India will be muted this year after dropping to multi-year lows in 2016, with trading dented as the government pushes to make markets for the metal more transparent and brings in a new tax, the World Gold Council said on Friday. in Asia, demand remained subdued with Chinese markets shut for the week-long Lunar New Year holidays. "The physical demand remained very quiet owing to Chinese holidays and movements across Asia also remained very weak," a Singapore-based banker said. Premiums in China, the top-consumer nation, were about $ 6 in the previous week. Meanwhile, premiums in Singapore and Hong Kong remained unchanged at $1-$1.40 an ounce. Gold prices moved lower on Friday, as the U.S. dollar recovered from the previous session’s shar losses, but the precious metal remained within close distance of a two-and-a-half month peak amid ongoing U.S. political uncertainty and ahead of a key U.S. jobs report. On the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, gold futures for April delivery were down 0.30% at $1,215.75, not far from Thursday’s two-and-a-half month high of $1,224.20.The April contract ended Thursday’s session 0.92% higher at $1,219.40 an ounce.
  • 18. Futures were likely to find support at $1,197.90, Wednesday’s low and resistance at $1,224.20. The greenback recovered from losses posted after Federal Reserve policymakers said on Wednesday that some market-based measures of inflation were still low.However, the central bank also said that job creations remained solid, inflation had increased and economic confidence was rising. The comments came after the Fed left interest rates unchanged at the end of its two-day policy meeting, in a widely expected move. The U.S. dollar has also been under pressure in recent weeks due to U.S. President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies and immigration bans, spurring ongoing uncertainty in global markets. On Thursday, Trump suggested the possibility of imposing new sanctions on multiple Iranian entities, seeking to increase pressure on Tehran. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was steady at 99.88, off Thursday’s two-and-a-half month trough of 99.19. A stronger U.S. dollar usually weighs on gold, as it dampens the metal's appeal as an alternative asset and makes dollar-priced commodities more expensive for holders of other currencies. Market participants were looking ahead to U.S. nonfarm payrolls data, due later in the day, for further indications on the strength of the jobs market. Earlier Friday, data showed that China’s Caixin manufacturing purchasing managers’ index ticked down to 51.0 in January from 51.9 the previous month. Analysts had expected the index to slip to 51.8 last month. The data fueled fresh concerns over a slowdown in China, which is also the world’s biggest gold consumer. Elsewhere in metals trading, silver futures for March delivery slid 0.32% to $17.373 a troy ounce, while copper futures for March delivery tumbled 1.04% to $2.655 a pound. Gold prices gained in European morning trade on Thursday, rising toward the highest level in about 11 weeks as the U.S. dollar slumped after the Federal Reserve gave no firm signal on the timing of its next rate hike. Gold for April delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose to a session peak of $1,219.20 a troy ounce, the most since November 17. It was last at $ 1,216.65 by 3:15AM ET, up $ 8.15, or around 0.7%, after losing $ 3.10, or about 0.3%, a day earlier. The Fed held interest rates steady on Wednesday as expected in its first meeting since President Donald Trump took office. The U.S. central bank painted a relatively upbeat picture of the economy, noting that job gains remained solid, inflation had increased and economic confidence was rising, although it gave no firm signal on the timing of its next rate move. The Fed projected at least three rate increases for 2017. However, traders remained unconvinced. Instead, markets are continuing to price in just two rate hikes during the course of this year, with the next being in June. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, fell to a daily low of 99.39, a level not seen since November 14. It was last at 99.44 in European morning trade, down around 0.3%. The greenback has been under pressure as concerns about the Trump Administration’s policies rattled investors. Headlines from Washington will continue to dictate market sentiment as traders focus on Trump for further details on his promises of tax reform, infrastructure spending and deregulation as well as trade policies. Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery jumped 18.3 cents, or 1.1%, to $ 17.63 a troy ounce, after rising to a more than two-month high of $ 17.66 earlier.
  • 19. Gold demand in India will be muted this year after dropping to multi-year lows in 2016, with trading dented as the government pushes to make markets for the metal more transparent and brings in a new tax, the World Gold Council said on Friday. Lower demand from the world's second biggest consumer could rein in global prices XAU= that have been trading near their highest in 11 weeks, although it would help the south Asian country reduce its trade deficit. Gold is a mainstay of Indian culture, serving as the primary vehicle for household savings for hundreds of millions of people in Asia's third-largest economy. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been trying to curb costly bullion imports and stop the metal from being used to hide billions of dollars of undeclared 'black money'. More than two-thirds of gold is bought with cash in India. Gold demand in the country fell 21.2 percent in 2016 from the year before to 675.5 tonnes as new rules such as those forcing customers to disclose their tax code for purchases above 200,000 rupees dampened demand. That was the lowest level in seven years. Consumption will likely be between 650 and 750 tonnes in 2017, with appetite also hit by the introduction of the nationwide Goods and Services Tax. Indian demand averaged at 845 tonnes over the last 10 years. "We believe many of the issues are plaguing the industry ... this is not going to change quickly in 2017 and plus other big transition of GST coming in, it could disrupt trading. report on gold demand and supply for 2016. The GST is expected to be rolled out from July. said that a reasonable level of GST on gold jewellery could bring transparency to bullion trading, but that a rate that was too high could encourage bullion smuggling. Gold smuggling in India has surged since India raised its import duty to 10 percent in August 2013 in an effort to narrow a gaping current account deficit. In 2016, smugglers brought in 100 to 120 tonnes gold in the country. A bounce in investment to a four-year high drove a modest gain in gold demand last year, data from the World Gold Council showed on Friday, even as use of the metal in jewellery slid to its lowest since 2009 and coin and bar buying dipped. Global demand for physical gold in the form of jewellery, coins and bars fell 9 percent as higher prices and import curbs hurt demand, particularly in the major Chinese and Indian markets. Central banks also bought a third less gold. However a surge in investment in gold-backed exchange-traded funds offset that to lift overall gold demand by 2 percent to 4,309 tonnes, its highest since 2013. "There are three primary factors that fuelled strong inflows into ETFs -- we had the spread of negative interest rates, then the steady pushback in expectations surrounding U.S. interest rate hikes, and the uncertainty stemming from geopolitical risk. "Investment as a whole posted its best year since 2012, but elsewhere demand was subdued." ETF buying saw its strongest quarter on record in the first three months of last year, with 342.3 tonnes added to funds, chiefly in the United States and Europe. That tailed off later in the year, however, with outflows of 193.1 tonnes seen in the fourth quarter. Investment in coins and bars fell 2 percent. Britain, where the pound fell after the June vote to leave the European Union, was a bright spot, with demand rising 28 percent to 10.9 tonnes. Global jewellery demand, the single biggest demand segment for gold, fell 15 percent to 2,042 tonnes. Indian consumer demand fell 21 percent last year to 675.5 tonnes, its lowest since 2009, as prices rose and import curbs were introduced.
