LONDON: Gold prices rose to a near six-week high on Friday in response to disappointing US non-farm payrolls data that lowered expectations for more aggressive US interest rate increases.

Spot gold was rose 0.7 per cent to $1,274.39 an ounce at 1440 GMT, its highest since April 25, headed for its fourth week of gains US gold futures were up 0.6pc at $1,278.30 an ounce.

Palladium rose 1.4pc at $834.97 an ounce after earlier touching $835.90, its highest level since September 2014. Silver rose 0.7pc to 17.39 per ounce while platinum firmed 1pc to $937.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2017