http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/08/markets-precious-idUSL4N0C00PG20130308 PALLADIUM RALLIES Among platinum group metals, palladium was up 3.4 percent at $780.97 an ounce after hitting $784.50, its highest since September 2011. It notched a rise for the week of 8.5 percent, its sharpest since December 2011. Erica Rannestad, commodity analyst at CPM Group, said palladium prices were supported by an increase in physical delivery notices in March versus the last delivery period in December. She expects palladium demand to rise in 2013. Investors have been buying palladium exchange-traded funds briskly since the beginning of the year. Year-to-date, holdings in four major global palladium ETFs tracked by Reuters, including the U.S. ETFS Physical Palladium Shares, climbed 10 percent. Platinum and palladium are used as auto catalytic converters to clean exhaust fumes. While palladium is widely employed in gasoline engines, platinum is a more effective autocatalyst for diesel cars. Spot platinum was up 0.6 percent at $1,601 an ounce, on course for a 2 percent weekly gain, its biggest in a month. Gold 1577.94 -0.46 0.0% Silver 28.980 0.110 0.4% Platinum 1601.00 9.76 0.6% Palladium 780.97 26.00 3.4%
