Gold edges off two-week low as dollar retreats; Fed eyed

By Jan Harvey

LONDON (Reuters) - Gold recovered some lost ground on Wednesday as the dollar retreated after its biggest daily rise in two years, but prices remained under pressure from expectations that a U.S. rate increase may come soon.

Gold fell 1.7 percent on Tuesday, its biggest one-day drop this month, after firmer data supported the view that the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates this year.

That would lift the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion, while boosting the dollar, in which it is priced.

Spot gold was up 0.1 percent at $1,187.90 an ounce at 0940 GMT, while U.S. gold futures for June delivery were down 50 cents an ounce at $1,186.40.

"We're seeing a bit of a reversal, with gold prices a little bit higher in a bounce-back after the decline yesterday," LBBW analyst Thorsten Proettel said.

"Speculators are playing the scheme where good, positive news from the U.S. economy (that) gives information about interest rate hikes is bad for gold, and the other way around."

Positive data on U.S. business investment spending, consumer confidence and house prices on Tuesday was in line with Fed Chair Janet Yellen's comments last week that indicated the U.S. central bank is poised to raise rates later this year.

That boosted the dollar and weighed on shares.

A string of reversals from the previous day's sharp moves marked global financial market trading on Wednesday, with stock markets and crude oil rising and the U.S. dollar retreating. [MKTS/GLOB]

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke emphasised on Wednesday that a move to raise U.S. rates should be viewed as a positive sign for the world's largest economy.

Tuesday's gold price drop did little to stimulate demand from price-sensitive consumers in Asia, dealers said.

"Following the overnight rout, we were expecting to see some interest from Asia during today's session, however aside from a moderate level of support courtesy of Chinese trade, interest was generally muted," MKS said in a note.

Silver was up 0.1 percent at $16.71 an ounce, while platinum was flat at $1,122.50 an ounce and palladium was up 0.3 percent at $782.50 an ounce.

Silver remains the best-performing precious metal this month despite Tuesday's 2.4 percent drop, up 3.4 percent since the end of April in its biggest monthly rise since January.

(Additional reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr. in Singapore; Editing by Dale Hudson)