  • 20. The WGC sees it remaining close to this level this year, at 650-750 tonnes. Demand in number one consumer China is expected to improve to 950-1,000 tonnes, after it fell 7 percent last year to 913.6 tonnes, its weakest since 2012. Central bank demand was in positive territory for a seventh straight year, but was at its lowest since 2010 at 383.6 tonnes. "If you look at gold as a percentage of FX reserves, the twin effects of FX reserves coming down and the gold price rising has boosted gold as a reserve asset across central banks around the world. "That has been another factor that weighs on reserve managers' minds." Gold prices were little changed in European morning trade on Wednesday, holding near the prior session's one-week high as market players looked ahead to the outcome of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting for further clues on the timing of the next rate hike. Gold for April delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped $ 1.00, or around 0.1%, to $1,210.35 a troy ounce by 3:15AM ET , after rallying $ 15.40, or about 1.3%, a day earlier. Prices of the yellow metal rose to a one-week high of $1,217.40 on Tuesday. The Fed is expected to keep interest rates unchanged on Wednesday in its first policy decision since President Donald Trump took office, as policymakers await greater clarity on his economic policies. The central bank's latest policy decision is due at 2:00PM ET. Fed Chair Janet Yellen is not due to hold a press conference. The Fed projected at least three rate increases for 2017. However, traders remained unconvinced. Instead, markets are pricing in just two rate hikes during the course of this year, according to Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool. Besides the Fed meeting, there is also ADP payrolls at 8:15AM ET and ISM manufacturing data at 10:00AM ET. In addition, headlines from Washington will continue to dictate market sentiment as traders focus on Trump for further details on his promises of tax reform, infrastructure spending and deregulation as well as trade policies. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was up 0.2% at 99.74 in European morning trade, remaining within sight of the prior session's seven-week low of 99.53. The greenback tumbled on Tuesday after Peter Navarro, Trump’s top trade adviser, called the euro "grossly undervalued.” Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery inched down 4.1 cents, or 0.2%, to $17.50 a troy ounce, easing off the previous day's more than two-month high of $17.63. Meanwhile, platinum tacked on 0.2% to $ 998.45, while palladium climbed around 1% to $761.45 an ounce. Elsewhere in metals trading, copper futures were little changed at $2.729 a pound. Futures rose to a one-and-a-half year peak of $2.738 earlier with investors watching developments surrounding a strike by workers in Chile at the world's largest mine. Gold prices were higher in European morning trade on Tuesday, adding to the prior session's gains amid uncertainty over the outlook for U.S policy after President Donald Trump introduced immigration curbs that sparked criticism at home and abroad. Gold for April delivery on the Comex division of the New
  • 21. York Mercantile Exchange rose $5.85, or around 0.5%, to $1,201.95 a troy ounce by 3:25AM ET (08:25GMT), after adding $4.90, or about 0.4%, a day earlier. Market sentiment was bruised after Trump suspended travel to the United States from Syria, Iraq, Iran and four other Muslim-majority countries on Friday, saying the moves would help protect Americans from terrorist attacks. The executive order led to huge protests in many U.S. cities and sparked global backlash, raising worries about the potentially destabilizing impact of Trump's policies. Adding to concerns, the president fired acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates after she ordered Justice Department lawyers not to enforce the travel restrictions. Trump named Dana Boente, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to replace Yates, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said in a tweet. Headlines from Washington will most likely continue to dictate market sentiment as traders focus on Trump for further details on his promises of tax reform, infrastructure spending and deregulation as well as trade policies. Meanwhile, traders were also looking ahead to the Federal Reserve's two-day meeting on monetary policy starting on Tuesday for further clues on the timing of the next U.S. interest rate hike. The Fed indicated last month that at least three rate increases were in the offing for 2017. However, traders remained unconvinced. Instead, markets are pricing in just two rate hikes during the course of this year, according to Investing.com’s Fed Rate Monitor Tool. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was down 0.1% at 100.30 in European morning trade, pulling back from the prior session's peak of 100.81. Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery inched up 6.6 cents, or 0.4%, to $ 17.21 a troy ounce. Meanwhile, platinum tacked on 0.2% to $995.30, while palladium climbed around 1.6% to $749.92 an ounce. Elsewhere in metals trading, copper futures rose 2.3 cents, or 0.9%, to $2.678 a pound. Gold prices were higher in European morning trade on Monday, starting the week off with gains as the dollar slumped after immigration curbs introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump heightened concerns about the impact of the new administration's policies on trade and the economy. Gold futures for April delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose $ 2.35, or around 0.2%, to $ 1,193.45 a troy ounce by 3:00AM ET. Trump on Friday put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the U.S. and temporarily barred travelers from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries, saying the moves would help protect Americans from terrorist attacks. The executive order led to huge protests in many U.S. cities and raised worries about the potentially destabilizing impact of Trump's policies. Headlines from Washington will most likely continue to dictate market sentiment this week, as traders focus on Trump for further details on his promises of tax reform, infrastructure spending and deregulation as well as trade policies. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade- weighted basket of six major currencies, was down 0.1% at 100.46 in European morning trade. Lackluster U.S. fourth-quarter growth figures also weighed on the greenback as it dampened expectations for a faster rate of interest rate hikes this year. The annual rate of economic growth slowed to 1.9% in the three months to December the Commerce Department reported Friday, slowing sharply from the 3.5% rate of
  • 22. growth seen in the third quarter. The slowdown in growth prompted speculation that the Federal Reserve will avoid hiking interest rates too quickly. Gold is highly sensitive to rising U.S. rates, which increase the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset. Global financial markets will be busy with central bank meetings in the week ahead, with policy decisions due in the U.S., U.K. and Japan. Investors will also keep an eye out on key economic data, with the monthly U.S. employment report and euro zone inflation data in the spotlight. Also on the Comex, silver futures for March delivery inched up 5.2 cents, or 0.3%, to $ 17.18 a troy ounce. Meanwhile, platinum futures tacked on 0.2% to $ 985.25, while palladium futures shed around 0.9% to $ 732.20 an ounce. Elsewhere in metals trading, copper futures rose 0.6 cents, or 0.2%, to $ 2.694 a pound. Gold ended little changed on Friday, after weaker-than-expected figures on U.S. fourth quarter growth dampened expectations for a faster rate of interest rate hikes this year. Gold for April delivery settled at $1,190.0 on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The precious metal was 1.35% lower for the week, as the stronger U.S. dollar weighed. The annual rate of economic growth slowed to 1.9% in the three months to December the Commerce Department reported Friday, slowing sharply from the 3.5% rate of growth seen in the third quarter. The economy grew just 1.6% in 2016 as a whole, the slowest rate of growth since 2011. The slowdown in growth prompted speculation that the Federal Reserve will avoid hiking interest rates too quickly. Investors also remained cautious as they pondered the economic implications of President Donald Trump's pledges of increased fiscal spending, tax cuts and protectionism. Elsewhere in precious metals trading, silver was at $17.16 a troy ounce late Friday and ended the week little changed. Copper was trading at $2.69 a pound late Friday and ended the week up 2.86%, and platinum was up 0.69% on the day at $ 988.45 an ounce. In the week ahead, markets will be paying close attention to Friday’s U.S. nonfarm payrolls report for January as well as Wednesday’s policy statement by the Fed. Investors will also be watching central bank meetings in Japan and the UK. Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets. Monday, January 30 Financial markets in China will be closed for the Lunar New Yearholiday. In the euro zone, Germany is to release preliminary data on inflation. The U.S. is to release figures on personal income and spending as well as a report on pending home sales. Tuesday, January 31
