Gold benefitted from the distinct risk-off.....>

GOLD: Gold benefitted from the distinct risk-off flows evident in Friday's

Asia-Pac session, and last trades +$11/oz at $1,540/oz, just shy of session

highs.

- The catalyst behind the move was a U.S. strike on a handful of Iranian-linked

personnel in Iraq, including Qasem Soleimani, an Iranian Major general in the

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps & commander of its Quds Force, who died at the

scene. The IRGC has vowed "vigorous revenge" against the attack. The move took

its time to fully filter through into markets, but accelerated after Soleimani

was identified as the target, and confirmed as dead.

- Bulls now look to $1,554.1/oz, the Sep 5 high, after chewing through several

resistance areas in Asia-Pac hours.