New York silver, gold and platinum bucked the normal trend, rising Thursday while crude-oil fell and the U.S. dollar gained strength.

Silver for October settled to $13.63 an ounce, gaining 13 cents, or 0.9 percent.

October platinum gained a sharp $43.50, or 3 percent, to end at $1,484.20 an ounce. The metal was helped by Impala Platinum’s chief executive citing stronger demand.

December gold rose by $3.20, or 0.4 percent, to close at $837.20 an ounce.

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New York gold and platinum futures rose with higher oil prices and a weaker U.S. dollar Wednesday. Silver fell nearly 1 percent.

Crude oil for October finished up $1.88 to $118.15 a barrel on furthering concerns over Hurricane Gustav’s threat to the Gulf, and Energy Department data showing unexpected declines in U.S. gas and crude supplies.

Silver for October settled to $13.50 an ounce, losing 0.8 percent.

October platinum gained $19.70, or 1.4 percent, to end at $1,440.70 an ounce.

December gold climbed $5.90 to close at $834.40 an ounce.

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New York Gold tumbled early but recovered to register a small gain as oil prices climbed on concerns that Hurricane Gustav could threaten oil production in the Gulf.

Crude oil for October finished up $1.16 to $116.27 a barrel.

Silver for September gained 11 cents to close to $13.58 an ounce.

October platinum dropped 1% to end at $1,421 an ounce.

December gold shook off earlier losses to climb $2.40 to close at $828.10 an ounce, sharply higher than its intraday low of $812 an ounce.

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Precious metals enjoyed positive gains this week with London silver, gold and platinum rising 4.69 percent, 3.32 percent and 3.26 percent respectively. Stocks and the U.S. dollar rallied, as oil plunged Friday.

October crude-oil fell sharply Friday by $6.59 to close to $114.59 a barrel. Its one-day percentage loss was the biggest since 2004.

London silver closed to $13.62 an ounce — a gain of 61 cents the week and 80 cents from last Friday.

London increase to $1,427 an ounce — a rise of $45 for the week and $27 from last Friday.

London gold rose to $824 an ounce, gaining $27 for the week and $37 from last Friday.

"The outlook for the U.S. dollar clearly remains to strengthen against the euro," said Dresdner Kleinwort consultant Peter Fertig. "We expect the European Central Bank will cut rates in the first quarter of next year."

"With oil prices coming down, headline inflation should decline considerably next year and that would be another nail in the coffin of the gold bulls," he added.

In economic news, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke soothed inflation fears and supported the dollar with his comments Friday.

“The recent decline in commodity prices, as well as the increased stability of the dollar, has been encouraging.

If not reversed, these developments, together with a pace of growth that is likely to fall short of potential for a time, should lead inflation to moderate later this year and next year.”

Gold typically follows oil and moves opposite to the greenback, as a weakened dollar encourages investors to buy gold, also considered a hedge during times of high inflation and economic uncertainty.

Silver, gold and platinum performance charts and tables follow as well as a Reuters weekly business recap video and three related precious metal articles.

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New York silver, gold and platinum lost a part of their recent gains Friday, as oil tumbled and the U.S. dollar and stocks rallied with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s calming inflation comments.

After three straight session gains, October crude-oil fell sharply by 5.4% or $6.59 to close to $114.59 a barrel. Its one-day percentage loss was the biggest since 2004.

Silver for September dropped 15 cents to close to $13.48 an ounce.

October platinum lost $17.60 to end at $1,451.20 an ounce — a 1.2% decrease.

December gold closed down $5.50 to $833.50 an ounce.

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New York platinum was the biggest precious metals mover Wednesday, while gold and silver experienced small losses.

September crude-oil gained for the second consecutive session, rising 45 cents to close at $114.98 a barrel.

Silver for September fell by 6.5 cents to close to $13.04 an ounce.

October platinum gained $17.60 to end at $1,368.90 an ounce.

December gold dropped slightly by 50 cents to close to $816.30 an ounce.

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New York platinum continued its downward spiral Tuesday falling 3.1 percent. Silver and gold, on the other hand, experience gains after oil’s surge and the US dollar’s decline.

After three straight days of losses, September crude-oil gained $1.66 to close at $114.53 a barrel.

Silver for September lost 0.5 cents to end at $13.11 an ounce.

October platinum lost $42.60 to close at $1,351.30 an ounce.

December gold climbed $11.10 to close at $816.80 an ounce. It had reached an earlier low point of $792.

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Precious metals took brutal body blows this week with London silver, gold and platinum falling 16.4 percent, 8.9 percent and 10.8 percent respectively. A dominating U.S. dollar matched against weaker global currencies helped push the metal losses. Falling crude oil played its part as well.

September delivery of crude dropped to $113.57 a barrel.

London silver closed the week to $12.82 an ounce — a loss of $2.52 for the week and $2.94 from last Friday.

London platinum fell to $1,400 an ounce — a drop of $170 for the week and $152 from last Friday.

London gold closed to $787 an ounce, losing $77 for the week and $67 from last Friday.

"This week’s sheer massacre in values will represent the largest such decline in 25 years for the yellow metal," said senior analyst Jon Nadler at Kitco Bullion Dealers.

"Attribute these moves to whatever causes you like, but do not live in denial. The markets have shifted into a new phase, its participants have voted, and they are telling you that the growth worries have shifted to economies outside the US. Expectations are that (albeit not in a straight line) the dollar will continue higher."

Gold typically follows oil and moves opposite to the dollar, as a weakened dollar encourages investors to buy gold, also considered a hedge during times of high inflation and economic uncertainty.

Silver, gold and platinum performance charts and tables follow as well as a Reuters weekly business recap video and three related precious metal articles.

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Overnight trading whiplashed precious metals into unconsciousness and a recovery appears to be nowhere in site on Friday.

As of this writing, New York spot gold is below $780 an ounce, silver tanked to under $12.80 an ounce, and platinum plunged to below $1,350 an ounce.

Senior analyst Jon Nadler at Kitco Bullion Dealers appropriately titled his morning bullion commentary with: The Market is Like a Box of Chocolates…

How true. Analysts can pound and pound the numbers, but sometimes "you never know what you’re gonna get.”

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New York gold poked its head out of an eight day dark hole Wednesday only to jump back into it Thursday by dropping its previous day’s gain. Silver and platinum were also daily losers as investors eyed declining oil prices and a strong US dollar.

September crude-oil lost 99 cents from its Wednesday $2.99 gain to close at $115.01 a barrel.

Silver for September lost 61.5 cents to end at $14.23 an ounce.

October platinum fell $27.40 to close at $1,489.10 an ounce.

December gold shed $17 to close at $814.50 an ounce. It reached an earlier low point of $810.

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