(Kitco News) - Gold prices are moderately higher in midday U.S. trading Thursday, on continued safe-haven demand as risk appetite remains squelched by the Russia-Ukraine geopolitical situation. April gold futures were last up $11.20 at $1,933.70 and May Comex silver was last down $0.035 at $25.155 an ounce.
Risk aversion remains elevated amid the Russia-Ukraine war that has intensified. Crude oil and grain prices are soaring and that’s also stoking inflation fears. In a stunning inflation report coming from the Euro zone, its January producer price index rose 30.6%, year-on-year, mostly due to rising energy prices.
Bloomberg in an email dispatch Thursday morning reported, “With traders continuing to avoid Russian oil supplies over sanctions uncertainty, OPEC-plus not hiking their scheduled quota increase Wednesday and Iran talks still not resolved, traders are paying the biggest premium in more than two years to bet on higher prices. Aluminum, nickel, zinc and wheat all continue to rise, putting the Bloomberg Commodity Spot Index on course for its biggest weekly gain since 1960.”
On Friday comes the February U.S. employment situation report from the Labor Department. The key non-farm payrolls number is seen coming in at up 440,000 after a gain of 467,000 in January.
The key outside markets today see Nymex crude oil prices near steady and trading around $110.50 a barrel after hitting an 13.5-year high of $116.57 overnight. The U.S. dollar index is higher again today. The benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note is presently yielding 1.854%.
![Live 24 hours gold chart [Kitco Inc.]](https://www.kitco.com/images/live/gold.gif?0.2924175530478188){kind=small}
Technically, April gold futures bulls have the solid overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a four-week-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Bulls' next upside price objective is to produce a close above solid resistance at the February high of $1,976.50. Bears' next near-term downside price objective is pushing futures prices below solid technical support at $1,882.50. First resistance is seen at today’s high of $1,941.40 and then at this week’s high of $1,952.60. First support is seen at today’s low of $1,923.10 and then at $1,916.00. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 8.0.
![Live 24 hours silver chart [ Kitco Inc. ]](https://www.kitco.com/images/live/silver.gif)
May silver futures bulls have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a four-week-old uptrend on the daily chart. Silver bulls' next upside price objective is closing prices above solid technical resistance at $26.00 an ounce. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $23.50. First resistance is seen at the February high of $25.705 and then at $26.00. Next support is seen at Wednesday’s low of $24.96 and then at $23.50. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 7.0.
May N.Y. copper closed up 915 points at 475.85 cents today. Prices closed nearer the session high today and hit a 10-month high. The copper bulls have the solid overall near-term technical advantage and gained more power today. Prices are in a choppy, two-month-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Copper bulls' next upside price objective is pushing and closing prices above solid technical resistance at 500.00 cents. The next downside price objective for the bears is closing prices below solid technical support at 450.00 cents. First resistance is seen at today’s high of 478.25 cents and then at 480.00 cents. First support is seen at 470.00 cents and then at today’s low of 466.15 cents. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 8.0.
