Commodities prices are falling again as investors become increasingly pessimistic about the global economy.

Energy and metal prices led the retreat. Oil prices touched a two-month low.

Uneasy investors pulled money out of riskier investments like commodities and poured money into safer assets like the dollar and bonds. A stronger dollar has an especially bad effect on commodities because it makes them less attractive to overseas investors.

April gold fell $10.20 to settle at $1,052.80.

Benchmark crude for March delivery lost $1.95, or 2.7 percent, to $71.19 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.