Gold on Thursday plunged more than $30 an ounce as eurozone troubles fade from headlines and the focus shifts to US fundamentals, the rampant dollar and a likely June rise in interest rates.

In heavy trade of more than 22m ounces by lunchtime in New York, gold for delivery in April fell over $35 an ounce or 2.8% from Wednesday’s close hitting a low of $1,251.84 an ounce – the lowest in two weeks and the worst trading day in more than a year.

The metal is still trading up nearly $70 or almost 5.5% in 2015, but is down sharply from an intra-day high of $1,307 hit last week.

Gold’s gains this year have been ascribed to safe haven buying amid currency turmoil, a slowing global economy, the continuing fallout of the collapse in oil prices and a crisis in the Eurozone.

But with the first hike in more than six year likely at the Fed’s June meeting raising the opportunity costs of holding gold because the metal provides no yield, gold traders refocused their attention on fundamental factors… Read Full Article