Gold prices and silver prices traded higher in Asia trade today, having reached a five-week low of $1490.80 an ounce yesterday.  Uncertainty as to whether or not the Greek Parliament will approve the austerity budget package the EU is demanding to release a final 12 billion euro tranche of an initial 110 billion euro bailout fund is supporting the bid on gold, according to comments by traders, though, in the event, there was some surprise that gold hasn’t had a stronger rally of late.

Spot gold softened during European trade.  The London a.m. fix was set at $1502.50 and the p.m. fix at $1499, $1 above yesterday’s p.m. fix.  Spot gold for immediate delivery was trading at $ 1500 Bid, $1501 Ask early in N.Y.  Spot silver was fixed at $33.96 in London, $0.05 below yesterday’s p.m. fix, and was trading at $33.85 Bid, $33.95 Ask in early N.Y trade.

The major gold and silver ETFs were seeing strong bids in early trading.

• The SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD) was trading some 0.2%-0.3% higher in early trading on Tuesday.
• The iShares Gold Trust (NYSE: IAU) was up about 0.2%.
• The iShares Silver Trust (NYSE: SLV) was up nearly 1%.

Gold and silver mining ETF funds were heading lower as well.

• The Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSE: GDX) was up more than 0.6% in early stock market trading on Tuesday.
• The Market Vector Junior Gold Miners ETF (NYSE: GDXJ) was trading around 0.85% higher.
• The Global X Silver Miners ETF (NYSE:SIL) was up more than 1.1%.

Individual gold mining shares continued jumpy and heading downward for a third straight session, Agnico Eagle Mines being the lone exception.

• Agnico Eagle Mines (NYSE: AEM) was down more than 1.8% in early trading on Tuesday.
• Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX) was trading higher, up around 0.9%.
• Goldcorp (NYSE: GG) was up between 0.8% and 0.9%.
• Newmont Mining Corp. (NYSE: NEM) was trading up more than 0.3%.
• NovaGold Resources (AMEX: NG) was up around 0.9%.

Silver mining stocks were also moving higher.

• Coeur D’Alene Mines Corp. (NYSE: CDE) was up nearly 1.6%.
• Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL) was trading up more than 2.7%.
• Pan American Silver Corp. (NASDAQ: PAAS) was up between 0.6% and 0.7%.
• Silver Wheaton Corp. (NYSE: SLW) was up more than 1.3%
• Silver Standard Resources Inc. (NASDAQ: SSRI) was trading around 0.5% higher.