Gold hits fresh seven-year high as risk-off mood sweeps markets

Gold jumped to a fresh seven-year high as investors tried to assess an expanding global health crisis.

Bullion is headed for the biggest weekly gain since 2009, driven by a collapse in bond yields and concerns about the scale of the coronavirus outbreak. Gold rose as much as 1.1% to $1,690 an ounce, the highest since January 2013.

Separately, platinum and palladium surged on Friday after Anglo American Platinum declared force majeure and cut its production forecasts. Platinum jumped as much as 4.3%, the most since August.