Greece Debt Woes Hammer Gold Prices (Update 1)

NEW YORK (TheStreet ) -- Gold prices were hammered Friday as Greece was unable to secure its second bailout, violence erupted in Athens and as China imports slowed in January.

Gold for April delivery shed $15.90 at $1,724.10 an ounce at the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Gold managed to close off of its session lows. The gold price has traded as high as $1,737.20 and as low as $1,706.40 an ounce while the spot price was down $10, according to Kitco's gold index. ...