Metals pause

After leaping over $700 an ounce, gold retreated to $690.50 a troy ounce by the close of trading May 17 in New York from a May 11 closing high of $719.80.

Silver fell more sharply. It closed May 17 at $13.157 an ounce. It closed May 11 at $14.846.

Platinum remained over $1,300 an ounce at $1,316.40 May 17.