SINGAPORE, April 3 (Reuters) - Gold prices were little
changed on Tuesday, taking a pause after tracking oil and
equities higher in the previous session as upbeat U.S. and China
manufacturing data eclipsed disappointing numbers from the euro
zone.	
    	
    FUNDAMENTALS	
    * Spot gold gained $1.24 to $1,678.49 an ounce by
0030 GMT.	
    * U.S. gold was nearly flat at $1,680.30.	
    * Firmer U.S. manufacturing data as well as strong China
official purchasing managers index number pushed Wall Street to
a fresh four-year high on Monday, and helped lift spot gold
prices nearly half a percent. 	
    * A more than 2-percent jump in oil prices also underpinned
the sentiment in bullion. 	
    * Federal Reserve policymakers on Monday signaled little
appetite for further monetary steps to stimulate U.S. growth in
an economy that is gradually strengthening. 	
    * The European Central Bank is expected to keep rates
unchanged at a policy meeting on Wednesday, as persistently high
inflation will prevent the ECB doing anything new to prop up the
euro zone's economy. 	
    * Potentially supportive of platinum group metals, U.S. auto
sales are expected to continue at a strong pace in March,
capping the best quarter in four years for new vehicle purchases
as the overall U.S. economy improved and new car buyers found
easier financing. 	
    * For the top stories on metals and other news, click
, or 	
    	
    MARKET NEWS	
    * U.S. stocks started the second quarter with a bang on
Monday, with the S&P 500 climbing to a fresh four-year high as
manufacturing data from the United States and China helped
support the outlook for economic growth. 	
    * The yen held firm in Asia on Tuesday as investors cut back
on short positions amassed in recent weeks, while dreary euro
zone manufacturing and jobs data kept a leash on the euro.
 	
    	
    DATA/EVENTS	
 0400  U.S.      Total Vehicle Sales      Mar                      
 0430  Australia RBA cash rate            Apr 2012                
 1000  EZ        Producer prices          Feb
 1145  U.S.      ICSC chain stores yy     Weekly                   
 1200  Brazil    Industrial output yy     Feb 2012                
 1400  U.S.      Factory orders           Feb
 1800  U.S.      FOMC meeting minutes
   	
    PRICES	
    Precious metals prices 0030 GMT
  Metal             Last    Change  Pct chg  YTD pct chg    Volume
  Spot Gold        1678.49    1.24   +0.07      7.33
  Spot Silver        32.99    0.03   +0.09     19.14
  Spot Platinum    1650.49    6.16   +0.37     18.48
  Spot Palladium    654.75    4.37   +0.67      0.34
  COMEX GOLD JUN2  1680.30    0.60   +0.04      7.24         1556
  COMEX SILVER MAY2  33.01   -0.09   -0.27     18.25          335
  Euro/Dollar       1.3331
  Dollar/Yen         81.79
  COMEX gold and silver contracts show the most active months

• Oil Prices U.S. Dollar And Interest Rate Expectations Could Push Gold Higher Next Week – Analysts   (2016-01-30 03:49:19)
• Price of Gold in 2016: Will It Break Out or Melt Down?   (2016-01-19 05:33:39)
• Gold Sees Decent Short-Covering Bounce, Some Technical Buying   (2015-12-22 04:50:39)
• PRECIOUS-Gold falls as looming U.S. rate rise lifts dollar Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/global-precious-idUSL3N14334F20151214#K113K1O55Bq13ITK.99   (2015-12-14 18:49:37)
• PRECIOUS-Gold falls as looming U.S. rate rise lifts dollar Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/global-precious-idUSL3N14334F20151214#K113K1O55Bq13ITK.99   (2015-12-14 18:49:32)
• Gold Poised for Longest Weekly Slump Since September Before Data   (2014-04-04 09:52:32)
• Gold Bulls Run for $1,400 as Ukraine Turmoil Fuels Haven Demand    (2014-03-04 09:36:22)
• Gold to Oil Climb as Commodities Reach Six-Month High on Ukraine    (2014-03-04 09:35:49)
• Gold Fix Study Shows Signs of Decade of Bank Manipulation   (2014-03-01 08:47:36)
• Gold Rises to 17-Week High on Signs U.s. Economy Sputters    (2014-02-26 08:29:25)