New Delhi, Feb. 17 -- Gold and silver prices continue their decline for the second straight session on Tuesday, February 17. Spot gold prices slipped below the $5,000 mark, falling 0.43% to $4,992 per ounce. Meanwhile, spot silver fell nearly 3% to $74.24 per ounce during the Asian trading hours on Tuesday.

The latest round of US economic data has presented a mixed outlook on potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. Consumer prices in the United States rose less than anticipated in January, falling below forecasts, while job growth unexpectedly picked up during the same period.

Market participants expect the US central bank to keep rates unchanged at its upcoming March 18 meeting. However, traders are currently factoring in ...