Precious metals advanced Wednesday, posting robust gains that ranged from 2.1% for gold to 3.8% for palladium. Increases in gold and palladium were their second in a row while those for silver and platinum were their first in several sessions. Gold for December delivery tacked on $33.80 to settle at $1,670 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Gold and silver gained "on safe-haven demand amid a nervous marketplace as the calendar is set to turn to what can be a tumultuous month of October for stock and financial markets. The U.S. dollar index is trading solidly lower at midday, bond ... (full story)