July 12 (Reuters) - Gold prices steadied on Friday, but headed for a third consecutive weekly rise after cooler-than-expected U.S. inflation data sparked hopes that the Federal Reserve will likely start cutting interest rates in September.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold was nearly flat at $2,411.87 per ounce, as of 0034 GMT and was up 0.9% for the week. U.S. gold futures fell 0.2% at $2,417.00.
* Data on Thursday showed that U.S. consumer prices unexpectedly fell and the annual increase was the smallest in a year, drawing the Fed another step closer to cutting interest rates.
* According to CME FedWatch Tool, bets of a September U.S. cut were at 93%, compared to a 70% chance before the data was released.
* Lower interest rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion.
* San Francisco Fed Bank President Mary Daly on Thursday said that she expects further easing in both price pressures and the labor market to warrant interest rate cuts. Chicago Fed Bank President Austan Goolsbee said the U.S. economy looks like it is back on track to 2% inflation.
* Spot silver slipped 0.4% to $31.31 per ounce.
* Platinum was flat at $1,004.40 and palladium dropped 0.9% to $985.75. Both the metals were set to register weekly declines.
* Precious metals producer Sibanye-Stillwater said on Thursday that a cyberattack on its IT system since Monday morning has caused limited disruption to its global operations, but its core mining and processing business was operating normally.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0645 France CPI (EU Norm) Final MM, YY June
0645 France CPI MM, YY NSA June
1230 US PPI Machine Manuf'ing June
1400 US U Mich Sentiment Prelim July
n/a China Exports, Imports YY June
n/a China Trade Balance June
(Reporting by Ashitha Shivaprasad in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
