Gold skids more than 2% lower on Monday and ends at lowest level since March

Gold futures finished at their lowest level since March on Monday, which also saw the precious metal fall more than 5% at its low during Asian trading hours. December gold finished $36.60, or 2.1%, lower at $1,726.50 an ounce, putting the commodity at its lowest price since late March, FactSet data show. Monday's tumble comes after bullion fell 2.5% on Friday, and marked its steepest weekly slump, down nearly 3%, since the period ended June 18. Since Thursday, gold has fallen by 4.6%, based on the most-active contract.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.