US gold futures ended higher on Monday as a weaker dollar and lingering worries about an European debt crisis helped recoup some lost ground from a two-month low last week. COMEX February gold futures settled up $3.50 at $1,344.5 an ounce on the COMEX division of the NYMEX. Ranged from $1,333.10 - a two-month low - to $1,352.40 an ounce.
A dearth of safe-haven demand in recent weeks - as concerns over eurozone sovereign debt and the US economic outlook receded - meant gold struggled to make fresh headway after hitting a record $1,430.95 an ounce in December.
COMEX gold futures volume at 220,000 lots, about 40 percent above its 30-day average - preliminary Reuters data showed. Spot gold fell 0.5 percent to $1,335.85 an ounce at 3:10 pm EST (2010 GMT). COMEX March silver ended down 10.6 cents at $27.321 an ounce on selling by investors in exchange traded funds. Ranged from $26.82 to $27.95. Silver fell 1.9 percent to $26.94 an ounce. NYMEX April platinum finished down $2.70 at $1,819.60 an ounce on profit taking. Spot platinum rose 0.8 percent to $1,822.24 an ounce. NYMEX March palladium closed down 20 cents at $816.55 an ounce, tracking platinum. Spot palladium climbed 1.4 percent to $819.50.