 "Gold rises as dollar sags; Fed policy minutes in focus")
Gold edged higher on Wednesday as the US dollar retreated, with markets waiting for minutes from the September Federal Reserve policy meeting for more clues on any interest rate hikes this year.
Spot gold was up 0.4 per cent at $1,257.41 an ounce by 0400 GMT, after falling half-a-per cent in the prior session.
US gold futures gained 0.3 per cent to $1,259 an ounce.
Minutes of the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee's (FOMC) September meeting are scheduled to be released at 1800 GMT on Wednesday.
"If the minutes provide more data that the voter members in the FOMC are showing greater divergence in opinions, (then)combined with the recent release of US economic data ... the probability of Fed hiking the interest rates in December is possibly going to increase," said NAB analyst Vyanne Lai.
The upside risks to gold prices associated with Republican candidate Donald Trump's presidency after the first two debates have also receded, said Lai adding that the seasonally strong physical demand period in October would however provide some support to gold prices.
"The overall trend into December would be a downward one."
Traders have priced in a 70-per cent chance that the Fed will raise rates at its December 13-14 meeting.
The metal is highly-sensitive to US interest rates, increases in which lift the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding gold while boosting the dollar, in which it is priced.
The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of six major currencies, was down 0.2 per cent at 97.513. The index surged to a seven-month high on Tuesday.
"The spectre of falling US equity markets should theoretically be supportive for gold," INTL FCStone analyst Edward Meir said in a note.
Asian shares flirted with three-week lows on Wednesday after a dour start to Wall Street's corporate earnings season knocked US stocks.
Spot gold still targets its October 7 low of $1,241.20 per ounce, as its bounce from this level has completed, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao.
Among other precious metals, platinum was up 0.2 per cent at $946.50 an ounce, having touched an over six-month low of $939.60 an ounce.
Palladium gained 0.2 per cent to $648 an ounce, after touching a low of $643.72 - its weakest since July 19.
Silver climbed 0.7 per cent at $17.55 an ounce, having declined per cent in the previous session.
