London: Gold touched its lowest level in more than 15 months on Monday as the dollar held near four-year highs and European shares advanced after strong US jobs data, dampening appetite for bullion and pushing silver and platinum to multi-year lows.

Bullion has dropped 11 per cent from its July high of $1,345, entering into a correction which is defined as a 10 per cent drop from its most recent high. It is also within sight of a four-year low under $1,180 an ounce.

Spot gold was up 0.2 per cent at $1,193.10 an ounce by 0940 GMT after earlier falling to $1,183.46 an ounce, its weakest since June 28, 2013. US gold futures were unchanged at $1,193.50 an ounce.

Platinum, which fell 6.3 per cent last week in its biggest weekly decline since December 2011, touched its lowest since July 2009 on Monday.

Precious metals and commodities tumbled as the dollar rallied to levels not seen for four years.

“These prices shouldn’t come as a surprise ... the US monetary policy starts tightening, the dollar is strong, rates are going higher, commodities are under pressure from more supply in China and gold is at the forefront of all of those fears and concerns,” Societe Generale analyst Robin Bhar said.

“We are just above the support of $1,180, we are going to test that level again pretty soon and after that there is the psychological level of $1,150.” Forecast-beating US non-farm payrolls data on Friday bolstered bets the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates in mid-2015, lifting the US currency.

“A strong dollar is a major problem for gold. Sentiment is very bearish but I think we expect some kind of rebound,” said Ronald Leung, chief dealer at Lee Cheong Gold Dealers in Hong Kong, who pegged support at $1,180 an ounce.

The absence of the main gold consumer China is weighing on the physical market, which usually sees a pick up in demand from jewellers and retail investors when prices fall.

Chinese markets have been shut for national holidays and will reopen on Wednesday.

Premiums for gold in Asia were quoted at $1.20 to $1.60 an ounce to the spot London prices, unchanged from last week.

In Tokyo, sellers pushed up premiums for gold bars to 25 cents to spot London prices from zero last week to offset the decline in global prices.

“At this moment, demand is not good. But maybe when the holiday in China is over, the premiums may go up further,” said a dealer in Tokyo.

Markets in Singapore, a key bullion trading centre in southeast Asia, were also closed for a public holiday.

Gold, which often influences other precious metals, has also failed to capitalise on geopolitical tensions caused by conflict in Ukraine and the rise of Daesh in Iraq and Syria.

Platinum was down 0.3 per cent at $1,212.25 an ounce, having earlier fallen to $1,183.25 earlier. Palladium/sfell 0.5 per cent to $748.75 an ounce, having touched its lowest since February 27 earlier. The metal has dropped 17 per cent from $910 last month, which was its highest since February 2011.

Silver rose 1.1 per cent to $16.98 an ounce after hitting its weakest since March 2010 at $16.66 earlier.