· Gold fell to a 1-1/2-week low on Wednesday, erasing earlier gains as the dollar index jumped, though a retreat in global stocks after Tuesday's record high prevented deeper losses.
· Spot gold was down 0.65 percent at $1,322.91 an ounce by 2:34 p.m. EDT (1834 GMT), after falling to the lowest since Sept. 1 at $1,320.51.
U.S. gold futures for December delivery settled down 0.4 percent at $1,328.
· "We had a lot of positions put on last week up at the highs, and those were weak short-term positions. We've seen a lot of them taken off," said Bill O'Neill, partner with Logic Advisors in Saddle River, New Jersey, referring to gold's roughly one-year high reached last week.
"We're not in a fearful flight to haven atmosphere this week. We're in a calmer, little more cautious tone and that's weighing on gold."
· The metal's move lower came as the dollar index turned higher after a report showed U.S. producer prices rebounded in August and as traders turned their focus to U.S. consumer inflation data.
· Concerns over North Korea's nuclear ambitions were a key factor driving spot gold prices to 13-month highs last week at $1,357.54 an ounce. An easing of those worries helped lift equities to record highs early this week.
Demand for gold, seen as a safe investment in uncertain times, revived earlier after U.S. President Donald Trump pledged stronger measures against North Korea and Pyongyang promised to fight off what it said was the threat of a U.S. invasion.
· "This seems to be currency led," Saxo Bank's head of commodity research Ole Hansen said, about the gold market's move lower.
· Investors awaited U.S. consumer inflation data due on Thursday, which should give further clues about the pace of U.S. interest rate increases. A run of weak inflation readings has lowered expectations the Federal Reserve will raise rates in December.
· Among other precious metals, silver was down 0.8 percent at $17.77 an ounce.
Platinum was 1.2 percent lower at $975.05 an ounce,after falling to $973, the lowest since Aug. 28. Palladium fell 1.7 percent at $938.
Reference: Reuters
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