PRECIOUS-Gold edges up, on track for 12th annual gain
SINGAPORE, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Gold ticked up after the euro firmed against the dollar, but wary investors stayed on the sidelines as last-ditch attempts by U.S. lawmakers to resolve a fiscal crisis seemed to be getting nowhere.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Gold added $1.25 an ounce to $1,656.64 by 0004 GMT.
Gold is up around 6 percent for the year and is on track for a 12th straight year of gains on rock-bottom interest rates, concerns over the financial stability of the euro zone, and diversification into bullion by central banks.
* U.S. gold for February rose $1.70 to $1,657.60 an ounce.
* Efforts to prevent the U.S. economy from tumbling over a "fiscal cliff" stalled on Sunday as Democrats and Republicans remained at loggerheads over a deal that would prevent taxes for all Americans from rising on New Year's Day.
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MARKET NEWS
* The euro inched up 0.14 percent to 1.323 on Monday. An agreement on the U.S. budget would be viewed as positive for riskier currencies such as the euro and Australian dollar, while a deadlock is deemed positive for the safe-haven and highly liquid dollar.
* U.S. crude futures slipped on Monday for a third straight session on worries that the United States might not reach a budget deal by Jan. 1 to prevent a fiscal crisis that could erode fuel demand at the world's largest oil consumer.
* Equity futures were slightly higher at the beginning of electronic trading on Sunday night as budget talks continued in Washington.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0145 China HSBC Mfg PMI Final Dec 2012
1530 - Dallas Fed Texas manufacturing index for December
PRICES
Precious metals prices 0004 GMT
Metal Last Change Pct chg YTD pct chg Volume Spot Gold 1656.64 1.25 +0.08 5.94 Spot Silver 30.05 0.06 +0.20 8.52 Spot Platinum 1521.14 -13.86 -0.90 9.20 Spot Palladium 694.50 2.50 +0.36 6.44 COMEX GOLD FEB3 1657.60 1.70 +0.10 5.80 722 COMEX SILVER MAR3 30.10 0.13 +0.42 7.83 171 Euro/Dollar 1.3230 Dollar/Yen 85.98
(Reporting by Lewa Pardomuan; Editing by Paul Tait)