Most commodities retreat amid uncertainty about global economic issues; Gold rises

Commodities mainly lower as investors shun risk

Most commodities prices are retreating as traders try to get a handle on whether a global economic recovery could be in trouble.

A key exception in Tuesday’s trading is gold, which settled up slightly.

Gold’s advance was seen as a sign of anxiety among traders monitoring developments with Europe’s debt problems and potential inflationary curbs in China. Rising tensions on the Korean peninsula also led investors to shun riskier assets like stocks and commodities.

Copper, other metals and grains are falling while energy prices are mixed.