Most traders who expect to see higher prices said people are seeking a safe-haven in the fresh concerns over the European banking system and until the situation there is seen as less dire, gold will find support.

FORBES: Higher Gold Prices Seen Next Week - Survey Participants

Aid agencies say the challenge of relocating over 100, 000 displaced people makes the situation there potentially more disastrous.

WSJ: Cyclone Threatens Bangladesh, Myanmar

And once the airports are turned over back to the Haitians, what will you do to monitor the situation there?

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

The trouble is, if he's wrong - if the spare capacity isn't there - then this policy risks making the situation worse, by pushing up inflation over the medium term, and weakening confidence in the government's commitment to cut public borrowing and re-balance the economy.

BBC: UK growth - anything to be done?

On Friday, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti said the situation was tense in the southwestern town of Les Cayes a day after demonstrations over the rising cost of living there led to an attack against the U.N. office.

CNN: U.N. food agency seeks more aid for Haiti

But there is a way of improving the situation over the longer term.

ECONOMIST: After privatising

There were still several bouts of selling over the Cyprus situation, but the market was very resilient.

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There are also reports that a Williams employee has quit over the situation.

CNN: Bahrain on the boil: Why can't F1 learn from its mistakes?

Over the last few days, my national security team has been working around the clock to monitor the situation there and to coordinate with our international partners about a way forward.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama on the Situation in Libya

"There is still a huge extended over-valuation in the market - any change in the employment situation and consumer sentiment due to income changes will tend to push prices down, " Mr Stansfield says.

BBC: House sales have fallen so why are prices still high?