Metals Stocks: Gold prices see subdued rise, buoyed by weaker dollar as stocks rally

“The yellow metal sees support near the $1,725 per ounce, even though the buyers lose appetite approaching the $1,750 mark on uncertainty regarding a renewed risk selloff despite unpromising news from the U.S., China front,” wrote Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.

Gold for August delivery GCQ20, +0.06% on Comex was up $1.90, or 0.1%, at $1,752.20 an ounce after declining by less than 0.1% on Monday. July silver SIN20, -0.17% shed 3 cents, or 0.1%, at $18.810 an ounce, following a 1.8% rise for the metal in the previous session.

Dollar-pegged commodities have been buoyed by a weaker greenback, which precious metals are priced in. The ICE Dollar Index DXY, -0.23%, a gauge of the buck against a half-dozen currencies, was down 0.3% on Tuesday and has declined 0.7% over the past two sessions to 97.63. A weaker buck can make assets priced in the currency more appealing to buyers using other monetary units.

“This dollar weakness is another support to gold and silver, along with low real rates,” wrote Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Advisory Group, in a Tuesday research note.

Bullion prices were facing some headwinds from a continued revival in investor appetite for stocks as they continue to climb back from a March rout induced by fears about the dire economic implications of the spread of the novel strain of coronavirus and the effects of measures to curtail the infection.

Economic stimulus measures enacted by the Federal Reserve, including near-zero interest rates, and fiscal stimulus around the globe has supported bullion buying, experts said.

U.S. stock-index futures, and global equity, markets broadly, however, were headed into positive territory on Tuesday, undercutting some demand for gold.

Rounding out metals action on Comex, July copper HGN20, +0.26% added a penny, or 0.2%, to trade at $2.477 a pound, following a 1.9% climb for the industrial metal. July platinum PLN20, -1.11% shed 1% to $892.10 an ounce after its 3% surge a day ago, while September palladium futures PAU20, +0.66% rose 0.8% to $2,004.20 an ounce, adding to a similar gain on Monday.