* Silver turns positive after touching two-month low
* Platinum reverse course after falling to over 2-month low
* Interactive graphic tracking global spread of coronavirus:
https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/
(Adds comments, details, updates prices)
By K. Sathya Narayanan
Sept 24 (Reuters) - Gold prices reversed course and turned
positive on Thursday, after touching a two-month low, as the
dollar retreated slightly and as Federal Reserve officials
reaffirmed to keeping monetary policy loose.
Spot gold XAU= rose 0.6% to $1,874.93 per ounce as of 1:46
p.m. EDT (1746 GMT). U.S. gold futures for December GCv1
settled up 0.5% at 1,876.9.
"The Fed continues to tell us that they will do whatever is
required to make sure things don't happen badly, and that
certainly is a catalyst to think that there will be more
accommodation, which is accretive for gold," said Bart Melek,
head of commodity strategies at TD Securities.
Fed officials had reaffirmed their low interest rate policy
until the labour market recovers or inflation rises to 2%.
The dollar .DXY was down 0.1% against key rivals having
touched a two-month high earlier in the session. Bullion, however, had fallen to its lowest level since July
22 earlier.
There is the broad assumption in the financial markets that
the U.S. Congress will not provide any further economic stimulus
for at least the next several months, which is weighing on gold,
said Jeffrey Christian, managing partner of CPM Group.
"So, the confirmation that things are getting worse
economically, as you saw in the unemployment figures, has pushed
gold down."
Data showed the number of Americans filing new claims for
unemployment benefits unexpectedly increased last week.
Gold prices have declined about 10% since hitting a record
peak in August as expectations of further stimulus from the
government waned with the U.S. Congress locked in a stalemate.
Elsewhere, silver XAG= rose 1.8% to $23.28 per ounce,
having touched its lowest since July 22 earlier.
Platinum XPT= rose 1% to $847, having hit a more-than
two-month low earlier. Palladium XPD= gained 0.4% to
$2,229.83, having touched a near-one-month low earlier.