Gold advanced in Asia, rebounding from its biggest decline in more than a week, as concerns that the global economic recovery is faltering helped fuel investor interest in the metal as a store of value.

Gold for immediate delivery rose 0.2 percent to $1,229.73 an ounce at 1:16 p.m. in Singapore, after dropping 0.4 percent on Aug. 20 as the dollar jumped as much as 1 percent. December- delivery futures gained 0.2 percent to $1,231.40 an ounce.

“Gold may attempt to build a base above $1,220 before continuing on its upward trend,” said Ong Yi Ling, Singapore- based investment analyst with Phillip Futures Pte Ltd. “Concerns over the economic recovery will continue to support gold prices.”

Nineteen of 24 traders, investors and analysts surveyed by Bloomberg, or 79 percent, said the metal will gain this week. Four forecast lower prices and one was neutral. Hedge-fund managers and other large speculators increased their net-long position in New York gold futures in the week ended Aug. 17, according to U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data.

Speculative positions, or bets prices will rise, outnumbered short positions by 204,228 contracts on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, the Washington- based commission said in its Commitments of Traders report. Net- long positions rose by 13,541 contracts, or 7 percent, from a week earlier.

Gold strengthened 12 percent this year, reaching an all- time high of $1,650.30 an ounce in June, as investors sought to protect their wealth against financial turmoil in Europe and the prospect of currency debasement. European Central Bank council member Axil Weber said on Aug. 19 that the ECB should help banks through liquidity tensions before determining in the first quarter when to withdraw emergency lending measures.

‘Well Supported’

The euro traded near a five-week low against the dollar ahead of European data that may show growth in the 16-nation region’s services and manufacturing industries slowed in August. Reports this week forecast to show U.S. existing home sales fell and Japan’s export growth slowed in July.

Tags: DOLLAR, Economy, Gold, Investment

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