* Gold flattens after recent 1-1/2 month high
* May retrace to $1,211/oz - technicals []
* Coming Up: Mortgage index Weekly; 1100 GMT
(Adds quotes, updates prices, changes dateline from
SINGAPORE)
By Veronica Brown
LONDON, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Gold held broadly steady on
Wednesday, taking cues from a softer dollar while consolidating
a recent run to 1-1/2 month highs, with positive sentiment seen
broadly intact as prices managed to hold above $1,220 an ounce.
Spot gold stood at $1,222.65 per ounce by 0933 GMT, compared
with $1,222.90 late in New York on Tuesday. U.S. gold futures
for December delivery <GCZ0> fell $4.50 to $1,223.70 per ounce.
The dollar was about 0.1 percent lower against a basket of
major currencies <.DXY> but the euro had struggled earlier as
concerns about debt in the single currency zone persisted.
"Gold is pretty much stuck in a range. From time to time
we're seeing physical buying and safe-haven buying in turn, but
we'll probably stay in this range," Commerzbank senior trader
Michael Kempinski said.
The market could remain broadly between $1,200 and $1,250
per ounce, having hit its highest since July 1 on Tuesday at
$1,228.45 per ounce.
In wider markets, world stocks dipped, dragged down by
losses in Europe. Shares of global miner BHP Billiton
<BHP.AX><BLT.L> remained in focus, falling on concerns that it
may have to overpay for fertiliser group Potash Corp after the
Canadian company rejected an initial offer. []
NAGGING WORRIES
Asia-based dealers said earlier a positive outlook for gold
was underpinned by a rise in ETF holdings and nagging worries
about the health of the global economy.
"I am also looking at gold to be supported above the $1,220
level. It would be underpinned by strong investment demand as we
see from the rise in holdings of the SPDR Gold Trust," said Ong
Yi Ling, an investment analyst at Phillip Futures in Singapore.
"I think it really demonstrates a strong investment interest
in gold that will continue, especially if we see people worried
about the economic recovery. It really depends on the kind of
economic data that is being printed."
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The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR
Gold Trust <GLD.P>, said its holdings rose to 1,294.604 tonnes
by Aug. 17 from 1,286.699 tonnes on Aug. 12. Holdings hit a
record at 1,320.436 tonnes on June 29. []
Fears about a double-dip recession after a flurry of weak
economic data and the Fed's downward reassessment of its U.S.
outlook lifted gold's appeal as an alternative investment.
In the latest economic data, producer prices increased in
July for the first time in four months, helping to allay
concerns about deflation, but housing starts rose at a weaker
rate than expected and permits fell to their lowest point in
more than a year. [] []
Gold demand in top consumer India is picking up for the busy
festival season, starting with Raksha Bandhan on Aug. 24, and
extending till Dhanteras in November, the single biggest
gold-buying day. A firmer rupee is also expected to offset gains
in global gold prices. []
(Additional reporting by Lewa Pardomuan in Singapore;
editing by Sue Thomas)
