Gold: an overview of the market situation

Gold prices rose slightly today, reaching a six-week high at the same time, due to fears of a global economic slowdown. Also increased speculation that a weaker-than-expected growth could force the Fed to delay raising interest rates. Delay of rising interest rates generally increases the demand for gold, as it reduces the relative value of the precious metal retention, guaranteeing a profit to investors.

The course of trade was also affected by today's data on China. It is learned that China's economy in the 3rd quarter grew minimum for the last 5 years rate - growth in July-September was 7.3% compared to the same period last year. GDP growth is lower than the official forecast of 7.5%, which allowed for the current year, the Chinese authorities. Analysts' average forecast was 7.2%. In the second quarter, the GDP was 7.5%. Since 1998, has never not China's GDP is lower than the official forecast. Thus, the probability of acceptance by Beijing of new measures to stimulate business activity. Compared to the previous quarter the economy grew by 1.9% while the forecast of analysts of 1.8%.

The gold market also reacted to the conflicting reports of the European Central Bank purchases of bonds. There are news that the ECB could start buying corporate bonds of troubled countries such as Spain and Italy. But the media in parallel appeared and reported that while this question has not yet been included in the agenda of the December meeting of the ECB.

Rising gold prices also help expectations higher physical demand in India on the eve of the fall wedding season and the festival of Diwali. Autumn wedding season in India, the period of maximum demand for gold jewelry, lasts from November to December. Recall, India is the second largest consumer of gold in the world after China.

Meanwhile, today it was announced that the assets of the largest gold ETF - SPDR Gold Trust - on Monday showed the biggest fall in a year. It was 1.2% - up to 751.96 tons. The volume of assets of the fund at the minimum level since November 2008. Last year, against the backdrop of the collapse of quotations of precious metals assets SPDR Gold Trust fell by 41%. Since the beginning of this year, they fell a further 5.8%.

The cost of the December gold futures on the COMEX today rose to 1252.80 dollars per ounce.