Precious metals futures ended mixed Monday as gold and silver gained and platinum and palladium declined. Gold finished at a seven-and-a-half-month high.
Gold for February delivery added $5, or 0.4%, to end at $1,303.10 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The settlement was the highest since June 14 when gold finished at $1,308.30 an ounce.
"Technically, February gold futures bulls have the overall near-term technical advantage and have gained more power recently, keeping a price uptrend in place on the daily bar chart," Jim Wyckoff, a senior analyst at Kitco Metals Inc., said in a report. "Gold bulls’ next upside near-term price breakout objective is to produce a close above solid technical resistance at $1,330.00."
Gold futures ranged from a low of $1,296.50 to a high of $1,303.70. They picked up 1.2% last week.
Silver for March delivery rose 6.6 cents, or 0.4%, to settle at $15.765 an ounce. The close was the strongest since Jan. 3 when silver settled at $15.797 an ounce. Silver futures traded between $15.61 and $15.83. They gained 2% last week.
In other precious metals futures prices:
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April platinum declined $3.80, or 0.5%, to $814.50 an ounce, ranging from $810.90 to $822.20.
- Palladium for March delivery fell $30.50, or 2.3%, to $1,289.30 an ounce, trading between $1,287.70 and $1,329.
Last week, platinum moved up 2% and palladium lost 1.2%.
London Precious Metals Prices
In comparing earlier fixed London gold and silver prices from Friday PM to Monday PM
- Gold added $8.25, or 0.6%, to $1,302.15 an ounce.
- Silver rose 31 cents, or 2%, to $15.685 an ounce.
LBMA platinum and palladium prices are available on the LBMA’s website with a delay of midnight
In LBMA prices last week, silver and palladium declined by 0.6% and 3.2% while gold and platinum rose by 0.8% and 1.4%.
US Mint 2019 Bullion Sales
United States Mint bullion sales climbed by a combined 1,000 ounces in American Gold Eagles, by 60,000 ounces in American Silver Eagles, and by 1,000 ounces in American Platinum Eagles.
Below is a sales breakdown of U.S. Mint bullion products with columns listing the number of coins sold during varying periods.
| US Mint Bullion Sales (# of coins) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Last Week | December | 2018 Sales | 2019 Sales | |
| $100 American Eagle 1 Oz Platinum Coin | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 30,000 | 26,600 |
| $50 American Eagle 1 Oz Gold Coin | 500 | 2,500 | 3,000 | 191,000 | 43,500 |
| $25 American Eagle 1/2 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32,000 | 14,000 |
| $10 American Eagle 1/4 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62,000 | 20,000 |
| $5 American Eagle 1/10 Oz Gold Coin | 5,000 | 0 | 0 | 230,000 | 80,000 |
| $50 American Buffalo 1 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 1,500 | 1,500 | 121,500 | 22,500 |
| $1 American Eagle 1 Oz Silver Coin | 60,000 | 375,000 | 490,000 | 15,700,000 | 3,991,000 |
