Gold hits all-time high amid surge in virus cases

BENGALURU • Gold smashed a record high yesterday as a safety rush fuelled by the worsening coronavirus pandemic and its mounting economic toll gathered pace and put bullion on track for its longest weekly winning streak in nearly a decade.

Spot gold was up 0.3 per cent at US$2,069.78 per ounce by 0308 GMT after hitting an all-time high of US$2,072.50 in early trade. It has added 4.7 per cent so far this week in what would be its ninth straight weekly gain. US gold futures rose 0.6 per cent to US$2,081.60.

Silver too continued its stellar run, rising as much as 3.1 per cent to US$29.84, adding nearly 19 per cent in what would be its best week since 1987.

"It's difficult to hold anything but a constructive view (on gold)," said ING analyst Warren Patterson. "While the pace of the rally may slow, there does seem to be further upside... for the remainder of the year."

Surging Covid-19 cases in the United States have dampened hopes for a nascent economic recovery and weighed on rival safe-haven, the US dollar. The greenback was headed for its seventh consecutive weekly fall.

Gold is likely to hover around US$2,020-US$2,080 an ounce in the near term, said National Australia Bank economist John Sharma. "The key factor will be how this virus plays out, and whether there is any progress on vaccines," he added.

Benchmark 10-year US Treasury yields were at five-month lows, making the non-interest bearing bullion an attractive investment, and helping it rise more than 35 per cent so far this year.

REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 08, 2020, with the headline Gold hits all-time high amid surge in virus cases. Subscribe