Unsettled by weak jobs report from the US and accelerated inflation levels in China, commodities were seen trading in the negative territory both in India and abroad on Monday.

The dollar index fell to its lowest levels in a month against the yen, amid fresh concerns over the pace of US economic recuperation, Geojit Comtrade said in a report.

Spot gold rebounded on the first day of the week, following a weaker US jobs data as a safe haven demand for the yellow metal resurfaced. Spot gold got a further boost after jewellers in India, world’s largest bullion consumer, called off their 21-day strike.

London Metal Exchange remained closed in the wake of Easter. Base metal complex in the Multi Commodity Exchange was in the red after concerns over global economic growth gripped the sentiment.

Earlier in the day, China’s March consumer price index rose 3.6 per cent from a year earlier downplaying worries of a speedy monetary easing from the central bank amid the country's weakening growth.

Crude oil slid the most on Monday after Iran deliberated to hold talks with the US from April 14. Indian rupee eased after a four-day trading lull at 51.32 against the dollar, down nearly 0.3 per cent.

>cj@thehindu.co.in