PRECIOUS-Gold awaits ECB meeting, PGMs near multi-month highs
SINGAPORE, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Gold was little changed on Thursday ahead of a European Central Bank meeting that could set the tone for the euro, while platinum and palladium held near their highest level in 17 months on hopes of a better economic outlook.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Gold was steady at $1,677.24 an ounce by 0035 GMT. The euro, which often dictates gold's movements, could fall if ECB President Mario Draghi voices concerns about the recent swift and sharp rise of the currency.
* Platinum added $1.25 an ounce to $1,733.99 after rising to $1,740 on Wednesday, its strongest since September 2011. Palladium rose $1.97 an ounce to 762.47 after hitting a high of $769.50 in the previous session, its strongest since September 2011.
* Both metals, which are used in jewellery and auto catalysts, have gained on an improving economic outlook and after mining disruptions in South Africa as well as a drop in supply from Russia triggered fears of a deficit.
* U.S. gold was barely changed at $1,678.40 an ounce.
* India's central bank could limit gold imports by banks in "extreme circumstances", it said on Wednesday, as it put forward measures to help the world's biggest consumer of gold rein in purchases and battle a record-high current account deficit.
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MARKET NEWS
* Asian shares and the euro paused on Thursday, marking time ahead of the ECB policy decision and remarks from Draghi on prospects for the euro zone economy.
* U.S. crude steadied near $97 per barrel as investors took a breather after the past few weeks of gains.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT) 0530 India 2011/12 GDP 0745 France Trade data 1100 Germany Industrial output 1200 Britain BOE rate decision 1245 Euro zone ECB rate decision 1330 ECB President Mario Draghi gives news conference 1330 U.S. Weekly jobless claims 2000 U.S. Consumer credit N/A EU Summit in Brussels
PRICES
Precious metals prices 0035 GMT
Metal Last Change Pct chg YTD pct chg Volume Spot Gold 1677.24 0.13 +0.01 0.16 Spot Silver 31.84 0.03 +0.09 5.15 Spot Platinum 1733.99 1.25 +0.07 12.96 Spot Palladium 762.47 1.97 +0.26 10.18 COMEX GOLD APR3 1678.40 -0.40 -0.02 0.16 1714 COMEX SILVER MAR3 31.86 -0.02 -0.05 5.39 528 Euro/Dollar 1.3518 Dollar/Yen 93.48
COMEX gold and silver contracts show the most active months
(Reporting by Lewa Pardomuan; Editing by Himani Sarkar)