Precious metals declined on Monday. Palladium led losses with a more than $19 drop while gold, silver and platinum registered only modest declines.
Gold for April delivery fell $3.20, or 0.2%, to settle at $1,320.80 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
"Keener risk appetite in the world marketplace at present is keeping the buyers of the safe-metals squelched," Jim Wyckoff, a senior analyst at Kitco Metals Inc., said in a report. "A weaker U.S. dollar index today did allow gold and silver to move off of their daily lows that were scored in early dealings."
Gold futures traded from a low of $1,315.30 to a high of $1,325. They rose 60 cents last week.
Silver for May delivery lost 7.2 cents, or 0.4%, to close at $16.536 an ounce. Silver futures ranged from $16.43 to $16.64. They rose 0.9% last week.
In other precious metals futures prices on Monday:
-
April platinum dipped $1.30, or 0.1%, to $962.90 an ounce, trading between $958.10 and $968.70.
- Palladium for June delivery dropped $19.20, or 2%, to $967.65 an ounce, ranging from $966 to $992.10.
Last week, platinum fell less than 0.1% and palladium gained less than 0.1%.
London Precious Metals Prices
In comparing earlier fixed London gold and silver prices from Friday PM to Monday PM:
- Gold declined $1.45, or 0.1%, to $1,319.15 an ounce.
- Silver fell 3 cents, or 0.2, to $16.455 an ounce.
LBMA platinum and palladium prices are available on the LBMA’s website with a delay of midnight.
Last week, LBMA metal prices were mixed with silver rising 0.2% and the others recording losses of 0.1% for gold, 2% for platinum, and 0.9% for palladium.
US Mint Bullion Sales in 2018
U.S. Mint bullion sales advanced by 125,000 ounces in American Silver Eagles. Below is a sales breakdown of U.S. Mint bullion products with columns listing the number of coins sold during varying periods.
| US Mint Bullion Sales (# of coins) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Last Week | February | March | 2018 Sales | |
| $100 American Eagle 1 Oz Platinum Coin | 0 | 0 | 20,000 | 0 | 20,000 |
| $50 American Eagle 1 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 2,500 | 5,000 | 2,500 | 43,500 |
| $25 American Eagle 1/2 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16,000 |
| $10 American Eagle 1/4 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26,000 |
| $5 American Eagle 1/10 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 10,000 | 5,000 | 10,000 | 95,000 |
| $50 American Buffalo 1 Oz Gold Coin | 0 | 1,000 | 2,500 | 1,000 | 27,500 |
| $1 American Eagle 1 Oz Silver Coin | 125,000 | 165,000 | 942,500 | 290,000 | 4,467,500 |
| Pictured Rocks 5 Oz Silver Coin | 0 | 0 | 20,000 | 0 | 20,000 |
