PRECIOUS-Gold rises on softer dollar, but set for worst quarter in over 4 years

(Updates prices)
* U.S. Treasury yields on track for fourth straight monthly
gain
* Dollar edges off near 5-month peak
* Gold set for a third consecutive monthly decline
* Palladium set for best monthly gain since February 2020

By Shreyansi Singh
March 31 (Reuters) - Gold gained over 1% on Wednesday,
helped by the dollar's pullback, but elevated U.S. bond yields
still put the metal on course for its biggest quarterly decline
in more than four years.
Spot gold XAU= rose 1.6% to $1,711.27 per ounce by 1:57
p.m EDT (1757 GMT) after touching its lowest since March 8 at
$1,677.61. U.S. gold futures GCv1 settled up 1.8% at
$1,715.60.
Gold is down over 9% for the quarter and is on track for its
worst quarterly performance since end-December 2016.
"As we've seen bond yields stabilize and the dollar pull
back off its recent highs, we have seen a little move off the
lows in the gold market," said David Meger, director of metals
trading at High Ridge Futures.
The dollar .DXY edged off a near five-month peak. USD/
U.S. President Joe Biden's "very large structural stimulus
plan" has contributed to concerns over inflation and should
support gold markets, Meger said. "The market is watching to see whether or not the $1,680
support level is going to hold," said Daniel Ghali, TD
Securities commodity strategist.
Bullion is seen as a hedge against inflation, but rising
Treasury yields have challenged that status as they translate
into a higher opportunity cost to hold bullion. US/
Among other precious metals, platinum XPT= gained 2.8% to
$1,186.49 an ounce and palladium XPD= climbed 1.3% to
$2,622.49, en route to its best month since February 2020.
Russia's Nornickel GMKN.MM , a major platinum and palladium
producer, said on Monday it had stopped water flowing into its
two major mines in the Siberian Arctic. The Arctic mine closures have drastically reduced platinum
and palladium group metal production and could lead to an even
tighter market than previously anticipated, Ghali said.
Silver XAG= rose 1.5% to $24.38 per ounce, but was down
over 8% for the month.

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Gold versus U.S. Treasury yields https://tmsnrt.rs/2O72Rdw
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