Oct 24 (Reuters) - Gold held ground above $1,490 per ounce
on Thursday as investors awaited clarity on Brexit after the
European Union delayed a decision on granting an extension to
Britain, and the U.S. central bank policy meeting for clues on
the interest rate trajectory.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was unchanged at $1,491.83 per ounce as
of 0129 GMT. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 was flat at $1,494.60 per
ounce.
* EU member states on Wednesday delayed a decision on
whether to grant Britain a three-month Brexit extension, while
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said if the deadline is deferred to
the end of January he would call an election by
Christmas. * Asian shares pulled ahead on Thursday with corporate
earnings buffeting trading as investors remained anxious about
the business impact of the Sino-U.S. trade war while Brexit
uncertainties kept overall sentiment in check. MKTS/GLOB
* Meanwhile, Federal fund futures imply that traders see a
91.4% chance for a 25 basis point rate cut by the U.S. central
bank in its month-end monetary policy meeting. FEDWATCH
* The U.S.-China trade war has hit financial markets and
forced most major central banks to cut interest rates this year.
* The non-yielding bullion is often seen as a safer
investment during times of political and financial uncertainty.
* Inflation in the euro zone languishes at less than half
the European Central Bank's target, the economic outlook is
darkening again, and support for ECB President Mario Draghi's
brand of aggressive money printing has never been lower among
rate-setters. * SPDR Gold Trust GLD , the world's largest gold-backed
exchange-traded fund, said its holdings fell 0.13% to 918.48
tonnes on Wednesday from 919.66 tonnes on Tuesday. GOL/ETF
* Platinum XPT= rose 0.5 % to $919.60 per ounce, after
scaling a more than three-week high in the previous session.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0815 France Markit Mfg, Serv, Comp Flash PMIs Oct
0830 Germany Markit Mfg, Serv, Comp Flash PMIs Oct
0900 EU Markit Mfg, Serv, Comp Flash PMIs Oct
1145 EU ECB Refinancing Rate Oct
1145 EU ECB Deposit Rate Oct
1230 Germany ECB President Mario Draghi holds a press
conference after interest rate meeting. Governing Council of the
ECB holds monetary policy meeting.
1230 US Durable goods Sept
1230 US Initial Jobless Claims Weekly
1345 US Markit Mfg, Serv, Comp PMIs Oct
1400 US New Home Sales-Units Sept