  • 23. Markets in China will be closed for the Lunar New Year holiday. The Bank of Japan is to announce its benchmark interest rate and publish a policy statement which outlines economic conditions and the factors affecting the monetary policy decision. The announcement is to be followed by a press conference. The euro zone is to release preliminary estimates of consumer price inflation and fourth quarter GDP. European Central Bank President Mario Draghi is to speak at an event in Frankfurt. Canada is to publish its monthly report on GDP. The U.S. is to release private sector data on consumer confidence. Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz is to speak at an event in Alberta. Wednesday, February 1 Markets in China will remain shut for the Lunar New Year holiday. China is to release survey data on manufacturing and service sector activity. New Zealand is to publish its quarterly employment report. The UK is to release data on manufacturing activity. The European Commission is to publish its latest economic forecasts for the European Union. The U.S. is to release the ADP nonfarm payrolls report for January and the Institute for Supply Management is to release its manufacturing PMI. The Federal Reserve is to announce its benchmark interest rate and publish a monetary policy statement. Thursday, February 2 Markets in China will remain shut for the Lunar New Year holiday. Australia is to release data on building approvals and the trade balance. The UK is to release data on manufacturing activity. The Bank of England is to announce its benchmark interest rate and publish the minutes of its monetary
  • 24. policy meeting along with its quarterly inflation report. BoE Governor Mark Carney, along with other policymakers will also hold a press conference to discuss the inflation report. ECB President Mario Draghi is to speak at an event in Slovenia. The U.S. is to publish data on initial jobless claims and labor costs. Friday, February 3 China is to publish its Caixin manufacturing PMI. The UK is to release data on manufacturing activity. Chicago Fed President Charles Evans is to speak. The U.S. is to round up the week data on factory orders and the non-farm payrolls report for January, while the ISM is to release its services PMI. ENERGY India's state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp ONGC.NS will take control of Hindustan Petroleum Corp HPCL.NS as part of the government's plan to create an integrated public sector oil entity, the Economic Times daily reported on Monday citing top government officials. India plans to create a giant oil company by combining state-owned firms, finance minister Arun Jaitley said in the budget speech earlier this month as the world's third largest oil consumer looks to better compete with global majors in acquiring foreign assets. is a very big decision. A cabinet note will soon be moved. The government of India will transfer its majority shareholding of 51.11 percent in HPCL to ONGC, which will then become the holding company of HPCL," the paper wrote citing one of the officials. Brent oil prices edged up on Monday and were set to rise for five out of seven sessions as a global supply glut appears to ease, but rising U.S. production limited gains. Brent crude LCOc1 was up 0.04 percent at $56.01 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 was unchanged at $ 53.99 a barrel. Oil prices tumbled on Friday after U.S. Energy Information Administration data showed U.S. crude inventories rose for a seventh straight week. But the market has been supported within a tight $ 4 to $ 5 range since November, when the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers agreed to cut production. "EIA data showed stocks rose 564,000 barrels to 518.7 million last week. "However, it was the lowest increase over the past couple of months. If this trend of lower imports and smaller gains in inventories persists over the coming weeks, it would suggest that the OPEC led production cuts are starting to have an impact. "OPEC's record compliance with the deal has surprised the market, and the biggest laggards, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq, have pledged to catch up with their targets. International Energy Agency put OPEC's average compliance at a record 90 percent in January, and based
  • 25. on a Reuters average of production surveys, it stands at 88 percent. Saudi Arabia has offered to reduce oil production if rival Iran caps its own output this year, four sources familiar with the discussions told Reuters, as Riyadh tries to strike an elusive OPEC deal to curtail supply and boost prices. Oil futures ended lower on Friday, moving further away from the strongest level since January as concerns over rising production and swelling stockpiles in the U.S. offset optimism that OPEC and its allies have been following through on their commitment to cut production. The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude April contract slumped 46 cents, or around 0.9%, to end at $53.99 a barrel by close of trade Friday. The U.S. benchmark reached $55.03 on Tuesday, a level not seen since January 3. Despite Friday's losses, New York-traded oil futures tacked on 13 cents, or almost 0.3%, on the week. Elsewhere, on the ICE Futures Exchange in London, Brent oil for April delivery shed 59 cents, or about 1.1%, to settle at $55.99 a barrel by close of trade. For the week, London-traded Brent futures scored a loss of 71 cents, or around 1.3%, the third straight weekly decline. Concerns that the ongoing rebound in U.S. shale production could derail efforts by other major producers to rebalance global oil supply and demand pressured crude prices. Data from oilfield services provider Baker Hughes on Friday revealed that the number of active U.S. rigs drilling for oil rose by five last week, the sixth weekly increase in a row. That brought the total count to 602, the most since November 2015. Meanwhile, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Thursday that crude supplies rose by 564,000 barrels last week to yet another all-time high, feeding concerns about a global glut. Oil prices have been trading in a narrow $5 range around the mid-$50s over the past two months as sentiment in oil markets has been torn between hopes that oversupply may be curbed by output cuts announced by major global producers and expectations of a rebound in U.S. shale production. OPEC and non-OPEC countries have made a strong start to lowering their oil output by almost 1.8 million barrels per day to 32.5 million by the end of June, with compliance currently at around 90%. OPEC could extend its oil supply-reduction pact with non-members or even apply deeper cuts from July if global crude inventories fail to drop to a targeted level, OPEC sources said earlier this month. Elsewhere on Nymex, gasoline futures for March shed 1.3 cents, or about 0.9% to $ 1.514 on Friday. It ended down about 0.2% for the week. March heating oil slipped 1.6 cents, or 1%, to finish at $1.640 a gallon. For the week, the fuel gained almost 0.3%. Natural gas futures for April delivery rose 3.8 cents, or almost 1.4%, to $2.834 per million British thermal units. It posted a weekly loss of around 7%. In the week ahead, market participants will eye fresh weekly information on U.S. stockpiles of crude and refined products on Tuesday and Wednesday to gauge the strength of demand in the world’s largest oil consumer. Meanwhile, traders will also continue to pay close attention to comments from global oil producers for further evidence that they are complying with their agreement to reduce output this year. Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets.
