Bernanke kicks gold over $1,700 bar

How soon is now?

The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday pledged to hold interest rates at levels near zero until late 2014.

The surprising announcement – indicating the central bank is still worried about the country’s economic growth – sent gold soaring in afternoon trade.

The yellow metal scaled the $1,700 an ounce level for the first time since December 9 last year as investors worried about cheap money flooding markets turn to gold as a storer of wealth.

In late trade gold for delivery in February exchanged hands for $1,711/oz, up almost 3% or more than $45/oz on the day. The gain for the metal in 2012 now stand at 9%. Silver rose more than 4% tracking gold and touching a day high of $32.50/oz.

Reuters reports gold futures trading was “hectic” – contract volume rose above 300,000 lots, double the 30-day average:

“Ben Bernanke is saying if you keep your money under your mattress you lose out as the purchasing power of the U.S. currency is being eroded,” said Axel Merk, portfolio manager of Merk Funds with $750 million in assets under management.

“If you hold gold, the purchasing power is better when all other major currencies are being debased,” Merk said.

Marketwatch reports:

Robert Brusca, chief economist at FAO Economics, said he did not understand the Fed’s decision to push out the low-rate pledge given the improving economic data over the past six weeks.

The Fed seems skeptical and wary of the improving economy, he noted. “In some sense, this undermines the economic performance rather than reinforce it,” according to Brusca.

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