Gold Prices Build on January’s 11% Rally (Update 1)

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DG365FD46564GFH654FU898 The Street By Alix Steel February 1, 2012 NEW YORK (TheStreet ) — Gold prices climbed higher Wednesday along with the euro, building on their 11% January rally. Gold for February delivery closed up $9.10 at $1,749.50 an ounce at the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The gold price has traded as high as $1,754 and as low as $1,735.40 an ounce while the spot price was adding $9, according to Kitco's gold index. Silver prices rose 54 cents to close at $33.80 an ounce while the U.S. dollar index was down 0.48% at $78.90. Gold prices were adding to their January gains Wednesday as the dollar fell against the euro. The Automatic Data Processing employment report showed that the private sector added just 170,000 jobs in January, which was less than expected, and revised December's whopping 325,000 private job gain down to 292,000. The lackluster reading underscored the Federal Reserve's commitment to keep rates low until the end of 2014. Extended low rates have been a catalyst for gold . Murenbeeld thinks gold could spike to $2,000 an ounce this year, but won't average that price as a stronger dollar could be a headwind if gold and the euro maintain their positive correlation. "On a day to day basis it appears what the euro does is what gold is going to do," he says, but "if you look at that correlation over the past couple of years it really breaks down," which means investors can't count on that correlation always being a negative for gold . Murenbeeld says the longer term correlation between the two assets is actually zero. "Net net European problems will be positive for gold [even though] there could be shocks on the negative side." Adding further pressure on the dollar Wednesday and further helping gold was some positive news out of Europe. Portugal raised 1.5 billion euros at lower yields. Although demand was somewhat tepid, the lower interest payments were a relief as the country's borrowing costs have been on the rise on speculation the country might need a second bailout. Germany also raised more than 4 billion euros over 10 years at an average yield of 1.82% lower than the previous auction. Demand, however as well, was a little light. The euro also gained vs. the dollar on reports that Greece would reach a final deal with private bondholders on what kind of loss they would have to take in their debt swap deal. Bondholders are exchanging old debt for new debt and might take a loss of more than 70%. Greece and investors were also debating the interest payment on the new debt. Reports indicate it might be a 3.75% compromise. Gold had a big run in January, up 11%, and some experts are bracing for a possible profit taking pullback. "Eight weeks up for gold is probably a stretch now and ripe for something to happen to induce some profit taking," says George Gero, senior vice president at RBC Capital Markets, "but the technical and fundamentals don't signal a reversal." Gold mining stocks were volatile Wednesday. Kinross Gold was slightly lower at $11.25 while Yamana Gold was 0.2% lower at $61.36. Other gold stocks, Agnico-Eagle and Eldorado Gold were trading mixed at $37.46 and $15.15, respectively. View the original article here