CHICAGO, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Gold futures on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange rose on Wednesday as the U.S. dollar slightly weakened.
The most active gold contract for April delivery rose 5.9 U.S. dollars, or 0.31 percent, to close at 1,890.7 dollars per ounce.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, New York Federal Reserve President John Williams said he believes the Federal Reserve needs to maintain restrictive rates for a few years to control inflation, and the expectations for the Fed's interest rate should lie at a rate of 5-5.25 percent.
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook said on Wednesday the strong January jobs report has increased her hopes for a soft landing, adding that she believes a return to the 2 percent inflation target can be accomplished without a large increase in unemployment.
The U.S. Commerce Department reported on Wednesday that U.S. wholesale inventories edged up 0.1 percent in December, the smallest gain since July 2020.
Silver for March delivery rose 24.3 cents, or 1.1 percent, to close at 22.42 dollars per ounce. Platinum for April delivery rose one dollar, or 0.1 percent, to close at 987.2 dollars per ounce.