国际英语新闻：Gold ends lower for fourth day as dollar strengthens

CHICAGO, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Gold futures on the COMEX Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange further declined on Friday, marking the fourth straight drop this week, as the dollar rallied on improved economic outlook.

The most active gold contract for February delivery dropped 2.8 dollars, or 0.2 percent, to close at 1,368.9 dollars per ounce.

Gold traders mainly attributed Friday's weak sentiment to dollar's strong rally. The euro fell to a three-month low against the dollar on Friday. The dollar concluded the biggest weekly gain since August, underpinned by improving economy and deterioration of EU debt crisis.

U.S. nonfarm payrolls rose by 103,000 in December after a revised increase of 71,000 in the previous month, the Labor Department reported Friday. The unemployment rate slid to 9.4 percent in the month, the lowest level since May 2009, reflecting gains in jobs and fewer people in the labor force.

The gold market concluded the first weekly decline in three weeks after rallying 30 percent in 2010 for a 10th consecutive annual gain.

Analysts noted that gold price would decline further in the next week as the demand from the safe-haven gold investment would continue to shrink amid improving economy in U.S.

Silver futures for March delivery shed 45.5 cents, or 1.56 percent, to 28.671 dollars. However, April platinum gained 3.2 dollars per ounce to 1,738.3 dollars.