Gold firms on softer dollar but Fed’s rate-hike views limit advance

• U.S. dollar index down 0.2%
• U.S. 10-yr Treasury yields off 3-month peak
• Investors await U.S. PCE data due on Friday

By Kavya Guduru

Feb 23 (Reuters) – Gold prices rose on Thursday, helped by a slight pullback in the dollar, although prospects of U.S. interest rates staying higher for longer kept bullion on a tight leash.

Spot gold was up 0.2% at $1,828.17 per ounce, as of 0340 GMT. U.S. gold futures GCv1 slipped 0.3% to $1,835.90.

Elevated interest rates dampen gold’s appeal as an inflation hedge while raising the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset.

Minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting showed on Wednesday policymakers agreed rates would need to move higher, but that the shift to smaller-sized hikes would let them calibrate more closely with incoming data.

“The Fed stated they’re still looking at combating inflation and raising interest rates, but not as aggressive as before… because of that, gold prices have retreated a little, and this morning they’re just consolidating,” said Brian Lan, managing director at Singapore-based dealer GoldSilver Central.

Moreover, a slew of data in recent weeks pointed towards a resilient U.S. economy, adding to concerns that the Fed would continue with its monetary policy tightening path.

St. Louis Fed President James Bullard reiterated on Wednesday that a Fed policy rate in the range of 5.25%-5.5% would be adequate to tame inflation. Traders of Fed funds futures expect rates to peak at 5.362% in July and remain above 5% through the year.

Investor attention is now on the U.S. personal consumption expenditures (PCE) data, the Fed’s preferred inflation measure, due on Friday.

“If the data shows that inflation has gone higher and not lower, we might see a bit of a sell-off in gold,” GoldSilver Central’s Lan said.

The dollar index .DXY eased 0.2%, making bullion cheaper for buyers holding other currencies. Benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury yields slipped from a three-month peak hit on Wednesday.

Spot silver gained 0.6% to $21.64 per ounce, platinum climbed 0.6% to $954.82 and palladium rose 0.5% to $1,489.33.