Dec 10 (Reuters) - Gold prices held steady on Tuesday, ahead
of a policy meeting by the U.S. central bank, while investors
awaited clarity on whether a next round of U.S. tariffs on
Chinese imports will take effect this weekend.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was down 0.1% to $1,461.05 per ounce by
0156 GMT. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 was flat at $1,465.40.
* Palladium XPD= was unchanged at $1,881.34 an ounce. The
supply-squeezed autocatalyst metal climbed to an all-time high
of $1,898.50 in the previous session.
* China said on Monday that it hoped to make a trade deal
with the United States as soon as possible, while President
Donald Trump said Washington is doing well in hammering out a
trade agreement with Beijing, ahead of possible new tariffs on
$156 billion worth of Chinese imports. * The dollar and yen held the safe-haven high ground on
Tuesday, with investors on edge ahead of a looming tariff
deadline, the UK election and upcoming central bank meetings in
Europe and the United States. USD/
* The U.S. Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting starts
later in the day. The central bank is widely expected keep
interest rates on hold in the range of 1.50% to 1.75%.
FEDWATCH
* Investors were also looking forward to New European
Central Bank boss Christine Lagarde's first policy meeting on
Thursday. * U.S. consumers' inflation expectations rose slightly in
November, bringing the outlook for near and medium-term
inflation up from a five-year low in a New York Federal Reserve
survey. * Chinese soy importers bought at least five bulk cargo
shipments of U.S. soybeans, after Beijing offered the buyers at
least 1 million tonnes in new tariff waivers, U.S. exporters
said. * Goldman Sachs has kept its 3, 6 and 12 month forecast for
gold at $1,600 per troy ounces, saying investment demand will be
supported by fears of recession and political uncertainty.
* Silver XAG= rose 0.1% to $16.61 per ounce, while
platinum XPT= gained 0.2% to $896.11.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0930 UK GDP Est 3M/3M Oct
0930 UK GDP Estimate MM, YY Oct
0930 UK Manufacturing Output MM Oct
1000 Germany ZEW Economic Sentiment Dec
1000 Germany ZEW Current Conditions Dec