By Barani Krishnan
Investing.com - Gold futures fell for a fourth-straight session on Wednesday as markets from Wall Street to oil rose on optimism for U.S. recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic after relatively successful clinical trials for a drug manufactured to treat those infected by the virus.
Both futures of the yellow metal and prices of physical bullion, however, held to their $1,700 an ounce perch, which has proven the support point of comfort for gold bugs, amid assurances that the road to economic normalcy in the United States was still some way off.
Gold is a hedge against economic and political troubles and negative news tends to support its prices.
Gold futures for June delivery on New York’s COMEX settled down $8.80, or 0.5%, at $1,713.40 per ounce.
Gilead (NASDAQ:GILD) said a Stage 1 trial of its retroviral drug called remdesivir had shown improved symptoms in coronavirus patients who were given the drug early. The effect on those who were given it at a later stage was, however, not as positive, Gilead said.
But White House health advisor Anthony Fauci praised the progress in the remdesivir, saying it was “quite good news” and presented “clear-cut positive effect in diminishing time to recover”.