New York metals trading was to close near noon and the market will remain shut on Monday for the US holiday of Presidents Day.
With markets thin due to the holiday, currencies seemed to have a case of the spins after a mixed bag of US reports on producer prices and consumer sentiment. "Gold's reacting to the euro's ups and downs. Trading is pretty thin. But the funds have been buying gold all week, so that may give it some support, especially if the dollar is a little weaker" said Andy Brosoff at Mitsubishi International Corp.
Gold traders pegged stiff resistance at $430 an ounce, with support pegged at about $424.
Spot gold was priced at $426.95/7.70 an ounce, above Thursday's New York close at $427.10/7.80. Friday's early fix in London was at $426.55.
Silver reached its highest mark since early December, boosted by local short covering after fund buying earlier in the week.
March silver rose 6.5 cents to $7.435 an ounce, trading from $7.32 and $7.45 - the gray metal's priciest level since December 8.
"Locals were caught short and the trade came in to buy once the euro started coming back," said a COMEX floor trader.
He pegged next resistance at $7.48 to $7.50.
Spot silver climbed to $7.40/43, up from the prior close at $7.32/35. The fix was at $7.32.
April platinum rose $2.30 to $865.50 an ounce. Spot was at $863/868. March palladium climbed 60 cents to $183.60 an ounce. Spot held at $179/183.