2017.12.2202:13:00UTC+00Gold Near 2-Week Peak Amid Firm Dollar

Gold prices were steady below a two-week peak on Friday amid a stronger dollar, but remains poised to mark a second straight week of gains.

Spot gold fell 0.1 percent at $1,265.65 per ounce, after notching its highest since Dec. 6 at $1,268.91 in the session earlier. It was 0.8 percent higher for the week.

The dollar rose on Friday though remained poised for weekly losses, while the euro slid after Catalan vote results indicated a victory for separatists in a blow to Madrid.

More than 120 countries defied President Donald Trump on Thursday and voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for the United States to drop its recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The U.S. Congress recently averted a government shutdown just one day before federal funding was due to expire, sending Trump a bill to provide just enough money to keep agencies operating through Jan. 19.

The Moscow Exchange will launch deliverable futures for gold next year in a move to further raise bullion market liquidity, according to bourse chief executive Alexander Afanasiev.

In other precious metals, silver was flat at $16.11 per ounce and platinum was off by 0.6-percent at $910.30 per ounce.

Palladium was unchanged at $1,038 per ounce, wavering near to its highest level since February, 2001, notched in the previous session at $1,039.25 per ounce.