Mumbai, Aug. 14 -- Gold futures extended their decline in Asian trading on Friday, slipping below $4,400 an ounce as investors continued to book profits while reassessing the Federal Reserve's policy outlook. However, a softer US dollar helped cushion the decline, with the Dollar Index falling towards 99.5 for a second straight session after unchanged US producer prices in July and a subdued CPI reading reduced expectations of a September Fed rate hike. Meanwhile, stalled diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz kept geopolitical risks elevated, raising concerns that a renewed energy-price surge could revive inflationary pressures. On MCX, October gold futures traded 0.2% lower at Rs.1,53,106 per 10 grams as traders remained cautio...