Gold looked to be on track for a 8.3% quarterly improvement on Friday, its best quarter in a year, as uncertainty over U.S. President Donald Trump's tax and investment plans and a series of elections in Europe swelled demand for bullion as a safe haven.
Mid-morning Friday -- the last morning of the month and the quarter -- spot gold was up 0.2% at $1,245.17 U.S. per ounce. U.S. gold futures lost 0.1% to $1,247.20 U.S. Gold hit a low during the day of $1,238.70 U.S., its lowest level since March 21, before recovering.
The shiny metal is down about 0.5% for March, which could mean its first negative month in three.
Though up on a quarterly basis, gold fell 0.7% on Thursday, its biggest one-day drop in more than three weeks, after failure to break resistance at its 200-day moving average triggered technical selling. Gold appeared ready to end the week down 0.1%.
In other precious metals, spot silver was up 0.4% at $18.16 U.S. an ounce, having touched $18.29, its highest in four weeks, in the previous session. Silver has galloped 13.3% this quarter.
Platinum was 0.03% higher at $943.25 U.S. an ounce and has spiked 4.6% so far this year.
Palladium gained 0.7% at $799.80 U.S. an ounce. The metal used in catalytic converters that curb pollution from vehicle exhausts has risen over 17.1% this quarter.
