Standard gold lifted up by Rs 15 at Rs 4,440 per 10 gm. Gold .22 carat rose by same margin at Rs 4,110 per 10 gm in sympathy. Prices of gold biscuit (116.50 gm) hardened by Rs 300 at Rs 52,000 per piece. Physical buying for gold was slow but traders reported brisk speculative buying amidst thin supplies from Gujarat coupled with news of bullish global advises. Drop in dollar value against rupee however had little impact on the market as the yellow metal in the international market shot up from $263.65 to $266 per troy ounce.

Silver .999 finished Rs 5 higher at Rs 7,925 per kg on account of poor supplies from Gujarat followed by firm global advises. Industrial buying was slow. However silver .916 was down by Rs 10 at Rs 7,805 per kg on renewed inflow of 300 kg of raw silver from local sources, it was learnt. In the overseas market silver looked up from $4.79 to $4.81 per troy ounce.

OIL, OIL SEEDS: Groundnut oil closed on a steady note on the oil, oil seeds market here on Wednesday. Castor seed and its oil on the other hand suffered fresh losses on news of delay in exports following damages at the Kandla Port due to earthquake, it was learnt.

Groundnut oil maintained at Rs 305 per 10 kg on limited transactions. In Rajkot it was quoted at Rs 515 per 15 kg.

Imported palm oil here edged up a rupee to Rs 196 per 10 kg. In the global market palm oil recovered by $2.50 at $215 per tonne for nearby delivery. Long deliveries were placed at $220/230 per tonne.

Castor oil declined by Rs 3 at Rs 278/290 per 10 kg. Castor seed ready were down by Rs 15 at Rs 1,240 per quintal in sympathy.

In the futures section castor seed April delivery finished lower at Rs 1,248 (Rs 1,253) per quintal and castor oil April delivery at Rs 299 per 10 kg. Palmolien February delivery eased to Rs 196.75 (Rs 198) per 10 kg.

In Ahmedabad castor seed February delivery changed quoted lower at Rs 1,218 and April delivery at Rs 1,244 per quintal respectively. Soya oil and soya seed were remain weak on news of delay in the export of soyameal from earthquake hit Kandla Port, it was learnt.