(raw materials / closing price /% change)

Gold $1,372.2 -0.10 -0.007%

ICE Brent Crude Oil $107.44 -0.71 -0.66%

NYMEX Crude Oil $98.19 -0.05 -0.05%

Oil futures show mixed results , as weaker -than-expected Chinese economic data fueled fears for the future demand . The course of trade also continues to influence the tense situation between Russia and Ukraine.

According to figures released today by the State Statistical Office of the country , China's industrial output in January-February 2014 grew by only 8.6% compared to the same period last year , while analysts had expected an increase of 9.5% on the figure . And disappointing data on retail sales, which showed a rise in February, only 11.8% , while analysts had expected an increase of 13.5 % figure . In addition, upset and figures on the volume of investment in fixed assets in China , which increased for the first two months of the year by 17.9 %. Experts expect the growth rate of 19.4 %. It is worth noting that China does not give separate figures for January and February , combining statistics for the first two months of the year , allowing you to avoid misrepresentation in connection with the celebration of the New Year according to the Lunar calendar , which falls every year on different dates .

Concerns about the growth of demand in the market strengthened and news from the U.S. . It is learned that the Americans are planning to hold a test sale of oil from the strategic reserve , as has been rumored in the media led to a drop in oil prices by 2%. Test volume was insignificant, but symbolic. Thus, on the eve of " referendum " in Crimea Americans have shown that they are willing to include the most powerful anti-Russian arms - derail oil prices . But the market is now formed a record long speculative positions in oil. And if we can provoke them unloading , then the fall in oil prices by 20% and sales of strategic reserves is not required.

Slightly influenced the course of trading today's data on the U.S., which was better than many experts had expected .

April futures price for U.S. light crude oil WTI (Light Sweet Crude Oil) rose to $ 98.34 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX).

April futures price for North Sea Brent crude oil mixture declined 47 cents to $ 107.74 a barrel on the London exchange ICE Futures Europe.

Gold prices fell , retreating from six-month high , which was associated with the release of better than expected U.S. data . As it became , initial applications for unemployment benefits fell by 9,000 and totaled a seasonally adjusted 315,000 in the week ended March 8. The result was the lowest since late November. Number of references to the previous week were revised slightly higher. Economists had forecast 334,000 new claims will be filed last week. Stronger decline suggests that employers cut fewer workers than in previous months - the development , sometimes pointing to boost employment.

Another report showed that retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in February from January . Retail sales excluding auto purchases grew at the same pace . Economists had forecast a 0.3 % increase in total sales last month and an increase of 0.2 % excluding autos . Sales rose by a modest 1.5% compared with a year earlier . Changes showed that retail sales fell 0.6 % in January compared with the originally voiced by -0.4 %. Like other aspects of the economy , retail sales slowed in December and January after rising in most of the past year. But sales have bounced back in most categories last month, including restaurants , sporting goods stores and furniture dealers .

Meanwhile, add that on concerns about the Chinese economy and geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine, gold is still in demand as a " safe haven ." Support to the market also gives the strengthening euro, which reached a maximum level against the U.S. dollar since October 2011. , And speculative activity , against which continues to increase the likelihood of correction .

The data also showed that the largest gold reserves in the world of exchange-traded fund SPDR Gold Shares fell on Wednesday , recording his first loss since February 19 .

The cost of the April gold futures on the COMEX today dropped to $ 1368.90 per ounce.