Singapore: Gold slipped on Thursday as the dollar firmed and investors paused after boosting prices by 16 percent from this year's lows on measures by global central banks to support flagging economies.
The bond purchases and plans to do so by central banks from the United States to Japan had fuelled a rush for bullion as investors braced for higher inflation, sending gold prices to their highest since February in the previous session.
Investors are hoping China will be the next to take action after data on Thursday showed its vast manufacturing sector continued to contract in September.
The HSBC Flash China manufacturing purchasing managers' index recovered modestly to 47.8 in September from a nine-month low of 47.6 in August, staying below the 50 mark that divides expansion from contraction. A measure of output dipped to its lowest level in 10 months.
