Commodities Update — Gold flat; China to sign quarantine agreement on Brazilian corn; copper hits 20-month low

RIYADH: Gold prices held their ground near the lowest levels in more than nine months on Wednesday as investors cautiously awaited US inflation data for cues on the road ahead for the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy stance.

Spot gold was steady at $1,725.83 per ounce at 0543 GMT, dropping to its lowest since late September at $1,722.30 earlier in the session. 

US gold futures dipped 0.2 percent to $1,722.00.

Spot silver firmed 0.4 percent to $18.97 per ounce, while platinum eased 0.3 percent to $843.58. Palladium gained 0.2 percent to $2,031.18.