Gold jumps as stocks tumble, investors rush to safety

Gold prices held onto strong gains Friday after jumping the most in over two weeks. A sharp selloff in stocks pushed investors toward safer assets, including government bonds. That rush into bonds drove Treasury yields lower, adding further support for gold. Lower yields make gold more attractive because the metal pays no interest, so it becomes a better option when bonds earn less. Gold steadied after Thursday's rally, its biggest single-day rise in more than two weeks.