Feb 21 (Reuters) - Gold prices ticked up on Tuesday as
the dollar eased off a six-week high, while traders waited for
more economic data to gauge the U.S. Federal Reserve's rate-hike
strategy.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold was up 0.1% at $1,843.23 per ounce, as of
0046 GMT. U.S. gold futures firmed 0.1% to $1,851.80.
* The dollar index was parked below recent peaks,
making greenback-priced bullion less expensive for buyers
holding other currencies.
* Investors are now awaiting minutes of the Fed's latest
policy meeting due to be released on Wednesday. Money markets
expect the U.S. central bank to raise benchmark rates above 5%
by May, with a peak in rates seen at 5.3% in July.
* Higher interest rates increase the opportunity cost of
holding zero-yield bullion.
* The U.S. core personal consumption expenditure (PCE) data
due later this week is also on investors' radar.
* The European Central Bank should keep raising interest
rates beyond March and the rate peak, which should be stuck to
for some time, could be reached over the summer, Finnish central
bank chief Olli Rehn told a German newspaper.
* Germany's economic prospects are improving after an
unexpectedly resilient fourth quarter with headline inflation
also past its peak, even if underlying price growth will take
longer to abate, the Bundesbank said on Monday.
* Spot silver climbed 0.4% to $21.83 per ounce,
platinum rose 0.2% to $928.65 and palladium firmed
0.1% to $1,512.07.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0815 France S&P Global Mfg, Serv, Comp Flash PMIs Feb
0830 Germany S&P Global Mfg, Serv, Comp Flash PMIs Feb
0900 EU S&P Global Mfg, Serv, Comp Flash PMIs Feb
0930 UK Flash Comp, Mfg, Serv PMIs Feb
1000 Germany ZEW Economic Sentiment Feb
1000 Germany ZEW Current Conditions Feb
1445 US S&P Global Mfg, Serv, Comp Flash PMIs Feb
1500 US Existing Home Sales Jan
(Reporting by Kavya Guduru in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu
Sahu)
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