
GOLD CONSOLIDATING AS INVESTORS COVER STOCK LOSSES
Gold prices are consolidating as of 12:00 p.m. EST on the New York Spot Market as investors opt for cash at the beginning of the third quarter. Weak manufacturing data from China and weak initial jobless claims in the U.S. are weighing on risk appetite; however, with this week’s plunge in the Dow, gold is one of the assets investors can sell to cover losses in stocks.
Stocks are lower Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange after worse-than-expected reports on housing, manufacturing, and the labor market fueled fears that the economy is headed for another recession. Stocks were initially higher at the start of trading Thursday; however, gains were promptly reverse upon the release of the manufacturing and housing reports.
Gold may reach $1,300 an ounce by the end of the year according to Michael K. Smith, the president of T&K Futures & Options. ''Every bank around the world is printing money to help stimulate the economy,'' he said. “Gold may reach $1,300 by the end of the year as demand rises for a hedge against 'huge inflation.” (Business Day, 7/1/10)


- S&P Capital IQ - Gold: $1,900 (in 2012) "Leo Larkin, metals and mining analyst at S&P Capital IQ, thinks that $1,900 gold might not be that much of a stretch [in 2012]. 'Gold has been ..."
- Citigroup - Gold: $2,300 - $2,400 (by end of 2012) "While we remain cautious on Gold in the near term...we continue to believe that the bull market remains intact...we believe that 2012 may be..."
- Leeb Capital Management - Gold: $2,500 - $3,000 (in 2012) "I'll give you my target for gold at the end of 2012, it's going to be trading somewhere between $2,500 and $3,000. This..."
- Global Hunter Securities - Gold: $1,800 (in 2012) "'What I am looking for is a gold price of $1,800 an ounce in 2012,' says Jeffrey Wright, senior research analyst at Global Hunter..."
- US Global Investors - Gold: $3,600 (by 2017) "'People get so caught up with the next three minutes for gold and they should really be focused on the next three years,' says Frank Holmes, ..."
- Goldman Sachs - Gold: over $1,900 (in 2012) "Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs predicts that gold's bull run will continue into 2012 with a low interest rate environment and..."
- CNBC - Gold: $2,400 (no period given) "Gold will top $2,400 an ounce. The long-term bull market in gold marches on. Gold won't make a straight shot to a new inflation-adjusted high. As long..."
- Nomura - Gold: $2,000 (by end of 2012) "Nomura has raised its forecast for gold prices to $2,000 an ounce by the end of 2012, from $1,800 earlier. The brokerage said the low-interest rate..."
- Morgan Stanley - Gold: $2,200 (in first half of 2012) "Gold will lead a rally in commodities in 2012 as Europe's sovereign-debt crisis continues to roil financial markets, spurring demand for ..."
- UBS - Gold: $2,050 average in 2012 "[Gold] remains one of the top commodity picks for 2012 as 'most of the factors that pushed gold higher in 2011 are not going away,' according to UBS..."
- Bank of America Merrill Lynch - Gold: $2,150 - $2,200 (average in 2012) "From a technical perspective we believe that the bull trend for gold remains intact… with gold having not yet met any of..."
- TheStreet.com - Gold: $2,500 (by May 2013) "I want to own gold here. I think gold is going to $2,500 eighteen months from now... Gold has been up for ten straight years and this going to be the..."









