Sept 18 (Reuters) - Gold prices were little changed on
Wednesday as investors maintained a cautious stance ahead of the
conclusion of U.S. Federal Reserve's two-day meeting, where
policymakers are expected to cut interest rates.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was steady at $1,501.91 per ounce, as of
0100 GMT.
* U.S. gold futures GCv1 were down 0.3% at $1,508.8 per
ounce.
* The dollar traded near a seven-week high versus the yen as
oil markets recovered from a supply shock, while global stocks
stood little changed ahead of Fed's policy decisions. USD/
MKTS/GLOB
* Late-day swings in U.S. Federal funds futures implied late
on Tuesday that traders see about a 51% chance that the Fed will
lower key borrowing costs by 25 basis points after the
policy-setting committee meets on Wednesday, according to the
CME Group's FedWatch tool. * U.S. manufacturing output increased solidly in August,
boosted by a surge in the production of machinery and other
goods, but the outlook for factories remains weak amid rising
headwinds from trade tensions and slowing global economies.
* The United States believes the attacks that crippled Saudi
Arabian oil facilities last weekend originated in southwestern
Iran, a U.S. official told Reuters on Tuesday, an assessment
that further increases tension in the Middle East. * U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his
administration could seal a deal on trade with China before the
U.S. presidential election, or an agreement could be reached the
day after U.S. voters go to the polls. * UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson could recall parliament if
Britain's highest court rules he unlawfully suspended it, a
government lawyer said on Tuesday, after judges heard that
Johnson wanted a shutdown because it was an obstacle to his
Brexit plans. * The mood among German investors improved more than
expected in September, a survey showed on Tuesday, but the ZEW
institute warned that the outlook for Europe's largest economy
remained negative due to trade disputes and Brexit uncertainty.
* Japan's exports slipped for a ninth straight month in
August as international trade tensions ramped up risks for the
world's third-largest economy, although the decline was slightly
smaller than expected. * A fresh gold discovery by Barrick Gold Corp ABX.TO in
Nevada is "fantastically significant" and shows there still is
rich potential in the region for exploration, Chief Executive
Officer Mark Bristow said in an interview on Tuesday.
AHEAD
0830 UK CPI YY Aug
0900 EU HICP Final MM Aug
0900 EU HICP Final YY Aug
1230 US Housing Starts Number Aug