Jan 23 (Reuters) - Gold prices held steady on Thursday, as
rising fears over the spread of China's new flu-like virus
supported the safe-haven metal.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was flat at $1,558.93 per ounce by 0127
GMT. U.S. gold futures GCv1 rose 0.3% at $1,561.00.
* China's new flu-like virus claimed 17 lives and the cases
of infection confirmed in more than 540 cases, leading the city
at the centre of the outbreak to close transportation networks
and urge citizens not to leave. * The World Health Organization said it will decide on
Thursday whether to declare a global emergency over the
outbreak. * Adding to concerns, China will start celebrating the Lunar
New Year from this weekend, where hundreds of millions travel to
the country for holidays.
* Asian shares fell over the virus scare, while the yen
rose. MKTS/GLOB USD/
* European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde is set
to launch a broad review of its policy on Thursday that is
likely to see her redefine the ECB's main goal and how to
achieve it. * On the Brexit front, Britain moved a step closer to its
Jan. 31 exit from the European Union when the legislation
required to ratify its deal with Brussels passed its final stage
in parliament on Wednesday. * Gold production in Russia rose 16.2% in the first 11
months of 2019 to 337.26 tonnes from 290.3 tonnes in the same
period a year earlier, Russia's finance ministry said on
Wednesday. * In other precious metals, palladium XPD= advanced 1.1%
to $2,499.44 an ounce, silver XAG= remained unchanged at
$17.82 per ounce and platinum XPT= edged lower by 0.1% to
$1,011.15.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
1245 EU ECB Refinancing, Deposit Rates Jan
1330 US Initial Jobless Claims Weekly
1500 EU Consumer Confid. Flash Jan
2350 Japan Bank of Japan releases minutes of
monetary policy meeting