Precious metal prices ended mixed on Friday, 02 October, 2009. Yellow metal prices rose as the dollar erased its prior session's gains.
Generally, a stronger dollar pressures demand for dollar-denominated commodities, such as crude oil and gold, which become more expensive for holders of other currencies and also vice versa.
On Friday, gold for December delivery ended at $1,004.3, higher by $3.6 (0.4%) an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. For the week, gold ended higher by 1.3%. Year to date, gold prices are higher by 14%.
Gold ended September, 2009 higher by 5.9%. For the third quarter it ended higher by 8.7%. Before this, for the second quarter, gold ended higher by 0.5%. The metal had gained 4.3% in the first quarter of this year.
On 17 March, 2008 prices had skyrocketed to a high of $1,034/ounce. But prices have dropped somewhat (4%) since then.
On Friday, Comex silver futures for December delivery fell 21 cents (1.2%) to $16.23 an ounce.
Silver ended 11.8% higher for September, 2009. Year to date, silver has climbed 45.5% this year. For 2008, silver had lost 24%.
In the currency market on Friday, the dollar index, which measures the strength of dollar against a basket of other currencies, fell by almost 0.5%. The dollar lost almost all its strength against the euro.
In 2008, gold prices ended higher by 5.5%. The dollar index had gained 12% that year.