Gold Falls Below $4,000 as Silver Tumbles on Hormuz Attack and Rising Oil

Spot gold and silver prices fell sharply in early U.S. trading Friday after renewed attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz drove crude oil higher and reinforced inflation concerns, even as fresh data pointed to moderating U.S. wage growth. Precious metals remained under selling pressure following Thursday declines. Gold slipped below $4,000 an ounce and silver fell to its lowest levels of the year. Spot gold traded near $3,958.80 an ounce, down $61.34, or 1.32%. Spot silver traded near $50.080, down $2.120, or 4.06%. Gold was headed for a second consecutive monthly decline, while silver continued to lag amid concerns over industrial demand and restrictive monetary policy.