Gold firmed on Wednesday after slipping from a 10-week high in the previous session, as investors awaited U.S. inflation data for monetary policy clues, while the Middle East conflict kept concerns about oil-driven inflation elevated.

FUNDAMENTALS

Spot gold gained 0.3% to $4,377.79 per ounce by 0055 GMT. U.S. gold futures for December delivery were little changed at $4,438.

Bullion climbed to its highest since June 5 on Tuesday before hitting technical resistance at the 100-day moving average around $4,387. It closed lower for only the second time so far this month.

Oil prices rose as doubts about a U.S.-Iran peace deal and attacks on two ships fuelled concerns about Middle East supply disruptions.

Higher oil prices add to inflation pressures, prompting central banks to keep interest rates high, which makes non-yielding gold less attractive.

Traders trimmed bets for a September Federal Reserve rate hike to 48% after Friday's weaker-than-expected jobs report.

The U.S. Consumer Price Index data due later in the day could reshape the interest rate outlook.

Fed Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee said he is more concerned about too-high inflation than about any labour market weakness.

U.S. Treasury yields will decline over the coming year, said bond strategists in a Reuters poll who clung to expectations that markets will abandon Fed rate-hike bets.

India's markets regulator proposed on Tuesday extending the rules that currently govern vault managers to cover all physically settled bullion underlying SEBI-regulated products, a move aimed at strengthening oversight of the country's digital bullion market.

CME Group said on Tuesday it will allow round-the-clock trading in its 100-ounce silver futures contract from September.

Spot silver was up 0.2% at $64.81 per ounce, trading below its highest level since June 22 hit in the previous session.

Platinum inched 0.3% lower to $1,738.56, while palladium gained 0.3% to $1,364.12.

DATA/EVENTS (GMT)

0600 Germany HICP Final YY Jul

1230 US Core CPI MM, SA Jul

1230 US Core CPI YY, NSA Jul

1230 US CPI MM, SA Jul

1230 US CPI YY, NSA Jul 1230 US CPI Wage Earner Jul