Gold rose more than 1 percent on Monday as falling equities and lingering worries about a debt crisis in Europe drew investors to the precious metal, which posted its biggest quarterly rise this year, but a firm US dollar could still cap gains.
Stocks slipped and the euro tumbled on anxiety the region's debt crisis would dampen global growth after the Greek government said it would miss a deficit target set just months ago in a massive bailout package. Spot gold added $19.14 an ounce to $1,642.09 by 0702 GMT.
Gold had posted a quarterly gain of 8 percent - its biggest this year, despite a drop of 11 percent for September, its largely monthly decline in three years. US gold rose $26.6 to $1,648.9 an ounce. Gold jumped to a lifetime high around $1,920 an ounce in early September after the euro fell against the dollar on growing doubts about Europe's ability to solve its debt crisis.