Dec 30 (Reuters) - Gold prices were little changed on
Wednesday as investors weighed news that U.S. Senate Majority
Leader Mitch McConnell postponed a vote on increased pandemic
aid checks to individuals.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was steady at $1,877.76 per ounce by 0043
GMT. U.S. gold futures GCv1 fell 0.1% to $1,881.50.
* McConnell on Tuesday delayed a vote on President Donald
Trump's demand to increase COVID-19 relief checks to $2,000, in
a rare challenge to his fellow Republican three weeks before he
vacates the White House. * But Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that the $600
stimulus checks that are part of a $2.3 trillion package signed
into law last week would begin as soon as Tuesday evening.
* Gold has benefited from massive stimulus rolled out to
stem the economic impact of the pandemic as it is seen as a
hedge against inflation and currency debasement.
* Lending some support to the metal, the U.S. dollar hovered
close to a 2-1/2-year trough against rival currencies. USD/
* Meanwhile, vaccine rollouts in Europe gathered pace with
the European Union set to buy an extra 100 million doses of
Pfizer PFE.N and BioNTech's 22UAy.DE COVID-19 vaccine.
* Coronavirus cases continue to soar globally, with Britain
reporting the highest number of new infections since mass
testing began in mid-2020, while the first case of a new
infectious virus variant was found in the United States.
* The U.S. Federal Reserve extended the end date for its Main
Street Lending Programme by eight days to process a rush of
applications submitted since the Trump administration ended the
central bank's emergency credit facility.
* Silver XAG= fell 0.2% to $26.14 an ounce. Platinum XPT=
rose 0.1% to $1,050.70 and palladium XPD= gained 0.4% to
$2,337.43.
DATA AHEAD (GMT)
0700 UK Dec. Nationwide House Price