PRECIOUS-Gold firms as dollar eases; ECB meeting eyed

* Dollar dips 0.2%
* ECB's growth, inflation forecasts to show slight changes-
Bloomberg
* News of vaccine delay indirectly supportive for gold
-analyst
* Interactive graphic tracking global spread of coronavirus:
open
https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser

(Updates prices)
By Sumita Layek
Sept 9 (Reuters) - Gold prices rose to their highest level
in nearly a week on Wednesday, as the dollar weakened and
concerns over a delay in the development of a coronavirus
vaccine drove investors toward the safe-haven metal.
Spot gold XAU= rose 0.7% to $1,945.20 per ounce by 2:00 pm
EDT (1800 GMT), shaking off initial declines. U.S. gold futures
GCv1 settled up 0.6% at 1,954.90.
"We are seeing some cracks in the dollar after the European
Central Bank painted a little bit of a rosy picture and gold is
moving higher on that," said Bob Haberkorn, senior market
strategist at RJO Futures.
The dollar .DXY fell 0.2% after Bloomberg reported the
ECB's growth and inflation projections to be published on
Thursday will show only slight changes compared with the bank's
June forecasts. USD/ ECB board member Isabel Schnabel said earlier that economic
developments since June have been broadly in line with the
bank's expectations so the bank's "baseline" still held.
Meanwhile, global trials of AstraZeneca's experimental
COVID-19 vaccine were paused due to an unexplained illness in a
study participant.
The news of the delay may be indirectly supportive for
gold, as it could spell a prolonged economic slowdown and
further expectations of fiscal stimulus, said Saxo Bank analyst
Ole Hansen.
The pandemic has forced major central banks to provide
massive stimulus, helping gold gain about 28% so far this year
since it is considered a hedge against potential currency
debasement and inflation.
"But this rally in gold seems to be fragile," Haberkorn
said. "From a technical standpoint we need gold to close above
$1,950 for the bulls to take control."
Elsewhere, platinum XPT= jumped 1.8% to $917.32 an ounce.
On Tuesday, the World Platinum Investment Council changed its
forecast for the market in 2020 from a surplus to a deficit.
Silver XAG= rose 0.7% to $26.88, while palladium XPD=
rose 0.8% to $2,292.98.