Fiscal cliff issue steals the QE4 show in Gold and Silver

 Investors sold heavily on the Comex as markets drew to a close taking gold and silver prices down by a significant margin as the community fretted and fumed about the possibility of US going off the fiscal cliff.

Dollar, the ultimate safe-haven bounced back from a three-day decline against a basket of six major currencies. Gold and silver prices, as a result, tumbled.

Gold for February delivery on the Comex was seen trading at 1702.55 an ounce, a drop of 0.89% as of 10.08 AM IST, Thursday. Silver on the Comex was at $33.11 registering a loss of 0.664 dollars, a drop of 1.97%.

“Investors are now focused on the fiscal cliff negotiations, which are looking protracted and threatening to weigh on all markets,” said Xiang Nan, an analyst at CITICS Futures Co., a unit ofChina’s biggest listed brokerage to Bloomberg News.

“ We view a drop below $1,700 as a good buying opportunity. The Fed sent a strong signal about supporting the economy and keeping the easy monetary policy stance unchanged, which should support higher gold prices in the longer term.” Nan added.

On the Comex, silver prices climbed the most after the QE boost by US Federal Open Market Committee. As of 11.30 PM IST Wednesday, silver climbed by 2.33% to reach $33.787 an ounce even as gold jumped 0.79% to touch $1723.05 an ounce. WTI crude oil for January delivery was seen climbing by 1.82% to reach $87.35 a barrel at 11.33 PM IST.

Subsequent to QE4 announcement yesterday night, on India's MCX, silver for March delivery climbed by 1.34% and was seen trading at Rs.63162 as of 11.37 PM IST, Gold for February delivery was seen trading at Rs.31408/10 grams, a gain of 0.1%. Crude oil for December delivery was seen trading at Rs.4727 a barrel, a gain of 1.18%.

The US Federal Reserve has boosted Quantitative Easing with $45 billion in monthly treasury purchases.

The Federal Reserve noted that the “economic activity and employment have continued to expand at a moderate pace in recent months..although the unemployment rate has declined somewhat since the summer, it remains elevated." the FOMC said in a press release.

"To support a stronger economic recovery and to help ensure that inflation, over time, is at the rate most consistent with its dual mandate, the Committee will continue purchasing additional agency mortgage-backed securities at a pace of $40 billion per month.” the release added.

“The Committee also will purchase longer-term Treasury securities after its program to extend the average maturity of its holdings of Treasury securities is completed at the end of the year, initially at a pace of $45 billion per month." the release continued to say.