By Virginia Harrison, MarketWatch SYDNEY (MarketWatch) — Gold futures slipped in electronic trading Thursday as the dollar strengthened slightly and investors awaited a resolution of the U.S. debt-ceiling debate. Gold for August delivery GC1Q +0.04% lost 10 cents to $1,615.00 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange during Asian trading hours Gold for December delivery GC1Z +0.04% , the most actively traded contract, lost 30 cents, to $1,617.20 an ounce. The metal seesawed between mild gains and losses throughout the session. Uncertainty over the path to raising the U.S debt-ceiling has helped support gold prices this week, with the metal settling at a nominal record high of $1,616.80 in New York on Tuesday. U.S. lawmakers’ remained unable to agree on measures needed to increase the debt-ceiling as the Aug. 2. deadline required for action to avoid triggering a default loomed. Read more on the U.S. debt-ceiling negotiations. The broader metals complex traded weaker on Thursday. Silver for September delivery SI1U -0.38% fell 19 cents, or 0.5%, to $40.38 an ounce. Copper for September contract HG1U +0.05% lost 0.1%, to $4.44 a pound. October platinum PL1V -1.23% gave up $23.90, or 1.3%, to $1,784.10 an ounce, and palladium for September delivery PA1U -0.35% declined $7.15, or 0.9%, to $826.05 an ounce. The dollar index DXY -0.08% , which compares the U.S. unit to a basket of six other currencies, traded at 74.102, from 74.008 late Thursday.

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