NEW YORK, March 16 (UPI) -- Gold futures held steady in New York Tuesday, although equities tumbled as workers struggled to contain damage at a nuclear power plant in Japan.
The earthquake and power plant disaster have knocked financial markets for a loop as Japan struggles not only with leaking radioactivity at the plant, but with an economy that has been temporarily crippled as well.
Gold prices on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange gained $5.80 back from Tuesday's $29.40 drop. Prices reached $1,398.60 per troy ounce. April delivery crude oil added $1.80 to $98.26 per barrel.
The euro fell to $1.3894 from Tuesday's $1.3996. The dollar slipped to 79.82 yen from 80.81 yen.
The British pound fell to $1.6028 from $1.608, while the U.S. dollar rose to 7.7982 Hong Kong dollars from 7.7964 HKD.
The Australian dollar fell to $0.9838 from $0.991.
In India, the dollar rose to 45.20 rupees from 44.984 rupees. Against the South Korean won, the dollar rose to 1,137.95 won from 1135.07.
