Gold ended slightly higher on profit-taking after unemployment data

Special Report:Global Financial Crisis

CHICAGO, Feb. 6 (Chinese media) - Gold futures on the COMEX Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange edged higher Friday due to investors' profit-taking after the disappointing unemployment data.

Gold price for April delivery gained 10 cents to 914.30 U.S. dollars an ounce. The precious metal ended the week down 1.5%.

March silver closed at 13.16 dollars per ounce, up 41 cents. April platinum rose 22.30 dollars to 1004.30 dollars per ounce.

The Labor Department reported Friday that the U.S. unemployment rate climbed to 7.6 percent in January, the highest level since 1992, as nonfarm payrolls shed 598,000 jobs, the largest amount in34 years. Economists had expected an unemployment rate of 7.5 percent. This disappointing data incented investors to take some profit ahead of the weekend.

On speculation the stimulus plan will soon be passed by the U.S. Congress, the stock market in New York rallied Friday as the Dow Jones Index went up more than 200 points. There was talk that investment money was being pulled away from gold and put back into equities, providing some bearish pressure to gold.