Gold prices dipped on Monday, as easing fears of a wider Middle East conflict lowered bullion’s safe-haven appeal, while market participants awaited a key U.S. inflation reading due later this week for interest rate cues. Spot gold fell 0.9% to $2,369.97 per ounce, as of 0451 GMT. U.S. gold futures fell 1.2% to $2,383.80. Tehran downplayed Israel’s retaliatory drone strike against Iran, in what appeared to be a move aimed at averting regional escalation. Gold slipped on Monday after rising as high as $2,417.59 in the previous session, a level not far away from a record high of $2,431.29 hit on April 12. “Right now, ... (full story)