Gold climbs as Evergrande risks loom large, dollar slips

Gold recouped some losses on Friday after a 1 per cent drop in the last session, helped by a weaker dollar, and as concerns over the fate of China's Evergrande returned to the fore, burnishing bullion's safe-haven status.

Spot gold rose 0.7 per cent to $1,754.73 per ounce by 2.54pm. US gold futures rose 0.3 per cent to $1,755.10.

Helping bullion by making it cheaper for those holding other currencies, the dollar index lingered near a one-week low hit in the previous session.

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This was in contrast to Thursday when gold fell to a more than one-month low as heightened Fed rate hike bets largely overshadowed a retreat in the dollar -- an unusual occurrence.

Gold is taking support from a weaker dollar, with the warning from China to local authorities over a possible collapse of Evergrande serving as "another reminder that the risk still prevails," said Quantitative Commodity Research analyst Peter Fertig.

But prospects of rate hikes from several central banks are "a negative mix for gold," Fertig added.

Higher interest rates increase the opportunity cost of holding bullion, which pays no interest.

Gold also competes with the dollar as a safe store of value during financial or political uncertainties.

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But while the uncertainty may accelerate a flight to safety, investors may rush towards the dollar at gold's expense, said FXTM analyst Lukman Otunuga said.

"Despite the caution and tension this week, gold has gained a paltry 0.1 per cent. This performance suggests gold may be concerned with other themes ranging from the Fed's tapering and rate hike expectations."

Silver climbed 0.8 per cent to $22.66 per ounce and was up 1.2 per cent for the week so far.

Palladium rose 1 per cent to $2,003.27 but was on track for a third straight weekly decline.

Platinum slipped 0.6 per cent, to $983.29. The metal, however, was set to break two consecutive weeks of decline.

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