On Thursday gold prices declined, as disappointing manufacturing activity data from China
weighed and the greenback was supported by Wednesday's U.S. home sales data.
On the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, gold futures for June delivery were down 0.09% at $1,185.80. The June contract ended Wednesday's session 1.35% lower at $1,186.90 an ounce.
Futures were likely to find support at $1,180.50, the low from April 1 and resistance at $1,204.30, Wednesday's high.
Silver futures for May delivery slipped 0.15% to $15.773 a troy ounce, while copper futures for May delivery were flat at $2.666 a pound.
Earlier, data indicated that China's HSBC (LONDON:HSBA) flash manufacturing purchasing managers' index slipped to 49.2 in April from March's final reading of 49.6, shrinking for the third consecutive month.
China is the world's second largest gold consumer.
The greenback was supported after the U.S. National Association of Realtors said on Wednesday that existing home sales rose 6.1% last month to 5.19 million units from a revised total units of 4.89 million while analysts had expected existing home sales to rise 3.0% in March.
The gains were limited, as investors were concerned about the state of the US economy.
Market participants were now eyeing data on U.S. initial jobless claims and new home sales, due later in the day, for further indications on the strength of the economy.