  • 26. Tuesday, February 28 The American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, is to publish its weekly report on U.S. oil supplies. Wednesday, March 1 The U.S. Energy Information Administration is to release weekly data on oil and gasoline stockpiles. Thursday, March 2 The U.S. government is to produce a weekly report on natural gas supplies in storage. Friday, March 3 Baker Hughes will release weekly data on the U.S. oil rig count. Oil was lower Friday as the focus turned to U.S. rig count data due out later in the session. Brent crude was off 50 cents, or 0.88%, at $56.08 at 08:00 ET. U.S. crude fell 41 cents, or 0.75%, to $ 54.04. Oil earlier had held onto gains after Energy Information Administration official inventory data on Thursday. The EIA reported a rise in U.S. crude stocks of 564,000 barrels in the latest week, well below a forecast increase of 3.475 million barrels. The market is looking to Baker Hughes rig count figures to gauge the level of U.S. shale activity. Increased North American output could work against agreed production cuts by other major producers. OPEC and non-OPEC producers have agreed cuts of 1.8 million barrels a day in the first half of the year. Initial compliance levels with the cuts in production have been high. Oil prices held gains on Friday on data showing U.S. stockpiles rose for a seventh straight week but at a pace that was well below expectations, and news of oil being sold out of storage in Southeast Asia. U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 was unchanged at $54.45 a barrel by 0526 GMT, pulling back from early losses. WTI was on track for a weekly gain of about 2 percent, which would be its biggest so far this year. Brent crude LCOc1 was up 3 cents at $56.61 and was on track for a weekly gain of about 1.4 percent. U.S. crude inventories USOILC=ECI rose by 564,000 barrels in the week to Feb. 17, up for a seventh week, although below analysts' expectations for an increase of 3.5 million barrels, the Energy Information Administration said. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and producers including Russia have pledged to cut production by around 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) to tackle a global glut that has kept prices depressed since 2014. While OPEC appears to be sticking to its deal, producers that were not part of the deal, particularly U.S. shale drillers, have increased output, driving the growth in inventories in the United States, the world's biggest oil consumer. "Current oil prices are neither sustainable for OPEC or the industry, "As such, inventories will have to fall, which we expect will be clearer in the spring after the seasonal build." Signs
  • 27. are emerging that this is happening in Asia with traders selling oil held in tankers anchored off Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, Reuters reported on Friday. More than 12 million barrels of oil has been taken out of storage in tankers berthed off Southeast Asian countries this month, shipping data in Thomson Reuters Eikon shows. have been benefiting from a market feature known as contango where prices for later delivery are higher than those for immediate dispatch. But the future premium is falling and future prices may slip below spot prices, known as backwardation. "Tightening fundamentals will push the crude market into backwardation in the coming months," BMI Research said in a note. This "will benefit participants in the paper market but hamper the profits of oil traders who are unable to exploit the cash and carry arbitrage. U.S. oil prices fell on Friday after government data released late on Thursday showed stockpiles rose last week for a seventh straight week, although losses were muted as inventory growth was well below expectations. U.S. West Texas Intermediate CLc1 fell 13 cents, or 0.2 percent, to $ 54.32 a barrel by 0048 GMT, having closed up 86 cents in the previous session. Brent crude LCOc1 was trading down 13 cents, or 0.2 percent, at $ 56.45. The contract rose 74 cents in the previous session to settle at $ 56.58. U.S. crude inventories USOILC=ECI rose by 564,000 barrels in the week to Feb. 17, up for a seventh week, although below analysts' expectations for an increase of 3.5 million barrels, the Energy Information Administration said. Gasoline inventories fell far more than expected as refineries cut output, the EIA said. Crude imports USOICI=ECI , however, slumped 1.4 million barrels per day, while exports rose 185,000 bpd to a record high of 1.2 million bpd, driven in part by surging exports to Asia in the wake of a deal by many non-U.S. oil producers to cut output. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and producers including Russia have pledged to cut production by around 1.8 million barrels per day to tackle a global glut that has kept prices depressed since 2014. On Thursday, sources told Reuters that the joint OPEC/non-OPEC technical committee reported an 86 percent compliance on the oil cuts in January. Earlier, sources reported over 90 percent compliance within OPEC. While OPEC appears to be sticking to its deal, producers that were not part of the deal, particularly U.S. shale drillers, have increased output, driving the growth in inventories in the United States, the world's biggest oil consumer. "Current oil prices are neither sustainable for OPEC or the industry," As such, inventories will have to fall, which we expect will be clearer in the spring after the seasonal build." Oil was higher Thursday after industry data showed an unexpected fall in U.S. inventories. Brent crude was up 85 cents, or 1.52%, at $56.69 at 08:00 ET. U.S. crude added 80 cents, or 1.49%, to $54.39. American Petroleum Institute data Wednesday showed a surprise draw of 884,000 barrels in U.S. crude stocks in the latest week. Energy Information Administration official inventory figures are due out later Thursday. The EIA is forecast to report a rise of 3.475 million barrels in U.S. crude stocks. Sentiment remains upbeat on a high compliance level with agreed cuts of 1.8 million barrels a day by OPEC and non-OPEC producers. However, increased North American shale activity could undermine the potential draw in inventories of the agreed cuts.
