PRECIOUS-Gold steady, focus on Jackson Hole summit for rate-cut direction

* Manufacturing surveys, ECB minutes due
* Spot gold may rise to $1,524/oz -technicals

(Adds comments, updates prices)
By Harshith Aranya
Aug 22 (Reuters) - Gold prices were unchanged on Thursday,
lingering above the key $1,500 level, as investors awaited the
Federal Reserve chair's speech at a global central bankers'
conclave for clues on future U.S. interest rate cuts.
Spot gold XAU= was flat at $1,502 per ounce as of 0612
GMT.
U.S. gold futures GCcv1 were down 0.3% at $1,510.90 an
ounce.
"We are seeing a holding pattern until the remarks from
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell at the Jackson Hole
symposium," OANDA analyst Jeffrey Halley said.
If Powell says they are going to cut rates aggressively,
that may not be great for gold in the short-term since equities
will gain, Halley added.
Markets are now focused on Powell's speech at Jackson Hole
on Friday, for clarity on the direction of U.S. monetary policy,
especially after an inversion in the Treasury yield curve
highlighted the risk that the U.S. economy may fall into
recession.
Minutes of the Fed's July meeting, released on Wednesday,
showed policymakers were divided over whether to cut interest
rates, but were united in wanting to signal they were not on a
preset path to more easing. However, futures 0#FF: are still fully priced for a
quarter-point cut in rates next month, and over 100 basis points
of easing by the end of next year. FEDWATCH
"Indeed, Fed Funds futures still imply 50-75 bps in further
easing before year-end," said Ilya Spivak, senior currency
strategist with DailyFx.
"Investors' defiant stance probably reflects lingering hope
that the dated Minutes document will be superseded by promises
of lavish accommodation to be unveiled at the US central bank's
symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming."
Traders are also looking at the Group of Seven summit this
weekend for clues on what additional steps policymakers may take
to boost economic growth.
Meanwhile, hopes for U.S. fiscal stimulus got a knock when
President Donald Trump reversed course and said he was not
looking at cutting payroll taxes. A range of manufacturing surveys from across the globe are
due later on Thursday and risks are they will show a further
slowdown in activity, especially in Europe. MKTS/GLOB
Minutes from the European Central Bank's last policy meeting
are also awaited, and markets are looking for more details on
exactly when and how aggressively it might ease policy. ECB
Spot gold may rise to $1,524 per ounce as it has found a
support at $1,497, according to Reuters analyst Wang Tao.
SPDR Gold Trust GLD , the world's largest gold-backed
exchange-traded fund, said its holdings rose 0.80% to 851.91
tonnes on Wednesday. GOL/ETF
The holdings have increased about 3%, or around 24 tonnes,
so far this month.
Elsewhere, silver XAG= fell 0.2% to $17.07 per ounce,
while platinum XPT= was down 0.5% to $848.60.
Palladium XPD= fell 0.9% to $1,458.52 per ounce.