By Barbara Kollmeyer
MADRID (MarketWatch) -- Gold prices pared gains after U.S. data showed housing starts hitting a four-year high in September. Gold for December delivery GCZ2 +0.21% rose $1.60 to $1,747.80 an ounce. Prior to the data, gold was up $6.10, getting a lift during the day from news that Moody's Investors Service kept Spain's sovereign-debt rating at investment grade. The news triggered a rally to a one-month high for the euro EURUSD +0.5472% versus the dollar. Dollar weakness tends to be a positive for dollar-denominated commodities, such as gold, because it makes them cheaper for holders of other currencies.
