Gold little changed on mixed information

CHICAGO, Oct 3 (Xinhua): Gold futures on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange was basically unchanged yesterday on mixed information.
The most active gold contract for December delivery slipped 0.4 dollar, or 0.03 per cent, to settle at 1,215.1 dollars per ounce.
As expected, the European Central Bank left rates unchanged at its meeting in Naples, Italy, Thursday, with key lending rate at 0. 05 per cent and the deposit rate at minus 0.2 per cent. As a result, the euro was little changed and European stocks extended their decline a little bit further.
US Labor Department reported Thursday the number of people applying for new unemployment benefits fell by 8,000 to 287,000 in the last week of September, staying below the key 300,000-mark for three straight weeks. This is a sign that layoffs remain low and the labor market continues to improve in the US.
Though strong gold-coin sales in the US and Australia have provided some support for gold, they are not enough to make up for the outflows from gold ETFs in September, the largest monthly data since December, market analysts say. Nevertheless, thanks to the gain Wednesday, gold managed above a nine-month low Thursday.
Silver for December delivery fell 21.2 cents, or 1.23 per cent, to close at 17.047 dollars per ounce. Platinum for January delivery lost 19.2 dollars, or 1.49 per cent, to close at 1,270.4 dollars per ounce.