* New-year flows into commodities support gold
* Euro gains after U.S. ISM services data
* Auto sales recover in December after weak 2009
(Updates prices, adds details/platinum high)
By Jan Harvey
LONDON, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Gold prices rose to near
three-week highs in Europe on Wednesday as fresh new year
investment flows boosted commodities, and as the dollar fell
versus the euro after U.S. services sector data.
Spot gold <XAU=> was bid at $1,136.30 an ounce at 1602 GMT,
against $1,118.10 late in New York on Tuesday, after hitting a
day high of 1,137.70, a level not seen since Dec. 17. U.S. gold
futures for February delivery <GCG0> on the COMEX division of
the New York Mercantile Exchange rose $19.2 to $1,137.70.
The yellow metal is being caught up in positive sentiment
towards commodities, analysts said.
"(This is) a commodity story really, and gold is benefiting
from that," said Simon Weeks, head of precious metals at the
Bank of Nova Scotia. "Currencies are not in favour generally."
The metal extended gains as the dollar fell to session lows
against the euro after data showed the U.S. services sector grew
at a very marginal pace in December, with employment in the
sector lagging. [] []
Weakness in the U.S. dollar enhances gold's appeal as an
alternative asset and makes dollar-priced commodities cheaper
for holders of other currencies.
Also boosting gold was the release of ADP employment figures
for December, which weighed on the dollar as they showed private
employers shed more jobs than expected in December, even though
the job cuts were the fewest since March 2008. []
Trading was cautious ahead of key U.S. non-farm payrolls
data for December on Friday, as investors await evidence of how
the economy is faring.
The payrolls data is expected to shape expectations for when
the Federal Reserve will start tightening its ultra-loose
monetary policy and determine the direction of the dollar.
"We have an attractive interest rate environment for gold,
and investment inflows into commodities are supporting gold
prices," said Commerzbank analyst Eugen Weinberg.
"The performance of gold will also be dependent on what's
going on in the dollar," he added.
TECHNICAL INDICATORS
From a technical perspective, gold is poised for further
gains, said analysts who study past price movements for clues as
to future trading patterns.
"With net speculative length having unwound from recent
extremes, the near-term prospects for gold have improved," said
technical analysts at Barclays Capital.
"Furthermore, with daily momentum rolling higher from
oversold conditions and price action having repeatedly held
trendline support, odds favour continued gains."
If near-term resistance is confirmed, gold could push back
towards the top end of its current range at $1,200 an ounce,
they said, close to the record high of $1,226.10 an ounce it
reached in December.
Among other precious metals, silver <XAG=> was bid at $18.07
an ounce against $17.76, while palladium <XPD=> was at $425.50
an ounce against $418. Platinum <XPT=> hit $1,561, its highest
since August 2008, and was later at $1,551.00 an ounce against
$1,528.50.
Platinum group metals traders welcomed news that U.S. auto
sales hit 11.25 million in December, the fourth consecutive
month of improvement after a weak year. Carmakers account for
more than half of platinum consumption. []
The world's biggest automaker, Toyota <7203.T>, said it sold
21 percent more cars in China in 2009 than a year earlier, while
GM's China sales rose 67 percent. []
The two platinum group metals had already risen sharply on
news that exchange-traded funds backed by the metals will be
launched in the United States.
"Signs of recovery in the U.S. auto market and expectations
U.S. ETFs could soon begin trading continue to underpin PGM
price," said James Moore, an analyst at TheBullionDesk.com.
(Additional reporting by Maytaal Angel; Editing by Sue Thomas)
