By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch LONDON (MarketWatch) — Gold futures rose on Tuesday in electronic trading, after China hinted fresh economic stimulus could be on the way in coming months, while a weaker dollar also supported prices. Gold futures for December delivery GCZ2 +0.24% rose $3.90, or 0.2%, to 1,626.90 an ounce in electronic trade. On Monday, prices settled at the highest level since mid-June at $1,623 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The price of the yellow metal was buoyed by monetary easing hints from China as the Chinese state-run Xinhua news agency’s Economic Information Daily reported that Beijing is planning fresh stimulus measures for the second half of the year. See: China stocks rise after reported stimulus plans. The report also sent European stocks higher, with the Stoxx Europe 600 index XX:SXXP +0.42% up 0.6% at 272.99. A weaker dollar also supported gold prices. The ICE dollar index DXY -0.37% , which measures the greenback against a basket of six other currencies, fell to 82.126 from 82.475 in late North American trade the prior day. Dollar-denominated commodities tend to rise on a weaker dollar, as they get cheaper to buy for holders of other currencies. Elsewhere in the metals complex, platinum for October delivery PLV2 -0.67% lost 0.5% to $1,490.90 an ounce. The metal closed at its highest since early May on Monday following recent gains amid violence at a platinum mine in South Africa. September silver SIU2 +1.00% rose 1% to $28.86 an ounce, while copper for the same month HGU2 +1.41% moved 1.4% higher to $3.42 a pound. Palladium for September delivery PAU2 -0.28% fell 0.2% to $606.30 an ounce. Sara Sjolin is a MarketWatch reporter, based in London.

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