Gold price slumps in futures trade on import duty hike, weak global cues

Business

oi-Sunil

By Sunil Fernandes

Published: Thursday, June 6, 2013, 13:20 [IST]

Gold futures prices on Thursday fell by 0.39 percent to Rs 27,771 per 10 grams as participants indulged in reducing exposures, after the government raised import duty on the metal to 8 percent amid a weak trend overseas.

Analysts said sentiments turned weak after the government last night hiked the import duty on the metal to 8 percent, up by 2 percent, in a bid to rein in demand.

The hike is aimed at curbing import of gold which is mainly responsible for rise in CAD impacting on the country's foreign exchange reserves as well as the rupee value.

Besides, a weakening trend in the global market also weighed on the metal prices at futures trade, they said. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, gold for delivery in far-month October, fell by Rs 110, or 0.39 percent, to trade at Rs 27,771 per 10 grams in a turnover of 182 lots.

Similarly, the metal for delivery in August fell by Rs 94, or 0.34 percent, to Rs 27,590 per 10 grams in 5,298 lots.

Globally, gold lost as much as 0.34 percent to USD 1,398 an ounce in Singapore.

PTI