GOLD PRICES

Gold continues to fare better than other asset classes in spite of a downward pressure on prices.

Gold experts have further cut back price forecasts for the metal this year after a sluggish first half, a quarterly Reuters poll showed on Monday, while gains in the dollar and a dearth of physical demand are likely to clip any attempted return to last September's record high for the rest of the year.

The Indian rupee Monday breached the 56-mark to reach 56.03 against the dollar on weak global cues and heavy demand for the U.S. currency from banks and importers.

An inch of time is an inch of gold, but you can't buy that inch of time with an inch of gold. Does this Chinese proverb ring true in the case of Indians who invest in gold for a 'good time' tomorrow? Or is the craze for the yellow metal ruining the country's economy?

The price of gold was losing value on Thursday in as the U.S. dollar strengthened

The price of gold was flirting with the milestone value of $1,600 per troy ounce on Monday, but concerns about the euro debt crisis tempered the yellowish metal's advance, published reports state.

The price of gold on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell by more than 2 percent on Thursday, ending six days of consecutive price increases so far this month.

Stocks have wiped out their year-to-date gains. US payrolls are down while unemployment is up. Yields on high-demand government bonds are at record lows. Speculation abounds the US Fed might even print more money. Is it any wonder some are talking about gold?s rebound?

A shockingly weak jobs report hammered U.S. equities Friday, as major stock indexes headed for their worst loss of the year and erased all of their 2012 gains.

Shares of big gold mining companies rocketed higher Friday as the yellow metal regained its status as a safe-haven amid growing fear that the American economy may not be able to offset the combined drag of the euro zone crisis and sharply decelerating growth in China and India.

Gold prices continued its rebound Friday after dipping to a five-month low earlier this week. June delivery of the metal rose was up over 1 percent to $1,595 on Friday after jumping 2.3 percent the day before, the biggest one-day gain since January.

Gold rose more than 1 percent on Friday, building on the previous session's hefty gains, as a recovery in the euro prompted fresh buying of the precious metal after prices slid to five-month lows earlier this week.

Spot gold rallied more than 2.6 percent on Thursday, its largest one-day gain since late January, as technical buy signals and new signs of a sluggish U.S. economy more than offset deepening despair over the euro zone.

Gold prices fell to a 4-1/2-month low on Monday, hit by concerns about a worsening debt crisis in the euro zone following political deadlock in Greece which fuelled risk aversion and put pressure on the euro.

Gold prices fell to a four-month low on Friday as worries over the financial health of Greeceand Spain and huge trading losses for JPMorgan hurt stock markets and the euro, prompting investors to seek refuge in the dollar.

AngloGold Ashanti Limited (NYSE: AU), the largest gold miner in Africa, said Thursday its profit more than doubled in the first quarter, when compared to year ago results, despite decreased output.

Gold steadied in Europe on Thursday after falling to a four-month low in the previous session, as an uptick in the euro after Spain moved to clean up its banks and Europe's bailout fund approved a key payment to Greece took some pressure off prices.

Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) sensex closed at a four month low by shedding nearly 67 points on Wednesday as weak global trends triggered heavy fund outflows.The BSE bench mark 30 share index lost 66.60 points to reach 16,479.59, dragged down by sharp declines in Reliance industry and banking stocks. Reliance Industries dropped for the sixth day by losing 1.91 per cent to Rs 695.10 after it cut the estimates for actual natural gas reserves available in its Indian blocks.

Gold fell for a second day on Tuesday, under pressure from the slide in the euro on the back of political uncertainty in Greece and a change of president in France, while Chinese import figures did little to offset the impact of the weaker currency.

Gold eased on Monday after elections results in France and Greece that reflected strong anti-austerity feeling raised concerns over the euro zone's ability to battle its debt crisis, knocking the euro to a three-month low against the dollar.

Gold eased on Thursday, under pressure from a decline in the euro ahead of a rate decision from the European Central Bank, while concerns about Spain's ability to finance itself simmered after yields shot up at a debt auction.