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- Feb 11, 2007
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Gold price rises to all-time high
BBC News Online
Gold prices have been rising for eight years
The price of gold has hit a new all-time high of $1,036.60 an ounce after a decline in the dollar boosted the attractiveness of metals to investors. Copper prices also rose above $6,000 a tonne, as the weaker dollar made metals cheaper for non-US investors.
The dollar fell after a newspaper report - later denied - said that Gulf nations wished to replace the greenback as the main oil currency.
The rise in metal prices lifted shares in mining firms.
Analysts said concern about the possibility of higher inflation in the US as its economy recovers was another factor in lowing the price of the dollar, further boosting the appeal of gold.
Dollar influence
In afternoon trading on the UK's main FTSE 100 share index, the top three price rises were all mining stocks, with Kazakhmys up 7%, followed by Antofagasta (6%), and Vedanta (5.5%).
Commodities analyst Robin Bhar, said the fall in the value of the dollar had given metal prices a welcome boost.
"The dollar has been the biggest driver," he said. "It's helped to support flagging prices."
The last time the price of spot gold hit a new high was in March 2008, when it reached $1,032.80 an ounce. Gold has now risen in value for each of the past eight years.
Analysts said the price of gold could rise still further towards the end of the year if the dollar remained weak.
The price of gold is also typically strong in the October to December period because of the higher demand for jewellery in the run-up to Christmas.
Other precious metals also saw their prices rise on Tuesday, with silver up 3% to $17.11 an ounce, and platinum adding 0.9% to $1,305 an ounce. The price of copper was up 2.4% to $6,060 a tonne.
BBC News Online
The price of gold has hit a new all-time high of $1,036.60 an ounce after a decline in the dollar boosted the attractiveness of metals to investors. Copper prices also rose above $6,000 a tonne, as the weaker dollar made metals cheaper for non-US investors.
The dollar fell after a newspaper report - later denied - said that Gulf nations wished to replace the greenback as the main oil currency.
The rise in metal prices lifted shares in mining firms.
Analysts said concern about the possibility of higher inflation in the US as its economy recovers was another factor in lowing the price of the dollar, further boosting the appeal of gold.
Dollar influence
In afternoon trading on the UK's main FTSE 100 share index, the top three price rises were all mining stocks, with Kazakhmys up 7%, followed by Antofagasta (6%), and Vedanta (5.5%).
Commodities analyst Robin Bhar, said the fall in the value of the dollar had given metal prices a welcome boost.
"The dollar has been the biggest driver," he said. "It's helped to support flagging prices."
The last time the price of spot gold hit a new high was in March 2008, when it reached $1,032.80 an ounce. Gold has now risen in value for each of the past eight years.
Analysts said the price of gold could rise still further towards the end of the year if the dollar remained weak.
The price of gold is also typically strong in the October to December period because of the higher demand for jewellery in the run-up to Christmas.
Other precious metals also saw their prices rise on Tuesday, with silver up 3% to $17.11 an ounce, and platinum adding 0.9% to $1,305 an ounce. The price of copper was up 2.4% to $6,060 a tonne.