Gold slips

Bengaluru : Gold prices dipped slightly on Tuesday, hovering not far off a 2018 low struck in the previous session as a firm dollar near five-month highs and optimism in global markets curbed appetite for the precious metal.

Spot gold was down 0.2 percent at $1,290 per ounce, as of 0614 GMT. In the previous session, it slid to $1,281.76, its lowest since Dec. 27. U.S. gold futures for June delivery slipped 0.1 percent to $1289.8 per ounce. "I think the overriding narrative here is where the dollar is going," said Stephen Innes, APAC trading head at OANDA. Abating geo-political risk was also weighing on sentiment for gold, he added. The dollar traded below a five-month high against a basket of currencies on Tuesday, catching its breath after a broad rally inspired by rising U.S. bond yields and relief at an easing of U.S.-China trade tensions.