(raw materials / closing price /% change)

Gold $1,330.9 +3.90 +0.29%

ICE Brent Crude Oil $108.80 -0.72 -0.66%

NYMEX Crude Oil $102.40 +0.13 +0.13%

Oil prices fell slightly today , due to the instability in Ukraine. Traders reacted to the news of the approval by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine of the government of national trust , as well as the statement of Yanukovych.

" The unresolved situation in Ukraine influence on the markets. Given the geographical location of the country , it is obvious that instability will have a greater impact on the Brent, than WTI », - the director of Mizuho Securities USA Inc. Bob Yoger .

On the dynamics of trade continue to influence the message yesterday from the U.S. Department of Energy that inventories at the distribution terminal Cushing fell again , showing the fourth consecutive weekly decline .

" Brent is cheaper in connection with the departure of investors from the risks and fears of falling demand - analyst Carsten Fritsch, Commerzbank AG . - Decrease in inventories at Cushing , as well as less significant than expected increase in oil inventories in the U.S., led to a decrease in the spread between the prices Brent and WTI ".

The spread between Brent prices and WT during the bidding reached $ 6.45 , which is the lowest since October 9, 2013 .

Concern about the prospects of China's consumption - the second largest oil consumer in the world , is also putting pressure on oil prices , as the survey showed that manufacturing activity probably fell in February.

Prices have also responded to the words of the head of the Fed. During his speech, Yellen moved away from specific targets to increase the Fed's rate :

- Trust threshold unemployment rate at around 6.5 % was useful in periods of high unemployment , as restrained speculation on rate hikes

- In the context of lowering rates b / d the Federal Reserve will have to cover the situation in a broader perspective , to decide at what stage of the labor market is strong enough for tightening CB

- Of course, the unemployment rate is not exhaustive indicator of the health of the labor market

- To estimate it is necessary to take into account all the indicators

April futures price for U.S. light crude oil WTI (Light Sweet Crude Oil) fell to $ 102.24 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX).

April futures price for North Sea Brent crude oil mixture rose 70 cents to $ 108.75 a barrel on the London exchange ICE Futures Europe.

Gold prices rose today against the background of dollar fluctuations , but remained well below the four-month high , which was reached yesterday. Such dynamics are related to the fact that many buyers of coins and jewelry in Asian markets are waiting for further price declines .

The U.S. currency was slightly below the two-week high against a basket of major currencies, but later lost its position , which was associated with the release of weak data on orders for durable goods and the number of weekly claims for unemployment benefits .

It is learned that orders for durable goods (products designed for the life of three years or more ) fell to a seasonally adjusted 1% from December . This is the second consecutive decline after orders fell 4.2 % in December. But excluding the volatile transportation category , orders rose by 1.1 % last month , showing the strongest growth since May. Military spending on capital goods rose sharply . Orders for computers and electronics rose , but demand for machinery , primary metals and motor vehicles fell. Economists forecast that overall orders for durable goods fell 0.7% in January.

Meanwhile, the number of initial claims for unemployment benefits rose by 14,000 and amounted to a seasonally adjusted 348,000 in the week ended February 22. The figure for the previous week was revised down to 334,000 from 336,000 . Economists had predicted that jobless drop to 333,000 . Unemployment situation may be unstable . The four-week moving average of claims , considered a more reliable indicator because it smooths out weekly swings remained unchanged last week at 338,250 . Analyst Department of Labor said that there were no special factors that could affect the data last week.

Experts say there is a chance for a slight increase in gold prices in the near future , but the strengthening of the dollar and the acceleration of economic growth in the U.S. will exert downward pressure on the precious metal in the long term . We also add that the wave weaker than forecast U.S. data may curb expectations that the Federal Reserve will increase narrowing monthly bond-buying program .

Recall , gold rose more than 10 percent this year on uncertainty about the pace of U.S. economic recovery , concerns about growth in China and a renewed interest in bullion exchange-traded funds .

On the physical market, premiums for gold bars in Singapore fell to the lowest level - 80 cents from $ 1.50 last week.

Stocks of the world's largest exchange-traded fund backed by gold ETF SPDR Gold Trust remained unchanged yesterday - at the level of 803.70 tons. , After three days of growth in a row.

The cost of the April gold futures on the COMEX today rose to $ 1333.00 per ounce.