Gold Prices Flat as Market Focus Turns to Fed Speakers

Gold bars from the vault of a bank are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich November 20, 2014. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo

Gold prices were flat on Tuesday with market participants awaiting US data and comments from Federal Reserve officials for more clarity on the central bank's roadmap for interest rate cuts.
Spot gold was unchanged at $2,317.86 per ounce, as of 0730 GMT. US gold futures rose 0.2% to $2,332.40, Reuters reported.
"The fact that gold's direction has alternated over the past four days without really going anywhere of significance tells me the market is waiting for something to wake it from its lull," City Index senior analyst Matt Simpson said.
"Should US retail sales sink, perhaps gold can make a break of $2,350."
The US retail sales data is due at 1230 GMT later in the day, followed by weekly jobless claims on Thursday and flash purchasing managers' indexes on Friday. Data released last week showed a moderation in the labor market and price pressures.
Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker revealed on Monday that he is in the single rate cut camp, but left the door open to changing his view depending on incoming data.
A long list of Fed officials will take to the podium at various venues later in the day, including the Chicago Fed's Austan Goolsbee and the Richmond Fed's Thomas Barkin.
Traders are seeing a 75% probability of an interest rate cut in November, according to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool. Lower interest rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion.
More central banks plan to add to their gold reserves within a year and more of them expect others to do so as well, due to ongoing macroeconomic and political uncertainty despite high prices for the precious metal, the World Gold Council said in its annual survey.
Among other metals, spot silver fell 0.6% at $29.31 per ounce, platinum rose 0.8% to $971.94 and palladium lost 0.1% to $888.20.