Strong March sales by U.S. automakers, coupled with a Commerce Department report showing domestic factory orders up 3% in February, helped to push gold down sharply in Tuesday trading. The precious metal experienced its largest one-day drop in more than a month as the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at record highs.
Gold futures for May delivery dropped 1.6% to $1,575.50 per ounce on Tuesday, according to . Gold traded as high as $1,603.30 and as low as $1,574.10. Gold bullion closed in London at $1,578, according to BullionVault.
Silver futures for May delivery sank 2.5% to $27.25 per ounce. Tuesday’s high for silver was $28.14, while the low was $27.15.
Gold and silver funds moved sharply lower in Tuesday trading.
- The SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:) fell 1.5%.
- The iShares Gold Trust (NYSE:) also declined 1.5%.
- The iShares Silver Trust (NYSE:) slid 2.8%.
Gold and silver mining ETFs plummeted during the day.
- The Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSE:) plunged 4.2%.
- The Market Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF (NYSE:) sank 4.4%.
- The Global X Silver Miners ETF (NYSE:) tumbled 3.3%.
Gold mining shares declined on Tuesday.
- Agnico-Eagle Mines (NYSE:) sank 4.2%.
- Barrick Gold (NYSE:) fell 2.6%.
- Eldorado Gold (NYSE:) plunged 9.3%.
- Goldcorp (NYSE:) dropped 3.2%.
- Kinross Gold (NYSE:) fell 4.9%.
- Newmont Mining (NYSE:) declined 3.7%.
- NovaGold Resources (AMEX:) slid 3.3%.
- Yamana Gold (NYSE:) slumped 4.8%.
Silver mining shares fell during the day.
- Coeur d’Alene Mines (NYSE:) retreated 3.7%.
- Hecla Mining (NYSE:) fell 3.6%.
- Pan American Silver (NASDAQ:) sank 4.5%.
- Silver Wheaton (NYSE:) dropped 4.1%.
- Silver Standard Resources (NASDAQ:) plunged 5%.
As of this writing, Christopher Freeburn did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. Adrian Ash of contributed to this report.
