April 26 (Reuters) - Gold prices inched higher on Monday,
helped by a soft dollar ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve policy
meeting this week, while palladium held below a record peak
scaled last week.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold was up 0.1% at $1,779.36 per ounce by
0127 GMT. U.S. gold futures rose 0.1% to $1,780.10 per
ounce.
* Palladium was up 0.1% at $2,857.01 per ounce. It
back foohad hit a record high of $2,925.14 on Friday.
* The dollar index nursed losses against its rivals,
making gold less expensive for other currency holders.
* U.S. factory activity powered ahead in early April, while
retail sales jumped to a record in March and hiring accelerated.
* Investors poured $16.4 billion into global bond funds and
$14.9 billion into money market funds in the week ended April
21, according to Refinitiv Lipper data, as concerns about a
global rise in COVID-19 cases prompted moves towards safer
assets.
* A partnership between miners Newmont and Barrick in Chile
said on Friday it would work with local communities to boost
development of its Norte Abierto gold-copper project despite a
setback in the courts this week.
* Speculators raised their bullish positions in COMEX gold
in the week to April 20, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading
Commission said on Friday.
* India's physical gold demand faltered last week as strict
restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19 kept buyers away.
* Zimbabwe's gold production fell 30% to 3.98 tonnes in the
first quarter of this year, central bank data showed.
* Silver rose 0.2% to $26.04 per ounce. Platinum
was up 0.3% at $1,233.48.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0800 Germany Ifo Business Climate New April
0800 Germany Ifo Curr Conditions New April
0800 Germany Ifo Expectations New April
1230 US Durable Goods March
Bank of Japan holds Monetary Policy Meeting
(Reporting by Shreyansi Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by
Subhranshu Sahu)
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