Dec 26 (Reuters) - Gold prices held steady on Thursday below
a near two-month peak hit on Christmas eve, as investors await
details of a trade deal signing ceremony between the United
States and China.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was unchanged at $1,499.18 per ounce by
0132 GMT. Prices had briefly touched the key $1,500 level on
Dec. 24, their highest since Nov. 5.
* U.S. gold futures GCv1 were down 0.1% to $1,503.10 per
ounce.
* U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said there will be
a signing ceremony with the Chinese President Xi Jinping to sign
the first phase of the trade deal agreed to this
month. * Beijing is also in close touch with Washington about the
deal signing ceremony. * Trump on Tuesday dismissed North Korea's warning of a
"Christmas gift," saying the United States would "deal with it
very successfully," amid concerns that Pyongyang might be
preparing a long-range missile test. * Lingering concerns of growth remained as data on Monday
showed, new orders for key U.S.-made capital goods barely rose
in November and shipments fell, suggesting business investment
will probably remain a drag on economic growth in the fourth
quarter.
* Russia could consider investing part of its National
Wealth Fund in gold, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said,
adding that he sees investment in the precious metal as more
sustainable in the long-term than in financial assets.
* Elsewhere, silver XAG= fell 0.2% to $17.76 per ounce,
having hit its highest since Nov. 5 on Tuesday. Palladium XPD=
was flat at $1,884.00 per ounce, while platinum XPT= advanced
0.2% to $940.68.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0500 GMT Japan Housing Starts YY Nov
1330 U.S. Initial Jobless Claims w/e Dec. 21
1330 U.S. Continued Jobless Claims w/e Dec. 14
Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda delivers speech at
meeting of Japan's business lobby at 0400 GMT. The bank will
then release a summary of opinions from board members at its
Dec. 18-19 policy meeting at 2350 GMT