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• Gold prices rose on Friday as the threat of a global trade war pushed equities and the U.S. dollar lower and spurred demand for assets such as bullion that are broadly seen as safe-haven investments.

• Spot gold rose 0.5 percent at $1,322.54 per ounce by 1:43 p.m. EST (1843 GMT).

U.S. gold futures for April delivery settled up $18.20, or 1.4 percent, at $1,323.40 per ounce.

• Gold, however, was still down 0.5 percent on the week, putting the yellow metal on track for a second consecutive weekly loss.

• "Trade in gold today is stepping back and looking at tariffs as a potentially more dovish scenario: weaker economic growth, lower real yields and a weaker dollar are impacting trade," said Rob Haworth, senior investment strategist for US Bank Wealth Management.

• Bullion touched $1,302.61 per ounce on Thursday, the lowest level since Jan. 2, pressured by expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates more aggressively than previously thought.

• The threat of a global trade war overpowered any fears of rate hikes, said Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen.

"If a trade war becomes a reality, it could push inflation up and growth down and that should ease the aggressiveness of the Fed. That's why it has become the focus" of the gold market, he said.

• Also positive for gold was its ability to hold above its technically important 100-day moving average price at $1,300, also a key psychological level for investors.

Near-term technical resistance was at the 50-day moving average at $1,324.60, analysts at ScotiaMocatta said.