© Reuters. Gold falls on Friday, but scores weekly gain of 3.5% Investing.com – Gold prices retreated from a nine-week high on Friday, as the U.S. dollar strengthened after data showed the U.S. economy created much more jobs than expected in December.
The Labor Department reported that the U.S. economy added , after increasing an upwardly revised 252,000 in November. Economists had forecast payrolls to rise by 200,000. The unemployment rate held steady at a seven-and-a-half year low of .
The report bolstered expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates at a faster pace this year. Rising interest rates historically have been bad news for gold, which can’t compete with the higher interest rates offered by other assets.
The , which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was last at 98.45, up 0.16% for the day.
for February delivery on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange shed $ 9.90, or 0.89%, on Friday to close the week at $ 1,097.90 a troy ounce. It earlier rose to a session high of $ 1,113.10, the most since November 4.
Despite Friday’s losses, gold prices still gained $ 34.40, or 3.54%, on the week, as safe-haven demand was boosted amid a global stock market rout, worries over the Chinese economy and heightened geopolitical tensions.
Also on the Comex, for March delivery dropped 42.6 cents, or 2.97%, on Friday to settle at $ 13.91 a troy ounce. On the week, silver futures inched up 10.3 cents, or 0.83%.
Elsewhere in metals trading, for March delivery dipped 0.6 cents, or 0.28%, to settle the week at $ 2.022 a pound on Friday after sinking to $ 1.990 on Thursday, a level not seen since May 2009.
For the week, Comex copper prices plunged 5.4 cents, or 5.13%, as a meltdown on China’s stock market and a rapid depreciation of the yuan rattled investor sentiment.
While investors had expected the central bank to allow the yuan to fall further after last year’s 4.5% depreciation, the rapid pace of the devaluation has fueled fears that the world’s number two economy is growing even more slowly than expected.
The Asian nation is the world’s largest copper consumer, accounting for nearly 45% of world consumption.
In the week ahead, investors will continue to focus on economic reports out of China, with Wednesday’s trade data in the spotlight.
Meanwhile, the U.S. is to release data on retail sales, producer prices and consumer sentiment as market players look for further indications on the strength of the economy and the future path of rate hikes.
Ahead of the coming week, Investing.com has compiled a list of these and other significant events likely to affect the markets.
Monday, January 11
Markets in Japan will be closed for a national holiday.
Tuesday, January 12
Federal Reserve vice-chair Stanley Fischer is to speak at an event in Paris.
Wednesday, January 13
China is to release data on the trade balance.
Thursday, January 14
The Bank of England is to announce its latest monetary policy decision and publish the minutes of its policy meeting.
The European Central Bank is to publish the minutes of its December monetary policy meeting.
Later in the day, the U.S. is to produce data on initial jobless claims.
Friday, January 15
The U.S. is to round up the week with reports on retail sales, industrial production and producer price inflation, as well as preliminary data on consumer sentiment.
Gold / Silver / Copper futures - weekly outlook: January 11 - 15
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