SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Gold gave up some of its overnight gains on Wednesday as the U.S. dollar firmed after earlier losses, with investors keeping their attention focussed on the Greek debt crisis and its impact on the currency markets.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold > eased 0.1 percent to $1,200.55 an ounce by 0033 GMT, after gaining 0.5 percent on Tuesday.
* The dollar was mixed against major currencies on Tuesday, with the euro pivoting to modest gains against the greenback after euro zone finance ministers moved away from fixing a deadline for Greece to come up with fiscal reforms.
* Greece, which is quickly running out of cash, pledged to its euro zone partners in February that by the end of April it would agree with creditors on a comprehensive list of reforms to get 7.2 billion euros remaining from its bailout.
* But no package will be ready by Friday, when euro zone ministers are to meet in Riga, and it was also unlikely one will be ready by the end of the month, according to a senior euro zone official.
* Prolonged uncertainty over the debt crisis could boost demand for bullion, seen as a safe-haven.
* In a reflection of investor sentiment, SPDR Gold Trust
* Traders were also eying activity in the physical markets.
* India, the top bullion consumer, celebrated the gold-buying festival of Akshaya Tritiya on Tuesday. Gold purchases started slowly, despite a fall in local prices, as hard times in rural areas have hit demand and many buyers are holding back because they expect prices to fall even further.
* For the top stories on metals and other news, click [TOP/MTL] or [GOL/]
MARKET NEWS
* Major U.S. stock indexes lost ground on lacklustre earnings reports on Tuesday, while oil fell on concerns about U.S. crude stockpiles and Saudi Arabia's announcement that it ended its military campaign in Yemen. [MKTS/GLOB]
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
1300 U.S. Monthly home price index Feb
1400 Euro zone Consumer confidence Apr
1400 U.S. Existing home sales Mar
PRICES AT 0033 GMT
Metal Last Change Pct chg
Spot gold 1200.55 -1.73 -0.14
Spot silver 15.97 -0.01 -0.06
Spot platinum 1145.74 -1.76 -0.15
Spot palladium 769.3 0.58 0.08
Comex gold 1200.4 -2.7 -0.22
Comex silver 15.96 -0.048 -0.3
Euro 1.072
DXY 98.081
COMEX gold and silver contracts show the
most active months
(Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Richard Pullin)
