Gold futures settled at a record high Tuesday, driven by concerns about the civil unrest in North Africa and parts of the Middle East, while silver posted a fresh three-decade high.
Gold for April delivery rose $21.30, or 1.5%, to $1,431.20 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Silver for May delivery ended 61 cents higher, or 1.8%, to $34.43 an ounce.
Most other metals tracked gold and silver higher, with copper shedding early weakness to end on the black.
Short-term sentiment and price direction will most probably continue to be dominated by ongoing geopolitical tension in the Middle East and North Africa, although robust medium-term fundamental expectations have so far limited the potential downside moves.
