US gold futures ended lower Monday as economic optimism and concerns about further consolidation in an overbought market kept bullion investors on the sidelines. Gold for April delivery settled down $8.10 at $922.00 an ounce on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
GOLD: Ranged between $930.60 and $915.30. Increased optimism and confidence among investors in financial markets triggered weakness in the gold market - Carlos Sanchez, precious metals analyst at CPM Group.
COMEX gold open interests up 4,235 lots at 380,831 lots as of March 13. Spot gold was at $921.90 an ounce at 2:43 pm EDT (1843 GMT), down 0.6 percent from its last quote in New York late Friday.
SILVER: COMEX May silver finished down 32.5 cents, or 2.5 percent, at $12.890 an ounce, following golds bounce. Ranged $12.770 to $13.200 COMEX estimated final volume at 11,133 lots. Spot silver at $12.88 an ounce, down 2.2 percent from its Friday finish.
PLATINUM: NYMEX April platinum ended down $14.20, or 1.3 percent, at $1,049.40 an ounce on light profit taking after Fridays gains. Spot platinum at $1,050.50 an ounce, up 0.1 percent from its previous close.
PALLADIUM: June palladium closed up 25 cents at $200.25 an ounce on pent-up buying, ignoring platinums losses. Spot palladium at $197.00 an ounce, up 0.3 percent from its late Friday New York quote.