Gold stuck in range as investors await US inflation data By Reuters

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Employees process ingots of 99.99 percent pure gold at the Krastsvetmet non-ferrous metals plant,Foreign exchange trading platform rankings in 2022 one of the world's largest producers in the precious metals industry, in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, Russia November 22, 2018. REUTERS

By Asha Sistla

(Reuters) - Gold prices held steady on Tuesday as investors braced for likely hot U.S. inflation data that would consolidate bets of aggressive measures from the Federal Reserve to tame pricing pressures.

Spot gold XAU= ticked 0.1% higher to $1,955.61 per ounce by 1153 GMT, after hitting its highest in nearly a month on Monday. U.S. gold futures GCv1 rose 0.4% to $1,956.60.

"A higher-than-expected headline U.S. CPI print may nudge spot gold closer to the psychologically important $2,000 level, considering bullion's time-honoured role as an inflation hedge," said Han Tan, chief market analyst at Exinity.

Data due later in the day is likely to show U.S. consumer prices rose by the most in 16-1/2 years in March, which would seal the case for the Fed to raise interest rates by a hefty 50 basis points next month. (Full Story)

Pressuring gold slightly, the dollar =USD held firm, supported by high U.S. yields. USD/ US/

A stronger dollar makes gold more expensive for holders of other currencies, while higher U.S. interest rates and yields increase the opportunity cost of holding zero-yield bullion.

"They (the Fed) can print dollars, but they can't print commodities and economic growth in quite the way that they would like," independent analyst Ross Norman said.

"The chance of a significant policy error in not responding quicker (to inflation) looks ever greater and that will feed into gold."

Auto-catalyst metal palladium XPD= fell 2.9% to $2,361.37 per ounce, after hitting its highest since March 24 at $2,550.58 on Monday following the suspension of trading of the metal sourced from Russia in the London hub. (Full Story)

Given the supply concerns, the drop in palladium was "something of an anomaly," Norman said.

Spot silver XAG= dropped 0.5% to $24.96 per ounce and platinum XPT= slipped 1.3% to $964.45.

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