NEW YORK, Nov 1: COMEX gold ended slightly firmer on Friday an anticlimactic wrap to a volatile week of failed rallies, as precious metals and currency markets processed evidence that the US economy turned the corner.

December gold settled up 20 cents at $384.60 an ounce, shaking off a late recovery in the dollar that halted an another attempt to reach new highs.

Morning fund buying lifted the contract to $389.80 before the trade sold it down to $382.20 after the rally faltered.

Estimated turnover was a busy 49,000 contracts.

When it trades from $380 to $390 and back down to the $380 level, the faint of heart can’t stay in, said Robert Gottlieb, head of precious metals trading at HSBC. Only people with deep pockets or people with still-healthy profits can afford to stay in this market.

The run at $390 was the second swipe in two days at September’s seven-year peak of $393.80. On Thursday gold had the rug pulled out by news that the US economy grew at its fastest pace in two decades last quarter, a stunning turn after three years of malaise.—Reuters