gold futures gave up early declines on thursday to finish higher for a second session in a row gold prices had a brief decline in electronic trading wednesday afternoon following the federal reserve’s “hawkish pause” in interest rate hikes said michael hewson chief market analyst at cmc markets uk “gold prices have recovered a touch but still look a little soft with a similarly hawkish outlook from the european central bank helping to keep a lid on gains” gold for august delivery gcq23 rose 180 or about 01 to settle at 197070 an ounce on comex