Gold Price Rallies; Euro Rises

Gold prices were rebounding Friday as Greece pumps the EU and IMF for money and a stronger euro helps the gold price.
By Alix Steel ,

NEW YORK (

TheStreet

) --

Gold prices

were rallying Friday as Greece awaited financial aid from the EU and IMF and as the euro rebounded.

Gold for June delivery was up $12.40 to $1,155.30 an ounce at the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The gold price Friday has traded as high as $1,157.90 and as low as $1,135.20. The

U.S. dollar index

was sliding 0.18% to $81.42 while the euro was rising 0.65% against the dollar. The spot gold price today was up over $13, according to Kitco's gold index.

Gold Prices Wait For Breakout

Gold prices reversed earlier losses as

Greece

officially asks for financial aid from the IMF and European Union. Details are still being worked out but in the next week Greece should have access to 40 billion euros at 5% interest, which is considerably lower than the 8.7% yield the country is currently paying on its 10-year bonds.

The

euro

had come under significant pressure as Greece struggled to come up with the money to pay back its May debt and interest payments. The recent downgrade of Greek debt by Moody's and reports that both Greece and Ireland had larger-than-expected 2009 budget deficits dragged on the euro, boosted the dollar and weighed on gold. Prices are now targeting the $1,160 an ounce area as gold gets a relief rally as the markets digest a Greece resolution.

"With Greece officially asking for assistance from the International Monetary Fund and the European Union, global currencies will likely remain volatile over the near-term, impacting metal and mineral prices," says Anthony Rizzuto, Jr., managing director of Dahlman Rose & Co. in his daily metals report. "We continue to believe that underlying demand for raw materials will trend higher as the global economy gains traction."

Many analysts expect the gold price to stay in a tight range as the metal trades as both a risk and safe haven asset. Those investors looking to trade gold might sell the metal and buy the U.S. dollar if the euro resumes its decline. On the other hand, investors concerned about the health of paper currency like the euro might buy physical gold as an alternative investment as a long term hedge. This tug of war is tempering gold's upside but providing support around $1,120 an ounce. A surge in U.S. new-home sales Friday helped boost investor risk appetite for equities and gold.

The

price of silver

was up 23 cents to $18.23 while copper was adding 2 cents to $3.51.

Mining stocks, a more leveraged way to

invest in gold

, were reversing earlier losses and trading modestly higher.

Barrick Gold

(ABX)

was trading up 0.47% to $40.36 while

Newmont Mining

(NEM) - Get Report

was adding 0.69 % to $52.74. Other large cap miners

Kinross Gold

(KGC) - Get Report

and

Goldcorp

(GG)

were trading at $18.09 and $40.43, respectively.

Shares of

Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold

(FCX) - Get Report

were down 1.04% at $79.66 while

AngloGold Ashanti

(AU) - Get Report

was adding 2.08% to $39.81. Anglo's banking group made $1 billion available to Anglo so the company could refinance its revolving credit.

The gold ETF

SPDR Gold Shares

(GLD) - Get Report

was up 1.07% to $113.04. The ETF lost almost one ton Thursday which was the first movement in two weeks.

>>How to Invest in Gold

>>More stories on gold investing

--

Written by Alix Steel in New York

.

Alix joined TheStreet.com TV in February 2007. Previously, she held positions in film and theater production, management, and legal administration. Alix has a degree in communications and theater from Northwestern University.

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