markets

Precious metals advanced Thursday as disappointed U.S jobs data coupled with Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke speech yesterday have left investors nervous and fleeing out of the U.S dollar.

Precious metals were in rally mode as growing confidence that a Greek debt swap will be well enough in favour to avoid a credit event.

Spot gold traded to $1704 as the Euro picked itself off the floor to start a rally of its own. The single currency traded to a session high of 1.3278 amid growing confidence on the Greek bond swap.

"Expectations that the take-up will be sufficient to allow the debt swap to proceed without any activation of the collective action clauses expectations have kept the euro buoyant," Standard Bank said.

Spot gold continued losses which started yesterday sliding another $40 to trade to a 1 month low of $1663.

A lack of economic data coupled with concerns of global growth had traders shedding long positions ahead of Friday’s all important U.S jobs report. The U.S dollar was back in favour with investors, the Euro dollar continues to be under pressure as traders questioned whether private creditors will agree to a Greek bond swap deal as a default could be very imminent.

The outlook for global gold demand remains robust throughout 2011 against a background of another strong quarter, the geographic and sectoral diversity of demand and strong fundamentals, the World Gold Council said today. According to the Gold Demand Trends report for Q1 2011, demand for gold in the rest of 2011 will be driven by a number of key factors: