Sept 20 (Reuters) - Gold prices inched higher on Friday on a
softer dollar and caution about Sino-U.S. trade talks, while
investors looked for clarity on the future path of U.S. interest
rates.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was up 0.2% at $1,501.35 per ounce, as of
0142 GMT, adding nearly 1% so far this week in what would be its
first weekly gain in four.
* U.S. gold futures GCv1 were up 0.2% at $1,509.2 per
ounce.
* The dollar nursed losses against most major currencies, as
central banks in Switzerland and the UK refrained from following
the U.S. Federal Reserve in cutting rates. USD/
* The number of Americans filing applications for
unemployment benefits increased less than expected last week,
pointing to strong labour market conditions that should continue
to support an economy growing at a moderate pace. * U.S. President Donald Trump said Fed Chairman Jerome
Powell's job is safe, even though he was "not thrilled" with the
central bank after it moved to lower interest rates by a quarter
of a percentage point on Wednesday. * The United States said on Thursday it was building a
coalition to deter Iranian threats following a weekend attack on
Saudi Arabian oil facilities. * U.S. and Chinese deputy trade negotiators resumed
face-to-face talks for the first time in nearly two months on
Thursday, as the world's two largest economies try to bridge
deep policy differences and find a way out of their protracted
trade war. * The Bank of England said Brexit uncertainty and slower
world economic growth were increasingly causing Britain's
economy to perform below its potential, and that a failure to
reach a deal to leave the European Union by Oct. 31 would worsen
the problem. * The German economy started the third quarter on a weaker
footing, the Finance Ministry said on Friday, putting the blame
on a cooling global economy and uncertainties linked to Brexit
and trade conflicts that are hurting exports. * Azerbaijan's leading gold mining company, Anglo Asian
Mining AAZ.L , said on Thursday its gold output rose 3.3%
year-on-year in the first half of 2019 to 34,349 ounces from
33,255 ounces. AHEAD
0600 Germany Producer Prices MM, YY Aug
1400 EU Consumer Confid. Flash Sept
1600 US Federal Reserve releases figures on the
financial health of U.S. household in its Flow of Funds report
for the second quarter.