* Stocks, euro, industrial metals rise as year gets underway
* Gold investment set to stay strong in 2011
* Coming up: minutes of Fed Dec. 14 meeting, 1900 GMT
(Updates prices, adds comment)
By Jan Harvey
LONDON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Gold slipped below $1,400 an ounce
on Tuesday as investors opted for assets seen as higher risk,
like stocks, the euro and some industrial commodities.
Expectations that the euro zone debt crisis could worsen,
concerns over the potential for inflation in developing
economies and an increased focus on the U.S. deficit are set to
maintain investment demand for gold, however, analysts said.
Spot gold <XAU=> was bid at $1,396.60 an ounce at 1412 GMT,
against $1,414.00 late in New York on Monday. U.S. gold futures
for February delivery <GCG1> fell $25.90 an ounce to $1,397.00.
The metal reached its highest in nearly a month on Monday at
$1,423.57 an ounce, but struggled to hold gains after purchasing
managers' indexes showed manufacturing growth quickened in the
United States and Europe. [] []
"The PMI data in particular is suggesting things are getting
better rather than worse," Macquarie analyst Hayden Atkins said.
"You are probably better off being exposed to copper when global
industrial production is starting to ramp up than gold."
"Maybe gold will take a bit of a back seat from a
performance point of view for the next month or so," he added.
On the currency markets, the euro rose against the dollar,
yen and the Swiss franc on Tuesday after upbeat euro zone and
U.S. economic data boosted risk appetite. []
Bund futures meanwhile fell into negative territory as
industrial commodities and stocks continued to benefit from an
improved economic outlook and growing investor risk appetite,
limiting demand for low-yielding government debt. []
Among other commodities, copper hit a series of record highs
and other base metals rose, though oil retreated after nearing
its highest in over two years. Strength in industrial
commodities helped lift stocks to a one-week high. [] []
[]
"Pressure (on gold) is expected to return over the next week
or two based on our expectation for a reversal in oil prices,
gains in the stock market and general stability in the dollar,"
MF Global said in a note.
RISK APPETITE FIRM
While risk appetite was firm in the early trading days of
2011, plenty of safe-haven support remains for gold, as concerns
persist over debt levels in the euro zone and over the outlook
for U.S. growth.
"The majority of factors for gold are very positive," said
Credit Suisse precious metals analyst Tom Kendall.
"If you were looking for negatives, you would have to say
the lack of any sizeable dehedging programme this year from the
miners would be one that you could pick up on, but from the
investment community, sentiment is still very much bullish
towards gold."
But gold demand in the world's biggest bullion consumer,
India, was weak on Tuesday as the country's wedding season
neared its end. "There is less demand as prices are really
volatile," said one dealer. "Some stagnation is coming."
[]
Among other precious metals, spot silver <XAG=> eased to
$30.30 an ounce from $30.66 an ounce, retreating from the
previous session's peak of $31.22, its highest since 1980.
Platinum <XPT=> was at $1,752.99 an ounce against $1,766,
while palladium <XPD=> was at $783.72 against $789.97.
Both platinum group metals, which are primarily used in auto
catalysts, are expected to build on last year's gains in 2011 as
demand for cars continues to rise, particularly in the key
Chinese market.
Beijing's decision to limit new car registrations in the
capital, announced in late December, is expected to cool the
country's fast-expanding auto sector, however. []
(Reporting by Jan Harvey; Editing by Anthony Barker)
