950824

HK gold

HONG KONG: Gold closed easier in quiet and sluggish trade with most investors on the sidelines, dealers said.

"Players were liquidating their long positions in the absence of incentives," a dealer at a local bullion house said. "Gold will stay trapped in a narrow range awaiting hints from silver."

Bullion ended at US$383.00/50 an ounce against New York's Wednesday close of US$383.30/80.

Local gold closed HK$1.0 lower at HK$3,535 a tael.-Reuter