PRECIOUS-Gold rises as stocks ease on Brexit, tech concerns

* Texas Instruments revenue forecast hits chipmakers
* Markets focus on Fed talks on Oct. 29 and 30
* GRAPHIC-2019 asset returns: http://tmsnrt.rs/2jvdmXl

(Updates prices)
By Sumita Layek
Oct 23 (Reuters) - Gold firmed on Wednesday as uncertainty
over Britain's upcoming exit from the European Union and
concerns over a possible slowdown in the global technology
sector weighed on equities, prompting investors to seek refuge
in bullion.
Spot gold XAU= was up 0.3% at $1,492.01 per ounce as of
1146 GMT. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 rose 0.5% to $1,495 per
ounce.
"There is a bit of risk aversion in equity markets and gold
is up again after consolidating over last few days," said Julius
Baer analyst Carsten Menke. "There are some bargain hunters in
the gold market, especially as equities are down today."
European shares dipped for the first time this week as a
profit warning from Texas Instruments TXN.O raised worries
about the global microchip industry, while UK lawmakers hit the
pause button on Brexit. .EU British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday it was
up to the EU to decide whether it wanted to delay Brexit and for
how long, after a defeat in parliament made ratification of his
deal by an Oct. 31 deadline almost impossible. Meanwhile, China's Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng said on
Tuesday Beijing and Washington had achieved some progress in
trade talks.
Tit-for-tat tariffs between both the countries have rattled
financial markets and stirred global recessionary fears.
"The U.S.-China trade truce that was agreed a few weeks ago
weighed a little bit on sentiment in the gold market, but we
need to acknowledge that this was more of a paper deal at least
for now," Menke said.
"The tariffs and the growth uncertainty remain in place so
this is still positive for gold."
Investors are awaiting the U.S. Federal Reserve's meeting at
the end of the month to see if the central bank will cut rates
for a third time this year. FEDWATCH
David Govett, head of precious metals at Marex Spectron,
said market players were expecting the Fed to cut again.
"So if they don't, it will be short-term negative for gold,"
Govett said. "If they do, it won't be as bullish because it is
already written into the markets.
"We're going to see gold make a move back up above $1,500;
there's too much going on in the world for it to stay down
here."
Elsewhere, silver XAG= was up 0.1% at $17.53 an ounce.
Platinum XPT= fell 0.1% to $890.55 and palladium XPD= was
down 0.4% at $1,747.96 per ounce.