Gold held near the highest level in more than six years as investors tracked developments in the Middle East, with the US committing more troops to the region amid its standoff with Iran, which has pledged to hit back against Washington for the killing of a senior Iranian general.

Prices rallied 2.4 per cent over the past two days, approaching $1,600 an ounce, driven by an upswing in haven demand, with Goldman Sachs Group Inc. saying gold was a better hedge in the crisis than oil. Still ................................ET