* U.S. factory sector contracts to weakest since June 2009
* Silver hits lowest since Aug. 20 at $16.85
* Palladium slips after breaching $1,700
(Updates prices)
By Sumita Layek
Oct 1 (Reuters) - Gold jumped 1% on Tuesday, reversing
course from earlier in the session, when it touched a near
two-month low, as the dollar pared gains after weak U.S.
manufacturing data bolstered bets for another interest rate cut
by the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Spot gold XAU= rose 0.8% to $1,483.11 per ounce as of 1:38
p.m. EDT (1738 GMT), having touched its lowest since Aug. 6 at
$1,458.50. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 settled up 1.1% at $1,489.
The U.S. manufacturing sector contracted in September to its
weakest level in more than a decade as business conditions
deteriorated further amid trade tensions with China.
"It shows there might be significant corrections in the
economy and traders are going back into safety right now," said
Phillip Streible, senior commodities strategist at RJO Futures.
"This weaker data might support another Fed rate cut and as
a result, metals might get a bonus move higher," he said.
U.S. equities turned red and the dollar pared gains to
retreat from a multi-year peak following the data. U.S. Treasury
yields meanwhile, fell to session lows. USD/ /US MKTS/GLOB
Lower interest rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding
non-yielding bullion and also weigh on U.S. yields and the
dollar, in which gold is priced.
However, bullion has lost nearly $100 since scaling a peak
of $1,557 early September, largely due to the dollar's strength.
Investors had been largely pricing in no further rate cuts
going into a Fed meeting later in the month, on stronger
economic data and reduced fears of a global recession. The Fed
last cut interest rates in September for the second time this
year. FED/
While gold had been testing support below $1,500 due to a
repricing of Fed rate cut expectations, "we think that risks
remain skewed to the upside between now and year end," UBS
analysts said in a note.
Palladium XPD= fell 1% to $1,657.71 an ounce. On Monday,
the auto-catalyst metal hit an all-time high of $1,700.71 on
supply concerns.
"Fundamentals remain tight and we remain bullish long term,
but there should be some opportunities to enter at better levels
amid downside risks to economic data and lingering trade
uncertainty," UBS analysts said.
Silver XAG= gained 1.7% to $17.28 an ounce after touching
its lowest since Aug. 20 at $16.85, while platinum XPT= was
down 0.3% at $879.72, having lost over 5% in the last session.