Unrest fuels precious metals demand

Gold rose for the first time in three days in New York as investors weighed the standoff over Ukraine against a stronger dollar. Gold rose 8.4% this year partly as unrest helped fuel demand. Talks on a halt to the fighting stalled yesterday.

Silver for September delivery added 0.3% to $19.695 an ounce in New York, after reaching a two-month low of $19.47 yesterday. Platinum for October delivery rose 0.2% to $1,449.20 an ounce. The metal, mostly used in catalytic converters in vehicles, advanced 25% this year as car companies used more and as supply was cut by a mine strike that ended in June in South Africa, the second-biggest producer. Palladium was near a 13-year high.