Gold futures tilted lower in American trade off July 13 highs as the dollar index rose from November 22 lows for another session, while the US market shuts down for the official holiday announced by President Donald Trump in honor of late President George H.W. Bush. 

As of 05:41 GMT, gold futures due in February fell 0.23% to $1,243.70 an ounce off five-month highs, while the dollar index inched up 0.03% to 96.99 from two-week lows. 

US President Donald Trump tweeted today : "Very strong signals being sent by China once they returned home from their long trip, including stops, from Argentina. Not to sound naive or anything, but I believe President Xi meant every word of what he said at our long and hopefully historic meeting. ALL subjects discussed!"

President Xi Jinping on his side asserted China's mutual respect for other countries and its aim to bolster peace and stability against the current challenges facing the world, with the Chinese trade minister describing the trade meeting with the US as highly successful. 

On Sunday, the White House released a statement of the dinner attended by world leaders at the G20 Summit, with both President Donald Trump and Xiu Jinping discussing the trade dispute between the two countries. 

The statement noted that Trump agreed to hold off raising tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese product by January 2019, as US and Chinese officials will continue to negotiate the hanging trade issues in the next 90 days. 

A scheduled Congress testimony by Fed Chair Jerome Powell today on Wednesday was delayed after President Donald Trump declared the day an official holiday in honor of late President George H.W Bush. 

Later this week, Powell will speak about the economy and rural America at the Housing Assistance Council's annual event, in Washington DC, while the payrolls report is expected to show no change in the unemployment rate at 3.7%. 

Finally, Gold holdings at SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed investment fund, steadied on Tuesday at 761.74 tonnes, after marking the second monthly profit in a row last month. 

Euro tilted higher against the greenback, following earlier data from the euro zone while the US market shuts down for the official holiday announced by President Donald Trump in honor of late President George H.W. Bush. 

As of 05:00 GMT, EUR/USD rose 0.04% to 1.1348, with an intraday high at 1.1361, and a low at 1.1311. 

Earlier Spanish data showed the manufacturing PMI steadied at 54.0, edging estimates of 53.9. 

Italian services PMI rose to 50.3 from 49.2, while the same index in France fell to 55.1 from 55.3 in October, while steadying for Germany at 53.3. 

The services PMI for the whole zone rose to 53.4 from 53.3 in October, while retail sales rose 1.7% y/y, up sharply from 0.3%, while missing estimates of 2.0%. 

The number of investors in the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) amounted to 1.003 million at the end of the third quarter of this year, thus reaching its highest level in three years.

The share of female investors in the stock market increased by a record of 21.3% by the end of the third quarter of this year. Meanwhile, the number of individual investors increased by 1.8% year-on-year and 1.4% quarter-on-quarter, according to Al-Ektisadiyah newspaper.

The number of male investors rose to a three-year high of 3.72 million by the end of the third quarter.

The number of investment portfolios owned by individuals in Tadawul at the end of the third quarter of 2018 rose by 4.5% year-on-year to reach 9.75 million, compared to 9.33 million at the end of the third quarter of last year.

The board of directors of Sahara Petrochemicals Co. recommended the distribution of cash dividends for shareholders at SAR 219.397 million for the second half of 2018.

In a filing to Tadawul on Wednesday, the company said the dividends will be distributed on 438.795 million shares, or 5% of stock par value, at SAR 0.50 per share.

Entitlement for the dividend distribution will be for shareholders of record on the second day after the date of the ordinary general assembly meeting.

Sahara earlier distributed SAR 219.397 million dividends for the first half of 2018, at 5% of stock par value, or SAR 0.50 per share.

It posted SAR 529.9 million net profit for the first nine months of 2018, a rise of 51.5% year-on-year from SAR 349.7 million.