  • 28. U.S. oil futures rose nearly 1 percent on Thursday after data released by an industry group showed a surprise decline in U.S. crude stocks as imports fell, lending support to the view that a global glut is ending. The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude April contract CLc1 added 41 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $54.00 a barrel at 0011 GMT. Brent crude LCOc1 was yet to trade. It ended 82 cents, or 1.5 percent, lower at $55.84 a barrel on Wednesday. Crude inventories fell by 884,000 barrels in the week to Feb. 17 to 512.7 million, compared with analysts' expectations for an increase of 3.5 million barrels, data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute showed on Wednesday. Crude stocks at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub were down by 1.7 million barrels and U.S. crude imports fell last week by 1.5 million barrels per day to 7.398 million bpd, according to the API. Refinery crude runs fell by 182,000 bpd, the data showed, while gasoline stocks dropped by 893,000 barrels, largely in line with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll. Official data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration is scheduled to be released at 11 a.m. EST on Thursday, a day later than normal because of a holiday Monday. Oil prices fell more than 1 percent on Wednesday on expectations of another surge in U.S. inventories, retreating from multi-week highs hit in the previous session after OPEC signalled optimism over its deal with other producers to curb output. In post-settlement trade, prices pared losses sharply after data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute showed a surprise drop in U.S. crude stocks last week as imports slumped. U.S. crude inventories fell 884,000 barrels in the week to Feb. 17, compared with analysts' expectations for an increase of 3.5 million barrels. Before last week, crude stocks have risen for six straight weeks. Official data from the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration is scheduled at 11 a.m. EST on Thursday, delayed by a holiday on Monday. Brent crude LCOc1 ended 82 cents, or 1.5 percent, lower at $55.84 a barrel, having touched its highest since Feb. 2 at $57.31 in the previous session. The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude April contract CLc1 , the new front-month future, settled 74 cents, or 1.4 percent, lower at $53.59. Both contracts pared losses to trade about 0.8 percent lower in after-hours trade. Despite the swelling inventories, analysts and traders were largely optimistic about the sustainability of the rally over the last four sessions. "We've seen a fairly significant increase in crude stocks since the beginning of the year and yet the market has been able to maintain its relative buoyancy," "I think the underlying sentiment is bullish ... what's been key to the market is you've seen the tightening of the spreads, especially in the front." During a near two-year period of oversupply, the contango or time spread between contracts in the futures markets - when prompt barrels are cheaper than later supplies - deepened. But the contango has narrowed since the start of the year, when a deal under the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' umbrella to cut global output took effect, suggesting that the oversupply could be abating. The discount of the prompt WTI contract to the second month CLc1-CLc2 tightened to as little as 26 cents per barrel on Wednesday, its narrowest since Oct. 20. Brent crude's spread LCOc1-LCOc2 came within cents of flipping into backwardation - when prompt supplies become most expensive compared with later
  • 29. deliveries - on Tuesday amid optimism over the OPEC deal. On Tuesday, OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo said the group and other producers including Russia will boost compliance with agreed output curbs in a bid to boost prices. non-OPEC oil producers that joined the OPEC deal have delivered at least 60 percent of promised curbs so far, OPEC sources said on Wednesday, higher than initially estimated. Sachs reiterated its outlook for a recovery in prices in the second quarter - WTI to rise to $57.50 and Brent to $59 - before declining respectively to $55 and $57 for the rest of the year. investment bank said "while the reduction in oil supplies out of core OPEC in the Gulf and Russia has exceeded our and consensus expectations, the market is starting to doubt that this will be sufficient to translate into large oil inventory draws by the second quarter." U.S. oil prices held near seven-week highs on Wednesday after OPEC signaled optimism over its deal with other producers including Russia to curb production and clear a glut that has weighed on the market since 2014. The U.S. April crude contract CLc1 , the new front-month future, was up 3 cents at $54.36 a barrel at 0028 GMT. On Tuesday, the March contract expired up 66 cents, or 1.2 percent, at $54.06, after peaking at $54.68, the highest since Jan. 3. Brent crude LCOc1 was yet to trade after ending the previous session at $ 56.66 a barrel, up 48 cents or 0.9 percent. It earlier reached its highest since Feb. 2 at $ 57.31. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers outside the group agreed in November to cut output by about 1.8 million barrels per day in an effort to drain a glut that has depressed prices for over two years. Mohammad Barkindo, OPEC secretary general, told an industry conference in London that January data showed conformity from member countries participating in the output cut had been above 90 percent. Oil inventories would decline further this year, he added. countries involved remain resolute in the determination to achieve a higher level of conformity," Russia and the other outside producers have so far delivered a smaller percentage of cuts, but Barkindo said this would increase. It was too early to say if the supply cut, which lasts for six months from Jan. 1, would need to be extended or deepened at the next OPEC meeting in May, he said. Oil prices rose about 2 percent to near three-week highs on Tuesday after OPEC said it was sticking to its agreement to cut production and hoped compliance with the deal would be even higher as it expects other producers join its efforts to curb a global glut. OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo told an industry conference in London that January data showed conformity from participating OPEC nations with output curbs had been above 90 percent and oil inventories would decline further this year. "All countries involved remain resolute in the determination to achieve a higher level of conformity," Barkindo said. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers outside the group agreed in November to cut output by about 1.8 million barrels per day in an effort to drain a glut that has depressed prices for over two years. Barkindo said it was too early to say if the supply cut, which lasts for six months from Jan. 1, would need to be extended or deepened at the next OPEC meeting in May. "While Barkindo's statement puts a confident spin on market fundamentals, we'd say questions do remain, given that Iran seems to be signaling increased production rather than improved compliance," Tim Evans, an energy futures specialist at Citi Futures said in a note. Under the deal, Iran was allowed to boost output
