July 15 (Reuters) - Gold prices held steady in early Asian
trade on Monday, as market participants awaited key economic
data from China for cues about the health of the world's
second-largest economy.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was flat at $1,415.34 per ounce as of
0100 GMT.
* U.S. gold futures GCv1 were up 0.3% at $1,416.50 an
ounce.
* Markets will be focussed on Chinese gross domestic product
data due at 0200 GMT, where analysts expect second-quarter
growth to have slowed to 6.2% from a year earlier - the weakest
annual pace since early 1992. * A disappointing number would add to worries about slowing
global growth and reinforce the case for more stimulus by
Chinese authorities as a damaging trade war with the United
States rages on.
* Alongside GDP, China will also publish activity data for
June including retail sales, industrial production and urban
investment, which could give more clues on whether earlier
support measures are starting to kick in, or if more policy
easing is needed.
* Meanwhile, the dollar index .DXY was relatively
unchanged against a basket of major currencies. USD/
* The dollar index fell for three days in a row on prospects
of an interest rate cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve later this
month.
* Hedge funds and money managers cut their bullish stance in
COMEX gold in the week to July 9, the U.S. Commodity Futures
Trading Commission (CFTC) said in a report on Friday.
* Physical gold buying stalled in top Asian hubs last week
as consumers sold back bullion to cash in on a steep price
rally, while a recent import duty hike further dented waning
interest in an Indian market hit by a surge in local rates.
GOL/AS
* Belo Sun Mining Corp BSX.TO said on Friday it had won a
legal victory in its push to mine the country's largest
undeveloped gold deposit in the Amazon rainforest, which has
drawn criticism from environmentalists and indigenous advocates.
AHEAD (GMT)
* 0200 China Urban Investment YTD June
* 0200 China Industrial Output YY June
* 0200 China Retail Sales YY June
* 0200 China GDP YY Q2