Gold rallied over 1.5 percent, its biggest one-day gain since November, as disappointing U.S. job data fueled expectations the Federal Reserve will continue its bullion-friendly bond purchases.
Gold fell below $1,650 an ounce after data showed disappointingly small growth in U.S. retail sales in January, while some investors stayed at the sidelines ahead of a G20 meeting later this week, which is expected to set the tone for the gold trade.
Gold tumbled to a six-month low on Friday, breaking through technical support near $1,630 an ounce, as the euro weakened against the dollar ahead of a G-20 meeting.
Gold slipped Monday but was off its six-month low, helped by buying from Asia, where Chinese participants returned to the market from a one-week holiday.
Gold fell below $1,600 an ounce to a seven-month low, as rumors of a troubled hedge fund forced to liquidate positions triggered a sell-off of commodities.
Gold rose 1 percent on Thursday as weaker U.S. economic data boosted hopes that the Federal Reserve will maintain its monetary stimulus, allaying fears that the U.S. central bank may stop buying assets soon.
Gold retreated under $1,600 an ounce on Friday, paring earlier gains in line with the euro and stock markets, and stayed on track for a second straight weekly loss.
Gold rose 1.3 percent, its biggest one-day gain in three months, as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's defense of U.S. bond-buying stimulus boosted bullion's inflation-hedge appeal.
Gold fell 1 percent, nearly erasing all of the previous session's gains, hit by disappointment over a lack of new Federal Reserve stimulus and deflation worries over across-the-board deep U.S. spending cuts.
Gold headed towards its longest run of monthly declines in more than 16 years, as an improved economic backdrop and lower inflation concerns continued to blunt its appeal to investors.
Gold prices eased on Monday as demand waned for gold-backed exchange-traded funds and investors continued to digest the effect of wide-ranging U.S. government spending cuts on bullion.
Gold fell after the European Central Bank and the Bank of England did not hint at more economic stimulus, and as encouraging U.S. jobless claims data fuelled optimism about the upcoming nonfarm payrolls report.
Gold traded flat, ending the week with a slight gain, after data showed improvement in the U.S. economy but not enough for the Federal Reserve to halt its stimulus, analysts said.