| Platinum prices have fallen to the lowest in almost five years, as slowing growth outside of the U.S. has aroused concerns about demand for the precious metal. It has been a bumpy year for platinum, used in jewelry and automobile exhaust filters. A five-month-long strike in South Africa, the longest ever for the nation's platinum miners, curbed supplies earlier this year and sent prices to a near 10-month high in July.
But the end of the strike, and lackluster economic performance in Europe and Japan, have brought platinum prices down 14% from their July peak of $1,517 a troy ounce. On Friday, platinum for October delivery, the most actively traded contract, shed 0.9%, or $12.20, to end at $1,302 an ounce. That is a level not seen since Oct. 5, 2009...............................................Full Article: Source
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