  • 30. from its October level and Tehran expects its oil production to reach 4 million barrels per day by mid- April. crude futures LCOc1 traded at $ 57.08, 90 cents or 1.6 percent higher by 11:17 a.m. EST GMT after hitting the highest since Feb. 2 at $57.31. U.S. light crude CLc1 was up $1.07, or 2 percent, at $54.47, after peaking at 54.68, its highest since Jan. 3. Futures for delivery in March were set to expire at the end of the trading session. The more active U.S. crude futures for April delivery CLJ7 were up 1.9 percent at $ 54.81. From a technical perspective, the tight consolidation above last year's key broken resistance levels suggests oil prices have been coiling to break higher. OPEC cuts have spurred a speculative move into crude oil that has pushed prices towards the top of their recent ranges. Money managers hold the highest number of net long Brent and U.S. crude futures and options on record, data showed on Monday and Friday, betting on higher prices to come as OPEC and other key exporters reduce production. "Should there come a time when these speculative positions decide to unwind, oil prices will be in for a significant correction. Still, the Relative Strength Index in U.S. crude futures remained at about 58 on Tuesday, well below the overbought level of 70, Reuters data showed. Oil was higher Tuesday as investors opted to focus on agreed output cuts by major producers. Brent crude was up 85 cents, or 1.51%, at $57.03 at 08:00 ET. U.S. crude added 92 cents, or 1.71%, to $54.70. OPEC and non-OPEC have agreed to cut output by 1.8 million barrels a day in the first half. OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo was upbeat about high compliance levels with the cuts. Observers noted record net long position-taking in oil futures and options. However, the market is also looking to developments in North American shale activity which could cancel out the agreed cuts. American Petroleum Institute stockpile data are due out Wednesday. These will be followed Thursday by official Energy Information Administration inventories. U.S. crude futures rose for a second day on Tuesday, with data showing hedge funds are betting big across oil markets following OPEC production cuts agreed last year. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 was up 23 cents at $ 53.63 a barrel at 0032 GMT. It gained about 29 cents, or 0.5 percent, on Monday, which was a shortened session due to a U.S. national holiday. Brent futures LCOc1 were yet to trade, after ending the previous session up 0.7 percent at $ 56.18 a barrel. Investors now hold more crude futures and options than at any time on record, after members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries committed last year to cut production. Speculators raised their bets on a rally in Brent oil prices to a record last week, data from the InterContinental Exchange showed on Monday, mirroring the optimism in the U.S. crude market. Data on Friday showing net long U.S. crude futures and options positions in the week to Feb. 14 were at a record. "As bullish positioning by hedge funds continues to push on in unchartered territory, the risk of a swift, sharp snapback in prices continues to build, Especially given the bearish backdrop of record crude and gasoline inventories amid lower fuel demand year-on-year," U.S. crude oil and gasoline inventories soared to
  • 31. record highs last week as refineries cut output and gasoline demand softened, the Energy Information Administration said last week. The oil market will have to wait until Thursday, a day later than normal, for the release of this week's official data, due to the holiday on Monday. Oil prices inched higher on Monday, as investor optimism over the effectiveness of producer cuts encouraged record bets on a sustained rally, although growing U.S. output and stubbornly high stockpiles kept price gains in check. Top OPEC exporter Saudi Arabia's crude oil shipments fell in December to 8.014 million barrels per day from 8.258 million bpd in November, official data showed on Monday. futures LCOc1 ended the session up 0.7 percent at $56.18 a barrel. U.S. futures West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 gained about 29 cents or 0.5 percent to $53.69 prior to the close of trade at 1 p.m. EST, an hour and a half early due to the Presidents Day holiday. Trading volume in Brent averaged about 181,000 lots of 1,000 barrels each, below the average of about 205,000. Volumes in U.S. crude also dipped, with just over a couple of thousand lots traded, a day ahead of the expiration of WTI futures for delivery in March. On average, more than 300,000 U.S. crude lots trade in a typical trading session. Prices received a lift from a weaker dollar .DXY as well. A strong greenback typically makes oil more expensive for holders of other currencies. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers, including Russia, agreed last year to cut output by almost 1.8 million bpd during the first half of 2017. Estimates indicate compliance with the cuts is around 90 percent. Reuters reported last week that OPEC could extend the pact or apply deeper cuts from July if global crude inventories fail to drop enough. have certainly taken OPEC members at their word on their commitment to cut production and now hold more crude futures and options than at any time on record. However, the December Saudi figures may not reflect the full picture, "Ahead of the agreed production cuts, Saudi Arabia had chosen not to reduce its output as it normally would have in the winter half year, so as to be able at a later date to make this appear part of the agreed reduction in production," "Presumably the decrease in production and exports in December should be seen against this backdrop, and could already have been undertaken to pre-empt the production cuts due to take force from January." Signs of rising output in the United States have tempered money managers' appetite to push prices higher. Since the start of the month oil prices have gained around $ 2. "There is still a general consensus that the OPEC/non-OPEC agreement helps supply to get in line with demand. This bullish stance is countered by the ever-increasing inventories in the U.S. and rising rig counts. "Assuming the U.S. oil rig count stays at the current level, we estimate U.S. oil production would increase by 405,000 bpd between fourth-quarter 2017 and fourth-quarter 2016 across the Permian, Eagle Ford, Bakken and Niobrara shale plays, "Annual average U.S. production would increase by 130,000 bpd year over year on average in 2017." Oil was higher Monday but with gains capped by expectations of higher U.S. supply. Brent crude was up 37 cents, or 0.66%, at $56.18 at 08:00 ET. U.S. crude added 25 cents, or 0.46%, to $ 54.03. Trading volumes were on the low side due to the U.S. Presidents Day holiday. Baker Hughes weekly figures Friday showed a rise in the U.S. rig count of six to 597, the highest level since November 2015. Increased North American shale activity could offset agreed cuts by other major producers.OPEC has estimated an
