Gold, platinum prices gain

Metals prices were mostly up in early afternoon trade in New York on Monday. The main exception was July silver, which held steady at $13.58 per troy ounce. June gold was $1.70 higher to $683.50 per troy ounce, while July platinum had gained $5.40 to $1,298.40 per troy ounce.

Among base metals, July copper was trading 2 cents higher to $3.56 per pound. Although the continuing threat of a strike in Peru tended to support base metals prices – early in the day on the London Metal Exchange, nickel was trading higher at $48,550 per tonne – trade volumes are expected to remain low as some Asian markets will be closed most of the week for holidays.

Meanwhile, crude oil prices were up slightly by early afternoon in New York. West Texas Intermediate crude for June delivery was 7 cents higher to $66.53 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Nymex June gasoline was also up, adding 3 cents to $2.29 per gallon. Heating oil prices held steady, with Nymex June futures trading at $1.92 per gallon. Natural gas was 8 cents higher to $7.91 per million British thermal units.

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