Gold prices eased back towards $910 overnight and early this morning, as risk appetite made a comeback and was seen as a hunger for stocks and certain currencies. Investment demand for gold as a safe-haven was waning in the wake of dissipating angst in various local markets. ETF-related demand has gone into drought mode since reaching a record high last month.

Some of today’s easing in values was seen as being related to news that US Bancorp, Capital One, and BB&T Corp will offer common stock and are intending to check out of Hotel Geithner (TARP) in the near future. What’s in your wallet? Enough money to pay back kind Uncle Sam. So much for bank nationalization, Nostradamus.

In addition, gold sales have plunged in several key regionally-oriented locales, such as Dubai (gateway to India) and Hong Kong (gateway to you-know-where). Local chain store spokesmen have characterized the situation as ” high gold prices having hit the bullion trade” and opined that “gold sales will now pick up only when the prices come down.”

March/April figures show a sharp (50%) drop in offtake in Dubai. Hong Kong and Singapore fared not much better, on the back of persistent recessionary forces at work, and on the lack of available funds to buy gold with. Bear in mind that investment demand has been the key (and some -such as ETF Securities- say, the ‘sole’) driver/support for gold in Q1.

Gold’s year-to-date average price has been near $905 per ounce (the highest such average, yet). This, against a background that had the average gold price (since 2001) hover near $540 per ounce, and near $390 (for the 36 years between 1974 and 2009).

Full Story: http://www.commodityonline.com/news/Gold-investment-demand-wanes-ETFs-in-dry-spell-17665-3-1.html

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