Platinum Futures in Tokyo Jump on Outlook for U.S. Inflation

By Dave McCombs

Nov. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Platinum futures in Tokyo rallied for a fifth time in six days as rising expectations that the U.S. government will increase spending and fuel inflation prompted investors to buy commodities.

Futures have soared 22 percent since Oct. 27, the biggest six-day rally since at least 1984, the earliest period for which Bloomberg has data. The metal is also gaining as some traders expect the U.S. government to increase spending, spurring both economic growth and inflation.

``All of a sudden, we could be in a demand-push environment and have rising inflation,'' Jonathan Barratt, managing director of Commodity Broking Services in Sydney, said today by phone. ``That's why we are seeing this rally and we may see stronger commodity prices for a while.''

Platinum for October delivery jumped 6.7 percent to 2,815 yen a gram ($878 an ounce) at the 11 a.m. break on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange.

Metal for immediate delivery rose $29 to $880.50 at 11:34 a.m. in Tokyo, a 3.4 percent gain from yesterday in New York.

The Standard & Poor's GSCI Index of 24 commodities jumped 7.5 percent to 467.26 yesterday in New York, the biggest gain since August 1990. The Reuters/Jefferies CRB Index gained 5.3 percent, the second-biggest rally since 1956.

To contact the reporter for this story: Dave McCombs in Tokyo at dmccombs@bloomberg.net