Gold post $7 gain

Gold prices rose Wednesday after Hurricane Sandy shuttered the financial district in New York for two days. Gold added $7 to reach $1,719.10 an ounce on the New York Mercantile's Comex Division as equity trading resumed. The U.S. dollar was flat Wednesday, rising 0.01 percent to 79.94 on the International Exchange. The dollar closed mostly lower in Europe and in Asia, however. Silver also gained, adding 43 cents to $32.25 an ounce, as equity trades continued, but major markets were either flat or in the red by the end of the day. The euro was $1.2956 from $1.2959 Tuesday. Against the yen, the dollar was 79.79 yen from 79.62 yen.