The gold market was closely watching for the outcome of the US FOMC meeting in New York for any surprises on interest rates, dealers said. The meeting started at 1300 GMT.
Silver was steady at $5.20/$5.22 an ounce, nine cents above Monday's close, after fixing at its highest since June 19.
Chart-driven fund buying had sent spot prices to 2-1/2 month highs overnight. But they came down slightly, and stayed there, as profit-taking emerged in early Europe.
Comex September silver was down 3.5 cents at $5.175 an ounce, from Monday's close.
Analysts said spot silver needed to clear the $5.25-$5.26 resistance area before pushing higher.
Silver is not out of the woods yet, said analyst Cliff Green of Trend Analysis. It looks much better for getting above the $5.15-$5.16 level, but to really relieve downward pressure and confirm a base, we need to get above $5.26.
Other important upside targets were variously pegged at $5.33, $5.42 and $5.53.
A parallel move higher in gold past the $390 level would help support silver's climb to upside targets, analysts said.
But demonstrating gold's lack of response, the gold-silver ratio