Gold prices driven down by increasing the dollar, but to grow the third consecutive week as investors see an unstable global economic growth .

According to preliminary index PMI, manufacturing activity and employment in China declined in February , but the activity in the U.S. manufacturing grew at the fastest pace in nearly four years .

Manufacturing activity in China - the largest consumer of gold in the world - fell to seven-week low in February , as evidenced by a preliminary purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the manufacturing , calculated by HSBC. The data suggest that the economy may weaken, while the focus of the government is more steady, though slower economic growth.

Dollar to a basket of major currencies rose from previously marked minimum of eight weeks.

Margins on gold bullion stable in Hong Kong and Singapore , but declined due to the growth in Tokyo futures.

Stocks of the world's largest exchange-traded fund backed by gold ETF SPDR Gold Trust on Thursday fell 0.7 percent .

The cost of the April gold futures on the COMEX today dropped to $ 1315.90 per ounce.