Gold prices are preparing to end the week with maximum growth since February 2016 amid investors' concerns about the economic consequences of the coronavirus outbreak, Reuters reported.

"We've seen a consistent switch out of equities into gold as a consequence of the worsening macro backdrop, and that’s something gold will continue to see in the foreseeable future,” ANZ analyst Daniel Hynes said. 

The metal has gained as much as 5.5% so far this week.