Precious metals futures changed little Thursday. Palladium marked another record settlement, its third this week.
Gold for February delivery climbed $2.90, or 0.2%, to settle at $1,483.10 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
"Gold and silver prices are firmer in midday U.S. trading Thursday, on some buying support from a weaker U.S. dollar index and the U.S. stock market pulling back just a bit," Jim Wyckoff, a senior analyst at Kitco Metals Inc., said in a daily research note. "Traders are now awaiting a key U.S. economic report that is due out Friday morning."
Gold futures ranged from a low of $1,478 to a high of $1,485.70. They lost 0.3% on Wednesday, they gained 1% on Tuesday — registering their highest settlement since Nov. 6, and they dipped 0.2% on Monday.
Silver for March delivery rose 14.3 cents, or 0.9%, to end at $17.059 an ounce. Silver futures traded between $16.87 and $17.08. They dropped 1.9% on Wednesday, they advanced 1.7% on Tuesday — marking their best close since Nov. 6, and they declined 0.8% on Monday.
In other precious metals futures prices Thursday:
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January platinum fell $1.20, or 0.1%, to $900.60 an ounce, ranging from $886.40 to $903.90.
- Palladium for March delivery inched up 30 cents, or 0.02%, to a new record settlement of $1,845.70 an ounce. Palladium traded between $1,820 and $1,848.50.
London Precious Metals Prices
In comparing earlier fixed London gold and silver prices from Wednesday PM to Thursday PM:
- Gold edged up 85 cents, or 0.06%%, to $1,475.95 an ounce.
- Silver declined 26 cents, or 1.5%, to $16.87 an ounce.
US Mint 2019 Bullion Sales
United States Mint bullion sales were unchanged. Below is a sales breakdown of U.S. Mint bullion products with columns listing the number of coins sold during varying periods. Products with an asterisk (*) are no longer available.
| US Mint Bullion Sales (# of coins) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday | Last Week | November | This Week / December | 2019 Sales | |
| $50 American Eagle 1 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 0 | 8,000 | 500 | 106,500 |
| $25 American Eagle 1/2 Oz Gold Coin* | 0 | 0 | 5,000 | 0 | 30,000 |
| $10 American Eagle 1/4 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 0 | 2,000 | 0 | 38,000 |
| $5 American Eagle 1/10 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 195,000 |
| $50 American Buffalo 1 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 0 | 5,000 | 0 | 60,000 |
| $1 American Eagle 1 Oz Silver Coin | 0 | 0 | 463,000 | 0 | 14,863,500 |
| Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness 5 Oz Silver Coin | 0 | 6,500 | 20,000 | 5,000 | 25,000 |
| San Antonio Missions 5 Oz Silver Coin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55,200 |
| War in the Pacific 5 Oz Silver Coin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72,500 |
| American Memorial Park 5 Oz Silver Coin* | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80,000 |
| Lowell 5 Oz Silver Coin* | N/A | 80,000 | |||
| $100 American Eagle 1 Oz Platinum Coin* | N/A | 40,000 | |||
