Gold reclaims Rs 1.5 lakh mark, silver soars

New Delhi: Gold prices rallied for the second straight session to hit a one-month high of Rs 1.5 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Wednesday, tracking a sharp rise in global precious metal rates.

The yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity appreciated by Rs 2,500, or 1.7 per cent, to Rs 1,50,000 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Tuesday’s closing level of Rs 1,47,500 per 10 grams, according to the All India Sarafa Association. The precious metal had last traded around these levels on July 6, when it settled at Rs 1,50,650 per 10 grams. Silver also resumed its upward march after remaining flat in the previous session, surging by Rs 6,200 to almost a one-month high of Rs 2,32,700 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes). It had settled at Rs 2,26,500 per kg in the preceding session.

The white metal had last traded near these levels on July 9, when it had finished at Rs 2,32,000 per kg.

“Gold prices climbed to a one-month high as growing optimism over a potential US-Iran agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz eased concerns over energy-driven inflation and reduced expectations of further monetary tightening by the Federal Reserve,” said Saumil Gandhi, Senior Analyst – Commodities at HDFC Securities.