Aug 27 (Reuters) - Gold prices were mostly unchanged on
Thursday after rising more than 1% in the previous session on a
weaker U.S. dollar, as investors awaited a speech from Federal
Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell due later in the day.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was steady at $1,952.11 per ounce by 0037
GMT.
* U.S. gold futures GCv1 rose 0.3% to $1,959.
* The dollar index .DXY fell 0.2% to a near one-week low
against its rivals, making gold less expensive for holders of
other currencies.
* Powell is set to speak at a virtual Jackson Hole symposium
on Thursday, where he is expected to provide more insight on the
U.S. central bank's strategy on inflation and monetary policy.
* Japan wants to avert another state of emergency and needs
to consider more stimulus to revive the economy, the
government's top spokesman said. * Republicans in the U.S. Congress are working on a narrow
coronavirus stimulus bill that could be circulated to
rank-and-file lawmakers as soon as this week, CNBC reported on
Wednesday. * Gold tends to benefit from widespread stimulus measures
from central banks because it is widely viewed as a hedge
against inflation and currency debasement.
* SPDR Gold Trust GLD , the world's largest gold-backed
exchange-traded fund, said its holdings rose 0.3% to 1,252.09
tonnes on Wednesday. GOL/ETF
* Asian stocks will likely climb on Thursday after the S&P
500 and Nasdaq rallied to fresh records on upbeat corporate
results. MKTS/GLOB
* The United States on Wednesday blacklisted 24 Chinese
companies and targeted individuals it said were part of
construction and military actions in the South China Sea.
* Silver XAG= dropped 0.8% to $27.30 per ounce, platinum
XPT= rose 0.6% to $934.29, and palladium XPD= fell 0.6% to
$2,184.69.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
1230 US GDP 2nd Estimate Q2
1230 US Initial Jobless Claims Weekly