Palladium tops gold as demand fuels rally

Gold just got left behind by one of its sister metals. After a demand-fuelled rally over the past four months that’s seen prices hit a record high, palladium topped gold.

Palladium, which hasn’t traded at a sustained premium to gold in 16 years, has gained as buyers scramble for supplies of the metal used in vehicle smog-control devices.

Demand has risen as consumers turn away from diesel toward gasoline-powered cars, which tend to use more palladium in autocatalysts.

“People are grasping for whatever ounces of material they can get” in the palladium market, Tai Wong, head of base and precious metals trading at BMO Capital Markets, said before yesterday’s levels were hit.

“It’s very expensive to borrow, and that is perhaps the biggest factor driving the spot price higher.”

Palladium for immediate delivery climbed as much as 1.9 per cent to a peak of $1,255.83 an ounce, and was at $1,245.67 at 11.17am in London, according to Bloomberg pricing.

Spot gold was 0.1 per cent lower at $1,237.34 an ounce.

Palladium’s deficit is set to widen to about 1.4 million ounces in 2019, adding to a shortfall of 1.2 million ounces this year, according to London-based Metals Focus Ltd.