Gold falls on positive US jobless claims report

CHICAGO, Sept 19 (Xinhua): Gold futures on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange fell yesterday on a positive US jobless claims report and strong stocks.
The most active gold contract for December delivery lost 9 US dollars, or 0.73 per cent, to settle at 1,226.9 dollars per ounce.
The US Department of Labor released an unexpectedly positive jobless claims report on Thursday, which showed initial claims for unemployment benefits dropped by 36,000 to a seasonally adjusted 280,000 for the week ending Sept. 13.
Gold was also under pressure from US stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 hit fresh intraday highs, as investors continued to cheer the Federal Reserve's commitment to keeping interest rates low for a considerable time.
Silver for December delivery lost 21.7 cents, or 1.16 per cent, to close at 18.517 dollars per ounce. Platinum for October delivery lost 12.7 dollars, or 0.93 per cent, to close at 1,349.5 dollars per ounce.