Gold falls on positive US jobless claims report

Gold futures on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange fell Thursday on a positive U.S. jobless claims report and strong stocks.

The most active gold contract for December delivery lost 9 U.S. dollars, or 0.73 percent, to settle at 1,226.9 dollars per ounce.

The U.S. Department of Labor released an unexpectedly positive jobless claims report on Thursday, which showed initial claims for unemployment benefits dropped by 36,000 to a seasonally adjusted 280,000 for the week ending Sept. 13.

Gold was also under pressure from U.S. stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 hit fresh intraday highs, as investors continued to cheer the Federal Reserve's commitment to keeping interest rates low for a considerable time.

Silver for December delivery lost 21.7 cents, or 1.16 percent, to close at 18.517 dollars per ounce. Platinum for October delivery lost 12.7 dollars, or 0.93 percent, to close at 1,349.5 dollars per ounce.