  • 32. initial high compliance level with cuts of 1.2 million barrels per day at the start of BASE METAL’S OUTLOOK : BASE METAL GUIDE - Trading Ideas: ZINC  Zinc trading range for the day is 187.7-195.3.  Zinc dropped as funds cut bets on higher prices ahead of minutes from the Federal Reserve's last meeting and a stronger dollar.  Europe’s largest zinc producer Nyrstar is considering restarting its idled and for sale Myra Falls zinc- copper mine in light of improved market conditions  Zinc daily stocks at Shanghai exchange came down by 2961 tonnes. COPPER  Copper trading range for the day is 398.4-407.2.  Copper traded in the range amid a cooling in China’s property market and supply uncertainties.  China's home price growth slowed for the fourth straight month as demand cooled further in the biggest cities, official data showed.  In Chile government-mediated talks but the two parties did not commit to a schedule of new wage discussions. BASE METAL COPPER ( 27.02.2017 )✍ Even as strikes cripple output at the world's two biggest copper mines, Asia's copper industry is pretty relaxed, sitting atop metal stockpiles that have grown by nearly two-thirds since the end of January. Copper inventories tied to China's Shanghai Futures Exchange have surged 61 per cent since the week of Jan. 20 to 2,77,659 tonnes, the most since May 2016, the latest data shows. Stockpiles held in bonded warehouses in China have edged above 500,000 tonnes, from around 450,000 tonnes in November, according to consultants CRU Group. When copper went haywire late Monday evening in London, all but
  • 33. a few die-hard traders in China were asleep. The European workday was ending and Americans had a public holiday. For traders still watching their screens, the reason behind whipsawing moves in London copper was obvious: an algorithmic trading system had gone off the rails, said Guy Wolf, global head of market analytics at commodities brokerage Marex Spectron Group Ltd. For half an hour, copper zigzagged by almost $100 on the London Metal Exchange. More than 2,200 contracts traded between 6 p.m. and 6:35 p.m., the most for that time of day since 2012. Amid sluggish domestic demand and profit-booking by speculators, lead prices softened 0.39 per cent to Rs 154.65 per kg in futures trade on Tuesday. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, lead for delivery in March moved down by 60 paise, or 0.39 per cent, to Rs 154.65 per kg in business turnover of 15 lots. Likewise, the metal for delivery in February contracts shed 45 paise, or 0.29 per cent, to Rs 154.35 per kg in 389 lots. Analysts said besides sluggish demand from battery makers in the spot market, trimming of positions by traders to book profits at current levels led to the fall in lead prices at futures trade. ZINC ( 27.02.2017 )✍ Zinc futures traded 0.28 per cent lower at Rs 192.50 per kg today as speculators trimmed positions amid subdued demand at the physical markets. Zinc for delivery in current month also fell by 55 paise, or 0.28 per cent, to Rs 192.60 per kg at the Multi Commodity Exchange, clocking a business turnover of 591 lots. The metal for delivery in March softened by a similar margin to trade at Rs 192.60 per kg in 61 lots. Analysts said the weakness in zinc at futures trade was mostly due to trimming of positions by speculators amid a weak trend at the domestic spot markets. COPPER ( 27.02.2017 )✍ Copper futures traded 0.12 per cent lower at Rs 404.55 per kg as speculators offloaded bets. Furthermore, subdued demand at domestic spot market pushed down metal prices. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, copper for delivery in February shed 50 paise, or 0.12 per cent, to Rs 404.55 per kg, in a business turnover of 1,851 lots. Also, metal for delivery in April was trading down by a similar margin at Rs 408.55 per kg in 92 lots. Analysts attributed the fall to offloading of positions by participants amids muted demand at the domestic spot markets. ZINC ( 27.02.2017 )✍ Zinc prices declined by 0.61 per cent to Rs 186.90 per kg in futures trade today as speculators cut down their bets, driven by sluggish demand from consuming industries in the spot market. At Multi Commodity Exchange, zinc for delivery in February month fell by Rs 1.15, or 0.61 per cent, to Rs 186.90 per kg in
  • 34. business turnover of 297 lots. Similarly, the metal for delivery in March contracts shed Rs 1.05, or 0.56 per cent, to Rs 187.25 per kg in 3 lots. Analysts said offloading of positions by traders owing to slackened demand from consuming industries in the physical market, mainly led to decline in zinc prices at futures trade. NICKEL ( 24.02.2017 )✍ Amid profit-booking by speculators, nickel prices traded lower by 0.66 per cent to Rs 740.80 per kg in futures trading today. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, nickel for delivery in March month fell by Rs 4.90, or 0.66 per cent, to Rs. 740.80 per kg in business turnover of 16 lots. On similar lines, the metal for delivery in February contracts was trading lower by Rs 3, or 0.41 per cent, to Rs 736.70 per kg in 406 lots. Analysts attributed the fall in nickel futures to profit-booking by participants, driven by easing demand from alloy-makers in the domestic spot market. COPPER ( 24.02.2017 )✍ Copper prices rose by 0.20 per cent to Rs 401 per kg in futures trade today as speculators built up fresh positions amid rising demand in domestic spot markets and a firming trend overseas. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, copper for delivery in current month traded higher by 80 paise, or 0.20 per cent, to Rs 401 per kg in a business turnover of 205 lots. Metal for delivery in April fell by a similar margin to trade at RS 404.60 per kg in 14 lots. Analysts attributed the rise in copper futures to a firm trend at the domestic markets following pick up in demand from consuming industries and strength in metal at the London Metal Exchange as near-term supply disruptions intensified after Indonesia's Grasberg, the world's second-largest mine said it could not fulfill its promised shipments due to export permit issues. Meanwhile, copper rose 0.7 per cent to 6,000 per tonne at the LME. ZINC ( 24.02.2017 )✍ London zinc prices have nearly doubled over the past 13 months and are closing in on nine-year highs, but signs of tightening in the global market for refined zinc means the rally may have further to run. Zinc bulls pushed prices higher after the closure of several giant zinc mines last year led to a steep drop in global ore supply, setting the stage for a shortage of the metal used to rust-proof steel. There are now signs that shortage is materialising, with global stocks shrinking and prices for spot metal rising, just as post-holiday demand picks up in China and a strike at North America's second-largest zinc plant further cuts supply.
