Gold prices edge up after 6-month low; dollar retreats from 11-month peak

Russia produced 51.6 tonnes of gold in the first three months of 2018

Gold prices inched up early on Friday after hitting a 6-month low the session before, with the dollar retreating from an 11-month peak.

Spot gold was 0.1-per cent higher at $1,268.24 an ounce by 0057 GMT. It touched its lowest since Dec. 19 at $1,260.84 on Thursday. U.S. gold futures for August delivery were nearly unchanged at $1,270.20 per ounce.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, stood at 94.818. It hit 95.529 in the previous session, its highest since mid-July 2017. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, pointing