Soft dollar boosts gold

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters): Gold prices rose for a second session on Thursday, lifted by a weaker dollar, worries about renewed trade tensions and volatile emerging markets.

Spot gold was up 0.3 per cent at $1,296.24 per ounce by 1000 GMT, after gaining nearly 0.2 per cent in the previous session.

U.S. gold futures for June delivery added 0.5 per cent to $1,295.70 per ounce.

Gold's safe haven appeal was burnished after the U.S. launched a national security investigation into car and truck imports that could lead to new tariffs similar to those it imposed on steel and aluminium in March.

"We have a whole host of potential sources of support for gold. Trade spats are reoccuring and there's a focus on troubled emerging markets," Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank in Copenhagen, said.

Turkey has been in the spotlight and the lira weakened more than two per cent after a huge emergency interest rate hike failed to stem its problems.