Gold futures rose on Friday, garnering some support from a weakened dollar, after the French and German heads of state pledged to support the euro, pushing the single currency higher and infusing markets with optimism about the euro bloc.
Gold for August delivery rose $4.70, or 0.3%, to $1,619.20 U.S. an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Prices had earlier dipped in and out of the red, as U.S. growth in the second quarter tapered off to 1.5% from 2% in the prior quarter, data showed.
Economists had expected a 1.3% rise.
Gold rose to its best in more than three weeks on Thursday after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi vowed to do "whatever it takes" to preserve the euro.
On Friday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande tried some of the same. They issued a statement vowing to do "everything possible to protect the euro-zone."
Meanwhile, European markets and the euro got a boost Friday after the French daily Le Monde reported the ECB and euro-zone governments would be buying Spanish and Italian debt.
The ICE dollar index , which compares the U.S. unit to a basket of six currencies, was at 82.424, down from 82.834 reached in late North American trading Thursday.
A weaker dollar tends to bolster gold and other dollar-denominated commodities as it makes them cheaper to holders of other currencies. For gold, a weaker dollar also boosts its appeal as an alternative safe-haven currency.
September silver turned lower, recently off seven cents, or 0.3%, to $27.36 U.S.an ounce.
Other metals futures were higher.
Copper for September delivery rose three cents, or 0.8%, to $3.42 U.S. a pound.
October platinum rose $4.70, or 0.3%, to $1,410.20 U.S. an ounce.
September palladium rose $2.05, or 0.4%, to $571.95 U.S. an ounce.
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