Gold futures ended lower for a second straight session on Monday as safe-haven demand diminished with prospects of a Greek debt agreement improved.
Gold for August delivery declined $17.80, or 1.5%, to settle at $1,184.10 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
"Gold prices ended the U.S. day session solidly lower Monday, as some keener risk appetite in the market place sunk the safe-haven metal," Jim Wyckoff, a senior analyst at Kitco Metals Inc., said in a report. "European and U.S. stock indexes rallied Monday on reports Greece and the European Union are very close to agreement on a debt-restructuring deal, after Greece submitted a revised debt-repayment plan during the weekend."
The precious metal traded from a low of $1,181.60 to a high of $1,200.80. Gold prices surged last week by 1.9%.
Silver for July delivery tacked on 3 cents, or 0.2%, to close at $16.14 an ounce. Silver prices ranged from $15.99 to $16.23. They jumped last week by 1.8%.
In other precious metals futures:
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July platinum fell $26.20, or 2.4%, to $1,060.60 an ounce, trading between $1,058.60 and $1,086.40.
- Palladium for September delivery lost $11.95, or 1.7%, to $695.45 an ounce, ranging from $690.50 to $708.75.
Last week, platinum fell by 0.9% and palladium tumbled by 4.2%.
London Precious Metals Prices
Aside from silver, earlier fixed London precious metals prices declined. In comparing London bullion prices from Friday PM to Monday PM:
- Gold dropped $17.90, or 1.5%, to $1,185.50 an ounce,
- Silver rose 7 cents, or 0.4%, to $16.19 an ounce,
- Platinum fell $17, or 1.6%, $1,068 an ounce, and
- Palladium declined $19, or 2.6%, to $699 an ounce.
Last week, London gold and silver prices rose 1.7% and 1.2% and platinum and palladium fell by 0.9% and 2.8%.
US Mint Bullion Coin Sales in June
The United States Mint had yet to update its bullion sales figures as of 3:51 PM ET. Below is a listing of U.S. Mint bullion products that shows the number of coins sold during varying periods. Products with an asterisk (*) are no longer available.
| US Mint Bullion Sales (# of coins) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday Sales | Last Week | May Sales | June Sales | YTD Sales | |
| $50 American Eagle 1 Oz Gold Coins | 0 | 18,000 | 13,500 | 38,000 | 174,000 |
| $25 American Eagle 1/2 Oz Gold Coins | 0 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 2,000 | 34,000 |
| $10 American Eagle 1/4 Oz Gold Coins | 0 | 6,000 | 10,000 | 8,000 | 66,000 |
| $5 American Eagle 1/10 Oz Gold Coins | 0 | 20,000 | 40,000 | 55,000 | 360,000 |
| $50 American Buffalo 1 Oz Gold Coins | 0 | 6,500 | 9,500 | 12,500 | 88,000 |
| $1 American Eagle 1 Oz Silver Coins | 0 | 975,000 | 2,023,500 | 2,600,000 | 19,546,000 |
| 2015 Homestead 5 Oz Silver Coins* | – | 35,000 | |||
| 2015 Kisatchie 5 Oz Silver Coins* | – | 12,000 | – | 42,000 | |
