Gold futures were nearly flat Tuesday, just down enough to extend their losing streak to four sessions in a row after having climbed for five straight.
Gold for April delivery dipped 40 cents, or less than 0.1%, to settle at $1,225.40 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
"Gold prices were ending the U.S. session slightly down Tuesday, pressured by a stronger U.S. dollar index that was supported by hawkish comments from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen," Jim Wyckoff, a senior analyst at Kitco Metals Inc., said in a report.
Gold futures ranged from a low of $1,222.70 to a high of $1,236. They shed 0.8% in starting the new trading week on Monday.
Ending higher for the third time in four sessions, silver for March delivery added 6.8 cents, or 0.4%, to $17.889 an ounce. Silver futures traded between $17.73 and $18.09. They slipped 0.6% on Monday. On Friday, they ended at their highest level since Nov. 10.
In rounding out precious metals futures:
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April platinum gained $1.90, or 0.2%, to $1,002.20 an ounce, ranging from $998.70 to $1,011.90.
- Palladium for March delivery settled up $5.95, or 0.8%, to $780.90 an ounce, trading between $773.65 and $784.90.
London Precious Metals Prices
In comparing earlier fixed London bullion prices from Monday PM to Tuesday PM:
- Gold rose $8.50, or 0.7%, to $1,230.75 an ounce.
- Silver fell 6.5 cents, or 0.4%, to $17.905 an ounce.
LBMA platinum and palladium prices are available on the LBMA’s website with a delay of midnight.
US Mint Bullion Coin Sales in 2017
U.S. Mint bullion sales logged increases of 5,000 ounces in gold coins and 210,000 ounces in silver coins.
Below is a sales breakdown of U.S. bullion products with columns listing the number of coins sold during varying periods. Products with an asterisk (*) are no longer available.
| US Mint Bullion Sales (# of coins) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Sales | Last Week | This Week | Jan Sales | Feb Sales | 2017 Sales | |
| $100 American Eagle 1 Oz Platinum Coin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20,000 | 0 | 20,000 |
| $50 American Eagle 1 Oz Gold Coin | 2,000 | 10,000 | 4,000 | 86,500 | 15,500 | 102,000 |
| $25 American Eagle 1/2 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 4,000 | 0 | 19,000 | 4,000 | 23,000 |
| $10 American Eagle 1/4 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36,000 | 0 | 36,000 |
| $5 American Eagle 1/10 Oz Gold Coin | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 | 125,000 | 15,000 | 140,000 |
| $50 American Buffalo 1 Oz Gold Coin | 2,500 | 5,000 | 4,000 | 32,000 | 11,500 | 43,500 |
| $1 American Eagle 1 Oz Silver Coin | 210,000 | 250,000 | 285,000 | 5,127,500 | 535,000 | 5,662,500 |
| 2017 Effigy Mounds 5 Oz Silver Coin | 0 | 17,700 | 0 | 100 | 17,700 | 17,700 |
| 2016 Shawnee 5 Oz Silver Coins* | – | |||||
| 2016 Cumberland Gap 5 Oz Silver Coin* | – | |||||
| 2016 Harpers Ferry 5 Oz Silver Coin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 Theodore Roosevelt 5 Oz Silver Coin* | – | 800 | – | |||
| 2016 Fort Moultrie 5 Oz Silver Coin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
