Gold prices continue to decline amidst US debt talks and rising dollar.

Gold prices dip as US government debt-limit-extensions talks resume, and traders and investors shun shorter-term US Treasury bills over fears of a US government default on that debt. The FOMC minutes may shed further light on the Fed's monetary policy going forward, and the US dollar index hits another two-month high. Silver prices are also lower, and the copper bears have the firm overall near-term technical advantage.