O preço do ouro fechou em queda para o nível mais baixo em uma semana, com a relativa calma nos mercados globais - em reflexo do feriado na China - e a divulgação de dados positivos nos Estados Unidos.
Os contratos futuros do ouro para dezembro caíram 0,80%, para US$ 1.122,40 a onça-troy na Comex, a divisão de metais da New York Mercantile Exchange (Nymex), registrando a sétima perda em nove sessões e o patamar mais baixo desde 27 de agosto.
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A leitura positiva dos números de pedidos de auxílio desemprego nos Estados Unidos pressionaram o dólar, que se valorizou na comparação com a maioria das divisas. O dólar mais forte encarece o ouro para investidores que operam outras moedas, fazendo com que o ativo fique menos atrativo.
A média móvel de quatro semanas de pedidos de auxílio-desemprego nos EUA - calculada para suavizar a volatilidade do dado - subiu 3,25 mil na semana passada, mas continua perto da mínima em 15 anos. Este cenário reforça a expectativa de aumento nas taxas de juros nos EUA, fazendo com que a moeda americana ganhe força.
"Estamos vendo a consolidação nos preços do ouro à frente de um relatório de trabalho muito importante", disse Fawad Razaqzada, analista da Forex.com.
Os operadores na China estão afastados do trabalho até a próxima segunda-feira, 7, por causa do feriado em comemoração dos 70 anos do fim da Segunda Guerra Mundial. Isso fez com que as preocupações com a economia chinesa, que vinham influenciando a valorização do ouro, se acalmassem. Fonte: Dow Jones Newswires.
Gold futures fell on Thursday, with prices set to mark their lowest settlement in a week as a return of calm in global markets and upbeat economic data out of the U.S. saps the precious metal of haven appeal.
December gold dropped $11.20, or about 1%, to trade $1,122.40 an ounce on Comex, putting prices in position to mark their seventh loss in nine trading sessions, and its lowest settlement since Aug. 27.
Gold traders are "basically a confused a lot," said Chintan Karnani, chief market analyst at Insignia Consultants. "Most of them are of the view that U.S. interest rates will not be raised this month."
"But they are not showing any urgency to buy as gold not been able to trade over $1,150," he said. "Golds confidence will return if and only if gold trades over $1,150. At lower levels, there are buyers around $1,100 and below."
Weighing on gold Thursday were a relatively strong reading of U.S. weekly jobless claims, which helped the U.S. Dollar move higher against its major rivals, and comments from European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, which were read as dovish.
Fading gold prices, which had enjoyed a small bump from worries over Chinas economy, comes as the market is shifting its focus to the monthly jobs report due Friday, which could help dictate the timing and pace of Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes.
"We are seeing consolidation in gold prices ahead of the all-important jobs report," said Fawad Razaqzada, analyst at Forex.com.
U.S. equities strengthened Thursday following healthy gains Wednesday, which is a drag on gold.
Underpinning a level of quiescence in the market, in part, is a holiday in China, which has helped pivot attention from the worlds second-largest economy and toward the U.S.
"Depending on the outcome of the nonfarm-payroll report, we could see a sharp move in gold but it is really anyones guess in terms of which direction the price of gold will go," Razaqzada said.
A strong jobs report may be viewed as fostering a September U.S. interest-rate increase, which could boost the dollar and undercut some of the appetite for dollar-denominated gold because it would make the yellow metal more expensive to buyers in other currencies. Worries over Chinas economy has cast doubt on a September move that seemed a certainty at the beginning of August.GN
