GOLD futures declined modestly yesterday on a slightly higher US dollar and profit-taking.
June gold fell $US3.80 to settle at $US892 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
"It was caught in a listless trade today," said Michael Gross, broker and futures analyst with OptionSellers.com. "Investor interest in gold seems to ebb and flow each day."
The profit-taking kicked in after the metal failed at $US900 resistance, said Sterling Smith, vice president with FuturesOne.
"I think we're seeing some guys getting short," Mr Smith said.
In addition to the slightly higher US dollar, economic data also pressured gold, Smith said.
The US Labour Department reported that inflation at the wholesale level fell more sharply than anticipated in March, a sign of economic weakness. A separate report showed retail sales fell 1.1 per cent last month.
Gold is often bought as a hedge against rising prices, so waning inflation can have a negative impact on the metal's price.
Shortly after gold closed, the ICE Futures US dollar index was up 0.041 point at 84.676.
A slightly higher US dollar and profit-taking also pressured silver somewhat, and the metal ended virtually unchanged.
Comex May silver fell 0.3 cent to settle at $US12.765 an ounce.
"It seemed to be a tie between the bulls and the bears today, and they called a draw," Mr Gross said.
Platinum group metals futures also succumbed to profit-taking, after a recent rally sparked by proposed US exchange-traded funds for the metals.
Nymex July platinum lost $US28.70 to settle at $US1218.30 an ounce while June palladium on the exchange declined $US4.40 to settle at $US237.95 an ounce.
"The upside was a little overcooked," a trader said.
