Gold climbed on Tuesday after data showed the U.S. manufacturing sector grew more than expected in August, lifting appetite for assets seen as higher risk, such as commodities, and boosting inflation fears.

But gains were capped by a slight recovery in the U.S. dollar and by a reduction in the metal’s appeal as a haven.

Spot gold was bid at $954.40 an ounce at 1444 GMT, against $949.65 an ounce late in New York on Monday. U.S. gold futures for December delivery on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose $2.70 to $956.20.

The data from the Institute of Supply Managers showed the U.S. manufacturing sector returned to growth in August after a prolonged slump, while pending home sales raced to a two-year high in July.

The news boosted U.S. stock markets, while European shares pared earlier losses.

Simon Weeks, head of precious metals at the Bank of Nova Scotia, said the news was

Gold rose on Thursday as the dollar fell versus a basket of currencies, with rebounding stock markets and U.S. jobless figures showing a decline in continuing claims boosting appetite for assets seen as higher risk.

U.S. data showed the number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits rose slightly more than expected last week, but a gauge of underlying labor trends fell for a fifth straight week.

Spot gold was bid at $933.50 an ounce at 1311 GMT, against $929.00 an ounce late in New York on Wednesday. U.S. gold futures for August delivery on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose $6.20 to $933.40 an ounce.

“If this is welcomed by the equities market and triggers a fresh boost, that could benefit gold,” said CMC Markets strategist Ashraf Laidi.

The dollar was down 0.39 percent at 79.3 against a basket of currencies and was lower against the euro following the

Gold slid more than 1 percent on Monday as a stronger dollar dented interest in the metal as an alternative asset, with investors buying the currency as a safe store of value amid fears over the economic outlook.

Strength in the U.S. unit kept most dollar-priced commodities under pressure as it made them more expensive for holders of other currencies, analysts said.

Spot gold was bid at $921.20 an ounce at 1507 GMT, against $932.30 an ounce late in New York on Friday.

U.S. gold futures for August delivery on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange fell $9.70 from Thursday’s close to $921.30 an ounce.

“There is a sell-off with the dollar strength,” said Standard Bank analyst Walter de Wet. “Gold is holding up quite well, compared to the other commodities. At these levels, we might see some physical buying.”

He said while this may lend support to prices, a break of the $920-922

Gold rose today, Friday, steadying above $931 per ounce as the dollar lost ground versus the euro, with deeper concerns over the U.S. economic outlook also underpinning the metal.

Spot gold stood at $931.70 by 1510 GMT, up from $928.65 late in New York. Earlier it rose to $933.90.

After a week of tracking a volatile dollar, gold is on course for a 0.6 percent fall on the week — retreating further from a four-month high near $990 hit in early June.

The precious metal found support above $931 after falling on Thursday, when weaker-than-expected U.S. non-farm payroll data sent investors piling into the relative safety of the dollar.

The U.S. currency  lost some ground against a basket of six currencies but remained broadly positive on Friday, with U.S. financial markets closed ahead of Independence Day.

Dollar moves have proved influential of late in determining immediate interest for bullion from foreign investors.

But the bleak jobs data

Gold was only marginally higher from Hong Kong through to mid-morning in New York on Thursday, but then it suddenly went vertical until the noon hour, tacking on almost $15 before easing a bit through the Globex to finish at $903.80/oz., up $13.10. Overnight, gold is pushing higher.

Platinum bottomed late in the Hong Kong session, then was up sharply adding about $20 over a two-hour period, then traded wildly up and down the rest of the day but never quite regaining its peak, and ending at $1179/oz., up $10. Overnight, platinum is little changed.

Silver followed gold’s chart exactly, but with an even steeper blastoff that carried it nearly to $12.90 before a slight late-day slump led to a close at $12.82/oz., up 50 cents. Overnight, silver has been flat. (Click here for charts)

It was a very good day for the precious metals yesterday, with silver turning in

Gold spent most of Far East and European trading hugging $890…and silver spent the same period within a dime of $12.70. Nothing to see here, folks! Then, shortly before the Comex open, both metals began smallish rallies…and half an hour after the Comex opened for business, it was lights out.

Not only did the dealers pull their bids in both metals, but I highly suspect that there was actually some fresh shorting by the Non-Commercials and Nonreportables [in the COT] as well.

As I’ve been saying for the last week or so, an assault on gold’s 200-day moving average would materialize sooner or later, as a couple of the U.S. bullion banks [JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) and HSBC USA (NYSE:HBC)] still had huge short positions to unwind. Well, this could be the start. And whether or not they are going to take their sweet time about it…or have it all over and

Gold was little changed in Europe on Monday, consolidating after last week’s more than 3 percent rise, with strong demand for physical investment products such as gold-backed exchange-traded funds supporting prices.

The closure of the U.S. markets for the Presidents Day holiday is likely to keep traders on the sidelines this session.

Spot gold was little changed at $940.20/942.20 an ounce at 1233 GMT from $939.40 late in New York late on Friday.

Bullion prices rose nearly $30 an ounce last week as concern over the economic outlook and turmoil in the financial sector prompted investors to buy the metal as a haven from risk.

Wolfgang Wrzesniok-Rossbach, head of sales at precious metals group Heraeus, said however that with jewellery demand soft, gold was likely to consolidate before its next leg higher.

“The trend for the next hours and days is probably

…

As expected, the Thursday morning rally at the Sydney open got snuffed out in short order. Gold remained flat in Hong Kong until 4:00 p.m. in their afternoon …3:00 a.m. in New York. Then the boyz showed up, and down gold went until the London open, a short rally got turned over, and the bottom for the gold price came at the London a.m. fix. From there it rallied gently until the London p.m. fix…and then away it went to the upside.

Silver was the same, except it didn’t wait around for the London p.m. fix before it headed up. Its rally began promptly with the Comex open in New York. Both metals remained strong even in electronic trading after the Comex closed…and despite the strength of the US$.

Gold open interest dropped another sizeable chunk on Wednesday…down 8,387 contracts to 345,804. In silver, o.i. went the other way for the second

…

On New Years eve day, gold got sold off in the Far East a bit…and then the down trend accelerated through London trading, with the bottom being the London p.m. gold fix. From there…and to everyone’s surprise…the price took off to the upside with some real authority. True, there hadn’t been a lot of volume up until that point, but that changed from the London p.m. fix until the close of trading in New York. Silver’s chart was very similar, with the metal turning in an outstanding day as well. Gold put in an “outside day key reversal to the upside”…which is a very bullish technical indicator. The boyz have never…ever…allowed this technical indicator to work in gold…and have taken gold down the very next day to negate it.

The world’s gold market’s were closed on January 1st, but once early morning trading began on January 2nd in the Far East,

Dollar weakens against euro as U.S. equities gain… Oil recovers from 3-1/2 year low … Traders look to U.S. auto sales figures to guide platinum

Gold climbed 1 percent on Tuesday, reversing earlier losses, as the dollar weakened against the euro on firming U.S. equity markets and oil prices recovered from 3-1/2 year lows.

Spot gold was quoted at $781.70/783.70 an ounce at 1522 GMT, up from $770.60 an ounce late in New York on Monday.

“Oil recovered and the euro-dollar is higher,” said Wolfgang Wrzesniok-Rossbach, head of sales at precious metals group Heraeus. “Those are the main reasons for the move.”

“The outlook from here really depends on the leading indicators, as well as oil and the dollar,” he added.

Gold slipped in earlier trade, extending the previous session’s losses, as the dollar firmed against the euro and oil prices sank,