Feb 11 (Reuters) - Gold prices held steady on Tuesday after
climbing to a one-week peak in the previous session, as concerns
about the coronavirus epidemic that has claimed more than 1,000
lives in China offset an uptick in equities.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was little changed at $1,570.98 per ounce
by 0041 GMT. The metal touched its highest since Feb. 4 at
$1,576.76 on Monday. U.S. gold futures GCv1 fell 0.3% to
$1,574.60.
* Asian shares inched higher on Tuesday, after U.S. stocks
hit a record peak overnight, as investors assessed how quickly
China's factories could return to work as the coronavirus
continues to spread and deaths mount. MKTS/GLOB
* The U.S. dollar and Japanese yen were in demand as worries
about the spread of the coronavirus sent investors to safe
harbours. USD/
* The U.S. economy is in good shape and the Federal Reserve
should hold rates steady for the time being, Philadelphia
Federal Reserve Bank President Patrick Harker said on Monday.
* China's Hubei province, the epicentre of a coronavirus
outbreak, reported 2,097 new cases and 103 new deaths on Feb.
10, the local health authority said on Tuesday.
* The World Bank is offering technical assistance to China
to help battle the coronavirus epidemic but no new loans, the
development lender's president, David Malpass, said on Monday.
* More than 300 Chinese firms are seeking bank loans
totalling at least 57.4 billion yuan ($8.2 billion) to soften
the impact of the coronavirus, two banking sources said.
* Shanta Gold said it had acquired Barrick subsidiary Acacia
Exploration's project in southwestern Kenya in a $14.5 million
deal which gives the Tanzania-focused miner its first asset
outside the country. * Palladium XPD= remained unchanged at $2,353.00 an ounce,
silver XAG= was flat at $17.75, and platinum XPT= edged
higher by 0.3% to $963.19.
DATA/EVENTS AHEAD (GMT)
0930 UK GDP Estimate MM, 3M/3M, YY Dec
0930 UK Manufacturing Output MM Dec
0930 UK GDP Prelim QQ, YY Q4