Bullion prices settled mixed at Comex on Monday, 24 September 2019. Gold futures settled higher on Monday, recouping some of their recent loss as investors awaited what's widely expected to be the Federal Reserve's third interest-rate hike of 2018 this week. But silver slipped.

December gold rose $3.10, or 0.3%, to settle at $1,204.40 an ounce. It settled Friday at $1,201.30, its lowest level in a week even as it ended little changed in price for all of last week.

December silver fell 1.8 cents, or 0.1%, to $14.341 an ounce. The contract was up 1.5% for last week.

Gold found support as the dollar index tilted slightly lower on Monday. The dollar and gold, which is chiefly priced in the U.S. currency, tend to move inversely.

Fed policy makers will meet for a two-day meeting ending Wednesday and the market is pricing in over a 90% chance of a quarter-point rate increase. The Fed has penciled in four moves in total this year and that means another hike is likely in December, though traders have shown some flashes of wavering confidence of late, citing trade uncertainty and global economic hiccups. That uncertainty puts added emphasis on the Fed's statement.

Higher interest rates tend to boost the dollar and cut demand for nonyielding bullion in favor of assets delivering an attractive relative yield.