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Gold prices rose on Friday, stabilizing after a volatile session, as investors reassessed the situation surrounding the Russian invasion of Ukraine and new sanctions against Moscow from the West.
BASICS
* Spot gold rose 0.3% to $1,909.06 an ounce by 0204 GMT. US gold futures fell 0.8% to $1,910.70.
* The metal jumped more than 3% on Thursday to hit its highest level since September 2020 at $1,973.96, before reversing course to close lower.
* On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed to remain in Kiev while his troops battled Russian invaders who were advancing on the capital in the biggest attack on a European state since World War II.
* Commodity prices rose to multi-year highs on Thursday, buoyed by prospects of tighter supply due to the possibility of further sanctions on Russian exports, transportation disruptions and the withholding of supplies by from Moscow.
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* US President Joe Biden hit Russia with a wave of sanctions, measures that impede Russia’s ability to do business in major currencies, along with sanctions against banks and state-owned companies.
* Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that invest in gold and other precious metals have seen massive inflows as investors scramble to protect themselves.
* Palladium prices are up almost 28% this year, while gold has gained around 4.5%.
* Palladium metal for auto catalysts gained 1.4% to $2,435.77, after hitting its highest level since July 2021 at $2,711.18 on Thursday.
* Russia’s Nornickel is a major producer of palladium and platinum, which are used in catalytic converters to clean car exhaust.
* Spot silver rose 0.5% to $24.33 an ounce, platinum rose 0.4% to $1,061.40.
