Gold prices rise restraint, receiving support from a weak production statistics in the United States and the first cases of infection with the Ebola virus, which caused a decline in the stock markets.

Stock markets in Japan and South Korea were down on Thursday, falling European and American markets.

"Given the likelihood of further weakening of the capital markets in conjunction with the still unstable situation in Hong Kong, we would not like to have a short position in gold, because we believe that precious metals will benefit from short covering before the weekend," - said analyst Edward Meir INTL FCStone.

Democracy activists, mostly young people, have been demonstrating for almost a week in Hong Kong, the Chinese government demanding greater freedom, in particular, the opportunity to choose the mayor of Hong Kong. Some banks and financial companies relocation of staff replacement offices on the outskirts of the city, in order to avoid disruptions.

The European Central Bank said today the program of asset purchases to stimulate the economy and inflation in the eurozone. The ECB plans to buy securities backed by assets, loans to help small and medium-sized enterprises, which form the basis of the European economy.

The world's largest reserves of the gold-exchange-traded fund SPDR Gold Trust on Wednesday fell by 1.20 tonnes to 768.66 tonnes - the lowest level since December 2008.

The cost of the December gold futures on the COMEX today rose to 1224.00 dollars per ounce.