Gold prices slipped for a third consecutive session on Friday but still notched a weekly gain of nearly 3%.
Gold for February delivery shed $3.10, or 0.3%, to settle at $1,222.50 U.S. an ounce, while March silver lost six cents, or 0.3%, to $17.06 U.S. an ounce.
The precious metal climbed this week on haven demand as investors have reacted to weaker-than-expected economic reports from Japan and China, worries about elections in Greece and a slump in global equities markets. The metal has gained 4% in a month, though that just leaves it up 1.3% in 2014 to date.
In U.S. economic news on Friday, the U.S. Labor Department said producer prices fell 0.2% in November, while economists had predicted a 0.1% drop. Later Friday, a consumer sentiment reading is expected to come in at 89.6.
In other metals trading, January platinum fell $10.70, or 0.9%, to $1,231.50 U.S. an ounce, while March palladium shed $3.05, or 0.4%, to $816.55 U.S. an ounce. High-grade copper for March delivery edged up a penny to $2.93 U.S. a pound.
