Gold rises, heads for monthly gain; silver nears $91

Gold is heading for a seventh consecutive monthly gain.

Gold and silver prices climbed on Friday as the dollar held steady. Investors assess negotiations between the US and Iran after the latest round of talks in Geneva ended without a breakthrough. Both sides agreed to meet again next week in Vienna.

Gold futures for April rose 0.36%, or $18.8, to $5,213.0 per ounce as of 09:23 am KSA time, while spot gold gained 0.14%, or $7.49, to $5,192.46 per ounce.

Gold is heading for a seventh consecutive monthly gain, up more than 6% in February, supported by uncertainty over U.S. trade policy and tensions between Washington and Tehran, which boosted demand for the safe-haven metal.

Meanwhile, silver futures for May jumped 3.9%, or $3.36, to $90.95 per ounce, while spot silver advanced 2.12% to $90.19.

Spot palladium added 2.96% to $1,835.27. Platinum surged 5.08% to $2,402.42 per ounce.

The moves came as the dollar index held steady at 97.73.