Gold prices hit 7-week highs on weaker dollar after Donald Trump briefing

Gold rose to a 7-week high on Thursday on a weaker dollar after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump provided little clarity on future fiscal policies at a press briefing.

Spot gold was up 0.4 percent at $1,196.06 per ounce, after touching a high of $1,198.58, its best since Nov. 23.

U.S. gold futures fell 0.2 percent to $1,193.70 per ounce.

In his first press briefing as U.S. president-elect, Trump presided over a wide-ranging session that lasted longer than expected but contained no details on tax cuts and infrastructure spending, analysts said.

"There is some kind of uncertainty in Trump's policies and the dollar's upside is also being questioned by the markets," Argonaut Securities analyst Helen Lau said.

"We need more positive development in U.S. economic fundamentals before the dollar can go higher," Lau said, adding that the markets were disappointed in Trump's speech.

Trump's campaign calls for tax cuts and more infrastructure spending have boosted U.S. shares and the dollar, as well as driving a selloff in Treasuries, but his protectionist statements and a flurry of off-the-cuff Tweets have kept many investors from adding to risky positions.

The dollar index, which tracks the U.S. currency against a basket of six major counterparts, was down 0.3 percent at 101.470, having hit a one-week high on Wednesday.

"The dollar will roll back a good proportion of its gains over the course of the month in January and gold should benefit as a result if Trump team hits the ground running and continues to give more impressions of disarray than what has been apparent so far," INTLFC Stone analyst Edward Meir said in a note.

The outlook for U.S. rates may become a little clearer when Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen appears at a webcast town hall meeting with educators on Thursday.

A host of Federal Reserve presidents including Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and St. Louis will also speak on a range of issues.

Gold is highly sensitive to rising U.S. interest rates, which increase the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset while boosting the dollar, in which it is priced.

Spot silver rose 0.6 percent to $16.81 an ounce.

Platinum was up 0.6 percent to $977.65, after touching a high of $986.10, its best since Nov.10.

Palladium rose by 0.6 percent to $758.40.

 

(Reporting By Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru; Editing by Richard Pullin)