Gold holds near 4-month lows on firm dollar, risk sentiment

Gold prices inched back towards last week's four-month low on Tuesday as a firmer dollar and ongoing preference for riskier assets took the sheen off the metal traditionally seen as a safe-haven.

Spot gold slipped 0.2 percent to $1,272.58 per ounce by 1151 GMT. Prices last week reached their lowest since Dec. 27 at $1,270.63.

US gold futures trimmed 0.3 percent to $1,274.40 an ounce.

"Growth worries that had weighed on risk sentiment and supported gold have largely faded," Julius Baer analyst Carsten Menke said, adding sentiment in financial markets was positive.

"That's why the positioning on gold is also turning towards the negative side and we have not seen any inflows in exchange traded gold products."

Data from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, showed speculators switched to a net short position in COMEX gold in the week to April 16.

Holdings of SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, were at their lowest levels seen since Oct. 26.

Markets are looking to the release of the US GDP data later in the week for indications about the strength of the world's largest economy.

Better-than-expected economic readings from both the US and China lately have assuaged investor concerns of a sharp global economic slowdown, although weak manufacturing surveys from Asia and Europe have kept a lid on sentiment.

Stronger equities this year have also dented gold's appeal, with the metal now more than 5 percent below its 2019 peak touched in February.

Analysts and traders said gold's break below key support levels last week, including the 100- and 50-day moving averages, signalled further downside for prices.

"Gold looks vulnerable to a further extension lower through$1,270, opening a test toward the 200-day moving average at$1,251," MKS PAMP Group said in a note.

In other metals, silver fell 0.2 percent to $14.95 per ounce. Platinum fell 0.9 percent to $887.35 per ounce having hit a two-week high of $911.75 in the previous session.

Palladium was 0.8 percent lower at $1,375.34 per ounce, after falling as much as 3.5 percent in the previous session.