Gold prices rose on Wednesday, after surging more than 3 per cent in the previous session.

As the US Federal Reserve cut interest rates to help soften the economic blow from the coronavirus outbreak.

FUNDAMENTALS

Spot gold climbed 0.3 per cent to $1,644.97 an ounce by 0052 GMT.

Having registered its biggest one-day percentage gain since 2016 gold prices in the previous session

G7  finance ministers and central bank governors said on Tuesday :

They would use all appropriate policy tools to achieve strong, sustainable growth and safeguard against risks from the virus, which has fuelled global recession fears.

The World Health Organization warned

Of a global shortage and price gouging for protective equipment to fight the epidemic and asked companies and governments to increase production by 40 per cent as the death toll mounted.

 

Palladium slipped 0.4 per cent to $2,490.62 per ounce, while platinum was up 0.1 per cent at $875.62.

Silver rose 0.3 per cent to $17.22 an ounce.

Demand for platinum from the auto industry will rise this year for the first time since 2016

But  it won’t be enough to offset a decline in investment buying, leaving the global market in surplus again, the World Platinum Investment Council said.