PRECIOUS-Gold jumps on U.S. stimulus deal cheer, virus lockdowns

(Adds comments, updates prices)
* Gold could rise to $1,925 by year-end - analyst
* Silver hits over 3-month high, last up 4.4%
* Asian shares slip, dollar gains as new COVID-19 strain
shuts UK
* Interactive graphic tracking global spread of coronavirus:
https://tmsnrt.rs/3mvcUoa

By Nakul Iyer
Dec 21 (Reuters) - Gold climbed to a six-week high on
Monday, driven by news that U.S. congressional leaders reached
agreement on a COVID-19 aid package, while lockdowns in the
United Kingdom soured appetite for riskier assets and added to
the metal's support.
Spot gold XAU= rose 0.9% to $1,896.56 per ounce by 0745
GMT, having earlier hit its highest since Nov. 9 at $1,906.46.
U.S. gold futures GCv1 gained 0.8% to $1,904.20.
The $900 billion U.S stimulus deal reached on Sunday comes
as the pandemic accelerates, infecting more than 214,000 people
in the country each day. "Now that we've got fiscal stimulus behind us, gold has
enough momentum to close above $1,900 by year-end and it could
climb up to $1,925," said Stephen Innes, chief global market
strategist at financial services firm Axi, adding that dovish
Fed policies signalled last week were also supportive.
The Fed last week vowed to keep funnelling cash into
financial markets and keep rates low until a U.S. economic
recovery is secure.
Aiding gold, Asian stocks slipped as Britain's health
minister suggested tighter curbs in London and southeast England
might stay for some time to counter a new coronavirus strain.
MKTS/GLOB
Gold has once again regained its safe-haven status as
lockdowns have changed sentiment in the broader market, which
looked past the pandemic and into a recovery next year instead,
said Michael McCarthy, chief strategist at CMC Markets.
Silver XAG= rose 4.4% to $26.91 an ounce, having hit its
highest since Sept. 16 at $27.38 earlier in the session.
"Silver's industrial demand is 'bulletproof' from the
lockdowns as export markets remain open and demand could get
another boost from (U.S.) President-elect Joe Biden's push
towards clean energy," Axi's Innes said.
Biden's policies to fight climate change are supportive for
silver, which is used in solar panels.
Platinum XPT= rose 0.1% to $1,036.87 and palladium XPD=
fell 0.3% to $2,353.50.