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UPDATE 6-Gold falls 2 percent in broad commodities sell-off

Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:45am EDT
 
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(Updates prices)

By Atul Prakash and Bate Felix

LONDON, March 28 (Reuters) - Gold fell more than 2 percent in a broad commodities sell-off on Friday, with a rise in the dollar and softer oil prices dampening the metal's allure as an alternative investment.

Other key precious metals, base metals and major soft commodities traded lower, with investors pocketing profits before the end of the quarter.

Gold <XAU=> fell to $926.50 before rising to $933.30/934.20 an ounce at 1540 GMT, against $951.80/952.60 in New York late on Thursday. Last week, it hit a record high of $1,030.80 an ounce before tumbling to a one-month low of $904.70.

"The market is really correcting itself, but it's a general move out of commodities. It's not just gold," said Jeremy East, head of metals trading at Standard Chartered Bank.

The market witnessed a heavy sell-off last week before rebounding on technical buying. Now it was witnessing a continuation of the downward trend, with people liquidating their positions and running for cash, East said.

"But I don't think the bullish trend is over. There is still buying interest, but in the short term the market has probably overdone on the upside. We are in a consolidation phase and gold may break back down below $900 again."

The dollar edged higher but hovered not far from record lows against the euro after U.S. data showed inflation pressures were tame in February, affirming expectations of further interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve to boost a weakening economy.  Continued...

 

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