Gold skids 1.5% to two-month low settlement
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Gold futures sank 1.5% to a two-month low settlement Thursday as strong economic data fanned fears of tighter monetary policy. December gold GCZ4, -1.51% fell $19.80 for the session to $1,275.40, its lowest settlement since June 18. U.S. jobless claims dropped by 14,000 to 298,000 in the week ended Aug. 16, according to the Labor Department