Gold closes slightly lower; data stoke taper talk

NEW YORK (New York)  Gold for August delivery on Tuesday ended Nymex floor trade down 0.1%, slipping $2 to close at $1,275.10 an ounce.

Gold was unable to hang on to earlier gains after relatively strong economic data underscored expectations the Federal Reserve
could move later this year to begin slowing the flow of monetary stimulus to the U.S. economy.
That helped lift the dollar, which in turn undercut gold, analysts said.

Other metals managed to hang on to gains with July silver  rising 4 cents to $19.53
 an ounce, July platinum rebounding $21.40 an ounce to $1,350.50, and September palladium rising $11.15 to $668.60 an ounce.

July copper  gained 5 cents to close at $3.07 a pound.