Bullion prices ended in a mixed mode on Thursday, 18 April 2019 at Comex. Gold ended modestly lower on Thursday to post a fourth weekly loss in a row, with a jump in U.S. retail figures providing support for the dollar, dulling the appeal of the precious metal.

On Thursday, gold for June delivery on Comex fell by 80 cents, or less than 0.1%, to settle at $1,276 an ounce. May silver added 1.6 cents, or 0.1%, at $14.955 an ounce, for a weekly loss of less than 0.1%. Gold lost 1.5% for the holiday-shortened week, following three consecutive weeks of declines. Metals trading on Comex and Globex will be closed for Good Friday.

Still, the precious metal saw a limited decline for the session on the back of a retreat in U.S. bond yields and as eurozone data softened, renewing worries about global growth.

Meanwhile, U.S. retail sales were strong, posting a 1.6% gas-fueled gain in March. Other data, including a snapshot of Philadelphia-area economic health, wasn't as strong. U.S. benchmark stock indexes were mixed. The ICE U.S. Dollar Index was up 0.5% as gold futures settled.

Gold was underpinned in part as the IHS Market composite purchasing managers index for the eurozone, a measure of activity in the manufacturing and services sectors based on a survey of 5,000 businesses — fell to a three-month low of 51.3 in April from 51.6 in March. A reading of 50 or above indicates improving conditions. The data underscore expectations the European Central Bank can maintain easy monetary policy. Gold, as a nonyielding asset, tends to drop when central banks raise interest rates, and vice versa.