Gold dives on Soros'selloff

 索罗斯抛售黄金

Gold prices plummeted to their lowest level in five weeks on news that billionaire investor George Soros sold most of his gold holdings in the first quarter of this year.

According to filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Soros sold most of his gold trust holdings in the first quarter.

By the end of March, Soros Fund Management had cut its SPDR Gold Trust holdings to US$6.9 million from US$655 million in the forth quarter of last year. Soros also dumped 5 million shares, or US$69 million, of iShares Gold Trust.

A stronger dollar also played a role in gold's slide. The dollar has climbed as rising concerns over Europe's debt woes pummel the Euro.

Weak U.S. housing market data released Tuesday also put some additional downward pressure on commodity prices. According to the U.S. Commerce Department figures, new housing construction in April declined 10.6 percent from March.

受到美元持续走强以及索罗斯大笔抛售黄金等利空因素的打压，纽约商品交易所黄金期货价格17日大幅下挫，跌至近五周以来的最低水平。

市场分析人士认为，资本大鳄索罗斯第一季度大笔抛售黄金的消息对市场形成了不小的冲击。索罗斯管理基金公司近日向美国证交会递交的一份文件显示，今年第一季度该公司已经卖出所持有的大部分黄金信托基金股份。

截至3月31日，索罗斯将其在SPDR黄金信托的持仓降至690万美元，去年第四季度末他还持有6.55亿美元的仓位。同时，索罗斯还结清了500万份价值6900万美元的iShares黄金信托的仓位。

此外，近期美元的持续走强，也对黄金等大宗商品市场形成了巨大压力。随着市场对希腊等欧元区国家债务问题的担忧不断加剧，欧元对美元汇率接连下挫，从而推动美元不断走高，而美元走强则对黄金等以美元计价的大宗商品价格构成利空。

当天，美国商务部公布的报告显示，4月份美国新房开工量环比大幅下降10.6%，显示美国房地产市场仍然疲软，这也在一定程度上助推了大宗商品市场的整体下跌。