India, July 20 -- Gold and silver are expected to remain on the back foot in the next week as traders assess the impact of the escalating West Asia conflict, firm crude oil prices and key global macroeconomic data releases, analysts said.

Investors will also closely watch a busy calendar of key numbers, including US weekly jobless claims and flash PMI, along with monetary policy decisions and key economic indicators from Europe and China, for fresh cues on global interest rates. The US military on Sunday carried out fresh airstrikes against Iran following attacks on American-linked installations in Jordan, further escalating tensions in an already volatile West Asia, they added.

"Momentum in gold remains corrective as investors look ahe...