GOLD PRICES

Reports that some financial institutions have started to exit their gold positions have been circulating this week, says French bank and London bullion dealer Natixis in its latest commodity analysis. Physically-backed ETF trust funds shrank almost 1% this week on Natixis' data - the sharpest weekly drop since we started keeping records in 2008.

Gold fell like a stone on Thursday, following three days of gains, and ignored a recovery in the euro as investment demand waned. Spot gold fell over $20 to $1,348.55 an ounce by 1426 GMT.

Gold rose for a third straight day on Wednesday on a weaker dollar and strong Asian physical demand, while platinum and palladium hit multi-year highs on an improving global economic outlook.

Groundbreaking on new U.S. home construction fell more than expected in December to its lowest in over a year, suggesting the battered housing sector remains a major roadblock to economic recovery.

Gold rallied for a third consecutive session on Wednesday, boosted by broad weakness in the dollar and robust Asian consumer demand, while anticipation of more resilient global growth took platinum to 30-month highs.

The South African rand fell to its lowest in five weeks on Friday, as the central bank mopped up dollar supply as a measure to curb currency strength, while waning global risk appetite also weighed.

Gold fell in Europe on Friday after China's central bank raised lenders' reserve requirements by 50 basis points, with softer haven demand for the metal after solid bond sales by Portugal and Spain also weighing on prices.

The Euro extended its rally on the currency markets, spiking to a 4-week high vs. the Dollar of $1.3450 before easing back. Thus, Gold priced in Euros dropped almost 5% from Monday's near-record high.

Talking to people in the Chinese market over the weekend, writes Jeff Toshima, Tokyo director of the World Gold Council, in today's Nikkei Money, I was amazed to discover the number of gold saving accounts at Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has grown above 1,000,000 within a year of ICBC launching the service.

Gold prices rose in Europe on Wednesday, as a retreat in the dollar, rising oil prices and caution ahead of a sale of Portuguese bonds later in the day all boosted interest in the precious metal.

Topics of this interview include Scott Carter highlighting the global dynamic of today's interest in gold, and how macro-economic trends continue to drive the decade long bull market of the precious metals. We also evaluate the possibility of seeing QE3 in 2011.

The Gold Price in Euros whipped within 1.5% of last month's all-time record highs in London trade on Monday, as weaker-economy Eurozone bonds fell sharply on a raft of bail-out rumors and leaks.

The Gold Price in Dollars slid to a near 6-week low in early London trading on Friday, dropping below $1360 an ounce, but then bounced back to $1369 as New York trading began and Non-Farm Payrolls showed a rise of 103,000 - below analyst forecasts - and the labor-force participation rate slipped further below two-in-three.

In this piece, we will examine four of gold's most important rules; the irreversible trends affecting the gold price; and how the consequences of these trends will push gold higher in 2011 and beyond.

Silver and Gold Prices both unwound the last of late Dec.'s gains in early London trade on Wednesday, retreating to $29.20 and $1370 respectively per ounce on what several analysts called profit taking as world stock markets also fell.

The year 2010 saw the metamorphosis of gold from a commodity to a currency, according to analysts. As global currencies weakened in the wake of an influx of unprecedented stimulus and ultra-liberal monetary policies gold extended its bull ride to finish the year with a 30 percent gain.

Studying the structure of open interest in US Comex Gold Futures and options, it points to more volatility and the risk...is very much to the upside, says O'Connell, concluding that professional traders are looking for a Gold Price of $1500 or even $1600 by the start of April.

Spot gold prices surged up on Tuesday as it was supported by a weaker dollar and strong buying interest in Asia, while investors hoped for a further rally in prices next year. Spot gold gained gained nearly one percent to $1,402.40 an ounce by 1352 GMT.

Gold prices will keep rising over the next two years to hit $1,600 per ounce by the end of 2011 and $2,000 by end of 2012, as fresh shocks to the global financial system are expected, an analyst has said.

The world's largest exchange traded gold fund - the New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore-listed SPDR Gold Trust - added 15 tonnes to its holdings on Friday, the largest one-day addition since the height of the Greek deficit crisis in May.

Nerbrand's team at HSBC reckon that Gold Investment accounts for just 0.14% of the average global portfolio today. If this figure increases, as we expect, the Gold Price could rise significantly...We believe asset allocators are likely to increase their weighting in gold over the next ten years if they focus on risk management