Gold firms ahead of Dec 15 US tariffs deadline and central bank decisions

Gold inched up on Wednesday as investors sought safety from the threat of new U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods coming into effect on Dec. 15, while also awaiting policy decisions from major central banks.

Autocatalyst metal palladium held just shy of an all-time record high.

Spot gold had gained 0.2% to $1,467.31 per ounce by 1048 GMT. U.S. gold futures rose 0.3% to $1,471.90.

"Trade war continues to be a factor supporting gold, there's no easy solution to it and that uncertainty will keep gold prices up," said Commerzbank analyst Eugen Weinberg.

U.S. President Donald Trump has days to decide whether to impose tariffs on nearly $160 billion worth of Chinese goods, scheduled to take effect on Sunday.

The White House's top economic and trade advisers are expected to meet in coming days with Trump to discuss the issue, one person briefed on the situation told Reuters.

Washington is laying the groundwork for a delay in the latest tariffs, but a final decision has not been made, the person said.

"Should both parties (U.S. and China) fail to reach positive consensus, gold prices will receive strength over lacklustre risk appetites for the near term," Phillip Futures analyst Benjamin Lu said in a note.

Gold is considered a safe investment during political and economic uncertainty.

The U.S. Federal Reserve will issue a statement on its December policy meeting later on Wednesday. Although the central bank is expected to leave interest rates unchanged, investors are eager to hear its outlook for the economy, which has been affected by the tariff war.

"As far as the central banks are concerned, it is not only Fed that investors are looking at, but all the major central banks," Commerzbank's Weinberg added.

The European Central Bank will hold its first meeting and news conference with Christine Lagarde as president on Thursday.

On the technical front, signals are mixed for spot gold, as it kept bouncing towards a resistance at $1,466 per ounce, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao.

Palladium gained 0.1% to $1,898.15 an ounce, having surged past the key level of $1,900 for the first time on Tuesday.

Speculative buying and a mine closure in major producer South Africa have supported palladium prices, which are expected to rise further in the longer term, a trader from Japan-based retailer Tokuriki Honten Co. said.

Silver rose 0.1% to $16.67, while platinum edged down 0.2% to $920.19.