Gold Prices Struggle to Stay Near $1, 700

Gold prices fell Wednesday on negative economic news from China and Europe plus concerns that the world's No. 1 economy is barely advancing.

Euro Area Faces Recession as Breakup Risk Remains, E&Y Says

Dec. 15 (Bloomberg) --The euro-area economy is likely to slip back into a recession and its leaders’ new plan to end the debt crisis hasn’t completely eliminated the risk of a breakup of the currency region, according to Ernst & Young LLP.