Oil prices also fell after U.S. President Barack Obama announced at the weekend that any military action against Syria in response to last month's chemical weapons attack would wait until lawmakers had had a chance to vote on the plan. 

The delay pushed down oil by more than $1 a barrel, and gold by more than 1 percent, while the dollar rose to a one-month high against the safe-haven yen. 

"Any risk of strikes from some Western countries on Syria have decreased at least near-term," Patrick Jacq, European rate strategist at BNP Paribas said. "The risk premium linked to geopolitical events has decreased, so risk appetite probably is resuming somewhat."