Gold, silver futures fall in European trading

MADRID (MarketWatch) -- Gold futures fell slightly on Thursday, as the dollar firmed, oil fell and European stock markets were choppy. Gold for June delivery GCM2 +0.22%  declined $3.70 to $1,635.80 an ounce, following a decline of $11.50 on the New York Mercantile Exchange on Wednesday. European stocks were volatile in the wake of a Spanish government bond auction that saw strong demand even as borrowing costs rose for the government. Silver tracked gold lower Wednesday, with the May contract SIK2 +0.02% off 10 cents, or 0.3%, to $31.39 an ounce. Copper for the same month's delivery HGK2 +0.57%  retreated 1 cent to $3.62 per pound. July platinum PLN2 +0.30%  retreated $1.50 to $1,577.70 an ounce, while sister metal palladium, for June delivery PAM2 -0.05%  lost $2.85, or 0.4%, to $654.40 an ounce.