US gold futures ended nearly 1 percent lower on Tuesday, on a combination of technical selling and profit taking following a price rally. COMEX June settles down $8.80 at $1,153.40 an ounce. Range $1,158.10 to $1,145.40. Investors take profits in overbought market after euro's relief rally based on optimism in Greece and fiscal health of euro zone economies - George Geroge of RBC.
GOLD: Gold seen running into heavy resistance above $1,160-1,165 area as rise in scrap metal pressures prices - Jon Nadler at Kitco. Strong technical resistance seen at $1,160-1,170 area, a key technical level where recent rallies had failed - analysts.
Profit-taking among speculators weighs - Nadler. Sentiment weaker after data from the CFTC's Commitment of Traders report on Friday showed a sharp rise in net long, or buy, positions, in the week to April 6. COMEX gold final volume at 116,250 lots. Spot gold $1,152.90 at 3:27 pm EDT (1927 GMT), compared with $1,155 late in New York's previous session.
SILVER: COMEX May silver ends down 16.5 cents at $18.249 an ounce, drops more than gold. Range $18.320 to $17.955. COMEX gold final volume 55,055 lots. Spot silver at $18.22 versus $18.19 late in the prior session.
PLATINUM: July finishes down $22.10, or 1.3 percent, at $1,717.30 an ounce on industrial metals weakness. Spot platinum at $1,713.50 an ounce.
PALLADIUM: June closes down $2.35 at $521.80 an ounce as the market tracks platinum's decline. Spot palladium at $526.50 an ounce.