  • 35. NCDEX - WEEKLY MARKET REVIEW FUNDAMENTALS – Refined soya oil prices moved up by 0.22 per cent to Rs 680 per 10 kg in futures trade on Monday as participants built up fresh positions supported by pick up in demand against restricted supplies from producing belts. At the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange, refined soya oil for delivery in February month went up by Rs 1.50, or 0.22 per cent to Rs 680 per 10 kg with an open interest of 54,310 lots. Similarly, the oil for delivery in March contracts edged up by 75 paise, or 0.11 per cent to Rs 665.50 per 10 kg in 25,480 lots. Analysts said fresh positions created by participants on the back of uptick in demand in the spot market against tight stock position mainly led to rise in refined soya oil prices at futures trade. WHEAT✍ ( 27.02.2017 ) Wheat prices edged up by 0.46 per cent to Rs 1,738 per quintal in futures market as speculators built up fresh positions amid pick up in demand at the spot market. At the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange, wheat for delivery in March month was trading higher by Rs 8, or 0.46 per cent, to Rs 1,738 per quintal with an open interest of 3,800 lots. Analysts said fresh positions created by traders amid uptick in demand from flour mills in the spot market mainly contributed to the rise in wheat prices at futures trade. CARDAMOM✍ ( 27.02.2017 ) Cardamom futures fell by 0.93 per cent to Rs 1,470 per kg today as traders trimmed their holdings amid sluggish spot demand. Besides, adequate stocks position following increased arrivals from producing regions also fuelled the downtrend. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, cardamom for delivery in April declined by Rs 13.80, or 0.93 per cent, to Rs 1,470 per kg in a business turnover of 29 lots. The spice for delivery in March was down by Rs 3.90, or 0.26 per cent, to Rs 1,471 per kg with a trading volume of 57 lots. Analysts said offloading of positions by participants owing to a weak trend at spot market on subdued demand mainly put pressure on cardamom prices at futures trade. SUGAR✍ ( 27.02.2017 ) The food ministry has asked sugar mills to pay dues to farmers for 2015-16 and clear amounts pending for 2016-17 as soon as possible. The ministry has also told millers not to hoard sugar and urged them not
  • 36. to increase retail prices, a senior official said. The arrears to be paid by mills to sugarcane farmers for the year ended September 2016 are Rs 334 crore, according to the fair and remunerative price set by the Central government. Under the state advised price fixed by state governments to protect the interests of farmers, the dues are Rs 1,206 crore, the food ministry official said. Most of the arrears were payable by millers in Uttar Pradesh. For the current season that started in October 2016, the FRP dues were Rs 6,054 crore as of February 20, while on the basis of SAP, the outstanding amount for this period was Rs 9,764 crore, the ministry official said. Sugar production is likely to fall short of the government’s estimate by about 10% even as the crushing season in Maharashtra draws to a close. While the central government had projected sugar production to be 22.5 million tonnes for 2016-17, the industry thinks actual production could be 20 million tonnes. According to state government data, as on February 20, sugar mills in Maharashtra have produced 40.56 lakh tonnes of sugar compared to 65.62 lakh tonnes produced during the comparable period of the previous year. Of the 150 sugar mills that had started cane crushing operations this year, 124 mills have already closed due to non-availability of sugarcane. Only 26 mills are still producing sugar as against 121 mills that were in operation during the same period of the previous year. WHEAT✍ ( 27.02.2017 ) Non-fumigated wheat that could harm people eating it could be entering India despite government rules to not allow such imports. The rules will be made tighter from March 31, but some importers have devised ways to bring in such wheat by producing fake fumigation documents. Wheat imports to India must be fumigated with methyl bromide at the port of origin. If this is not done, consignments are fumigated at Indian ports. From March 31, fumigation will have to be done only at the port of origin. COFFEE✍ ( 24.02.2017 ) With less production in Brazil due to drought and increasing demand in global markets, coffee export from India since January 1 has risen around six per cent in volume and 15 per cent in value over the same period a year before. According to Coffee Board data, from January 1 to this Tuesday, our coffee export and re-export was 46,000 tonnes, as against 43,436 tonnes a year before. In value terms, $119.2 million (Rs 805.3 crore) from $103.3 mn (Rs 699.4 crore). Exporters hope this rising trend in prices will continue. The Arabica variety is Rs 9,200-9,500 a bag (50 kg), from Rs 8,500 in December. Three years before, it was Rs 12,000-13,000 a bag. Even so, the current level would enable one to break even, says Rohan Colaco, a major grower in the Karnataka region, major source for the country's coffee. Markets regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India is all set to allow futures trading in degummed soya oil soon. Commodity exchanges, primarily the National Commodity & Derivatives
  • 37. Exchange, had applied to Sebi seeking permission for launch of futures trading in degummed soya oil. According to exchange source, NCDEX has also applied to Sebi to allow futures in yellow peas, black pepper, RM seed cake or meal. The exchange is also planning for relaunch of chana futures, which were suspended last year on the wake of very high price rise, now that the prices have moderated. Of these, pepper and chana will be relaunched. Even the Multi Commodity Exchange is also awaiting expansion of its agri commodity basket and it has proposed a few more agri commodities; it is awaiting Sebi approval. Speaking to Business Standard, a Sebi source said, "We would soon allow futures trading in degummed soya oil to all commodity exchanges, including NCDEX and MCX.” WHEAT✍ ( 24.02.2017 ) Wheat production in India will probably fall short of a government forecast, spurring the world’s second- biggest grower to import a large quantity amid declining domestic inventory. Production is set to total 91 million tonnes in the 2016-17 crop year, according to the median estimate of eight traders and analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. That’s the lowest since 2014-15 and compares with the government’s estimate for record 96.6 million tonnes this season. Imports in 2017-18 may total two million tonnes, the second highest level in 11 years, the survey shows. ✍ SUGAR ( 24.02.2017 ) Sugarcane payment arrears to farmers in Uttar Pradesh stood at Rs 5,795 crore till last Friday, despite lucrative sugar prices this time, indicating that the benefits of a good year for the sector don't necessarily trickle down to growers. The ongoing 2016-17 sugar season, which started on October 1, will go on till September-end 2017. As much as Rs 5,320 crore, or 92 per cent of these arrears of Rs 5,795 crore, was owed by the corporate sector.
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