Metals Stocks: Gold climbs, but ends below the session’s high after Powell’s ‘time to taper’ remarks

Gold futures climbed Friday, but bullion ended below the day’s best levels after remarks from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell raised the likelihood that the central bank will soon start to slow, or taper, its monthly bond purchases.

The comments offset some of gold’s earlier support from concerns that rising inflation in the aftermath of COVID-19 may erode purchasing power.

Powell…