platinum

Moore Capital Management ex-portfolio manager Christopher Louis Pia agreed on Monday to settle the charges by the US futures regulator and pay $1 million. He was charged with manipulating prices of palladium and platinum futures contracts on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Pia made attempts to manipulate the settlement prices of palladium and platinum futures contracts from at least November 2007 until May 2008 while working for Moore Capital, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said. He had engaged in a trading practice known as "banging the close.”

Gold kept its level within $15 of record highs while silver reached a 31-year peak on Tuesday as euro zone debt concerns and elevated oil prices linked to violence in the Middle East region supported interest in precious metals.

While gold seemed to move back towards its March record of $1,447.40 an ounce as traders took to the sidelines ahead of a key European Central Bank rates decision on Thursday, but prices remained firmly underpinned.

Friday in Shanghai, bullion prices flat with buyers cautious on the physical market on investors’ expectations of key US job data that’s due later in the day for further clues on health of the economy.

Spot gold reflected a little change staying at $1,249.60 an ounce by 3:11 GMT, just $15 below the record high of $1,264.9 hit in June. It is heading for a weekly gain of 1.1 percent, its fifth straight week of rises.

On Thursday gold regained on bargain hunting after dropping the previous day while investors could sell bullion to cover losses because of falling stock markets.

Weaker equities and worries about the health of the global economy sparked selling in platinum to its lowest since July 22 , with sister metal palladium tumbling around 4 percent in thin trade.

Tuesday in Singapore, bullion edged higher a thin market driven by a strong euro and a technical recovery as prices briefly hit the 100-day moving average, while jewelry makers stayed on the sidelines after recent purchases.

Monday in Singapore, bullion soared on bargain hunting and purchases from jewelers. However, investors were on the sidelines after a European bank stress test showed few surprises and failed to spur safe-haven buying last week.

Tuesday in London, bullion hovered $1,180 an ounce as lower prices tempted some buyers back to the market after prices slipped to two-month lows in the previous session, but the technical picture remained weak.

Wednesday in Tokyo, bullion flat after gaining about 2% Tuesday when worries over debt problems in the euro zone encouraged the gold's appeal as a haven from risk and a currency alternative, but high price levels may prompt selling.

Spot gold was bid at $1,210.70 per ounce as of 5:15 GMT, modestly changed from late New York levels of $1,210.65 an ounce.

Tuesday in Tokyo, bullion edged up as a fall below $1,200 per ounce on Monday attracted light physical buying, while holdings by the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Trust, spiked for the first time since late June.

Wednesday in London, bullion flat giving up some ground after the previous gains. This followed relatively low demand at the European Central Bank's latest bank refinancing operations that eased some concerns over euro zone bank finances.

Monday in Singapore, bullion advanced trading less than $10 lower than last week's record high, supported by worries about the global economy after the G20 summit and US comments that Iran has fissile material for two atomic bombs.

Spot gold added $2.45 to $1,255.85 an ounce by 4:20 GMT after a steady performance last week during which bullion struck a record high above $1,264.

Monday in Singapore, bullion strengthened around near a lifetime high in volatile trade after a move by China to a flexible yuan exchange rate diminished the dollar and prompted buying of riskier assets.

Spot gold hit an intraday high of $1,260.20 an ounce, within sight of Friday's record at $1,261.90, and stood at

 $1,258.90 an ounce by 1:23 a.m. ET, up $3.55 from New York's notional close.

Friday in Europe, bullion steadied within reach of record highs, being upheld by haven demand against a backdrop of persistent sovereign risk in Europe and after dull US data raised doubts over wider economic recovery.

Spot gold was trading at $1,243.95 an ounce at 8:13 GMT today, against $1,243.40 late in New York on Thursday.

Thursday in Singapore, the bullion strengthened, reaching a one-week high as the euro struggled to sustain gains and shares slipped on uncertainty over the pace of economic recovery in the US.

Japanese equities slid on Thursday after mixed U.S. data underscored an uneven economic recovery, and a euro rally sticks below 2-week highs, with most investors on the sidelines ahead of a raft of bond auctions in the euro zone area.

Monday in Singapore, bullion recouped from previous lows. At the same time, bullion priced in euro striking a record after the single currency slumped, but trade was likely to remain erratic as investors  watch currencies gyrate.