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Gold firmed in Europe on Thursday as some buyers were tempted back to the market by the precious metal's fall to three-month lows, while the weaker dollar also helped support prices. European investment remained lackluster as risk appetite sharpened, however, while the world's largest gold-backed exchange traded fund reported a hefty outflow on Wednesday.

General Motors on Tuesday set a price of $41,000 for its electric Chevrolet Volt -- $8,000 more than its nearest competitor, the Nissan Leaf.

Gold prices showed positive trends in Asian trade Tuesday mainly on a firm euro in an otherwise thin market. Gold for immediate delivery was seen trading at $1184.88 an ounce at 12.00 noon Singapore while U.S. gold futures for August delivery was at $1,184.2 an ounce at the same time.

Dubai World DBWLD.UL warned that lenders, aside from the government's own support fund, would face a significantly worse deal if its debt plan fails and it is forced to seek liquidation, according to the debt restructuring plan outlined to bankers on Thursday.

Online retailer Amazon.com Inc said on Monday that the recent price cut to its Kindle electronic reader has spurred sales of both the device and e-books.

After the Greece economic tragedy, its is the turn of Hungary to help gold prices go up. Following the failure of talks between Hungary government, IMF and the European Commission, the crisis in the European zone deepened and this has helped gold prices to go up. The IMF and the EU gave Hungary multibillion-dollar loans in late 2008 to help it recover from the financial crisis. The international lenders are now re-negotiating with the government.

Sellers cut prices on nearly one quarter of U.S. homes listed in June, an increase from May, showing buyers still call the shots in the U.S. housing market, real estate website Trulia.com said on Wednesday.

Cuts in global aluminum production, especially in China, should boost the metal's price and improve U.S. producer Alcoa Inc's earnings prospects, analysts said on Tuesday.

China will fine companies up to 2 million yuan ($295,400) for sending misleading or fake information about price increases, according to a new draft regulation by China's economic planning agency.

Gold prices edged up in Asian trade Tuesday mainly on investor's buying interest after prices dropped below the psychological barrier of $1200 an ounce. Gold for immediate delivery was seen trading at $ 1199.58 an ounce at 12.30 p.m Singapore time while U.S. gold futures for August delivery was at $ 1199.47 an ounce on the Comex in New York.

Vietnam, where gold price is much higher than rest of the world, is taking all initiatives to ensure good supply of the precious yellow metal. Last week, the Vietnamese government allowed businesses to re-start importing gold. The country had banned gold import some months back.

Alcoa Inc (AA.N), facing a sharp drop in aluminum prices, is losing favor on Wall Street as analysts lower their expectations for the company's earnings. Alcoa, the largest U.S. aluminum producer, is expected to turn a second-quarter profit after a year-ago loss, but analysts have recently been cutting their forecasts, and one sees the possibility of a return to red ink later this year.

Gold edged higher on Wednesday, rising back above $1,190 an ounce, as fresh demand emerged for the precious metal after its correction from recent record highs, which helped offset pressure from a firmer dollar.

Sony Corp has cut the price of its Reader devices, joining an electronic-reader price war between Amazon.com Inc and Barnes & Noble Inc.

Agricultural Bank of China, the country's No.3 bank by assets, has closed the books on its dual Hong Kong and Shanghai share sale and is on track to raise around $20 billion in what could be the world's largest ever IPO.

Amazon.com Inc cut the price on its most expensive Kindle electronic reader, the latest salvo in a price war in response to Apple Inc's pricier iPad tablet computer.

Historically, when India's retail gold markets remained fragmented and unorganized, price parity was a major concern. Distance between places played key role in price differentiation in yellow metal. But with electronic exchanges rapidly taking shape and number of participants in Gold trading seen rising, the price disparity within India started wearing away.

India's inflation is set to zoom with the announcement by the Manmohan Singh government on the freeing up of petrol and diesel prices. The announcement has raised hopes of a further decontrol of the oil sector over the next few years, which could help balance public finances and let private companies challenge state-run firms' decades-old retailing monopoly.

The high prices of gold is threatening several families in a different way. According to reports, the Cambodian government has threatened to burn homes of almost 100 families who are living at the site of a gold deposit recently discovered by an Australian mining company.

New claims for jobless aid rose last week while consumer prices notched their largest decline in nearly 1-1/2 years in May, suggesting interest rates will remain ultra low to nurse the fragile economic recovery.

New claims for jobless aid rose last week while consumer prices notched their largest decline in nearly 1-1/2 years in May, suggesting interest rates will remain ultra low to nurse the fragile economic recovery.