国际英语新闻：Gold bounces on soft dollar, rising stocks

CHICAGO, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Gold futures on the COMEX Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange ended higher for the first session in four on Monday, following the rising stock markets as U. S. dollar softened. Silver and platinum both climbed.

The most active gold contract for February delivery gained 6 U. S. dollars, or 0.6 percent, to finish at 1,095.70 dollars an ounce, ending a three-day slide last week.

Stocks are recovering on Monday from last week's sharp decline as prospects brightened that Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke would be appointed to another term. By the end of gold floor trading time, the Dow industrials rallied 55 points, which is considered as a catalyst helping gold climb higher.

Recently gold is more like a high-risk asset to investors than a hedge or safe-haven since the precious metal touched a record high and the dollar played the main role of storing value.

Dollar, which declined slightly as investors worried that the Federal Reserve will still keep the key interest rate at a record low level near zero, also provided some support to the precious metal.

March silver was up 21.3 cents to 17.145 dollars per ounce. April platinum rose 1.60 dollars to 1,546.10 dollars an ounce.