Gold prices dropped on Monday, with their safe-haven appeal diminished as risk sentiment improved after Swiss lender UBS sealed a deal to buy peer Credit Suisse in a rescue effort to stabilize global financial markets. Spot gold was down 0.7% at $1,973.44 per ounce, as of 0404 GMT, after sliding 1% earlier in the session. U.S. gold futures rose 0.3% to $1,978.40. On Sunday, UBS agreed to buy 167-year-old Credit Suisse for $3.23 billion and assume up to $5.4 billion in losses in a deal backed by a massive Swiss guarantee. Credit Suisse was caught up in a widening crisis triggered by the collapse of U.S.-based Silicon ... (full story)