(Updates prices)
* Gold drops for five sessions in six
* Wall Street notches record peak at open
* Palladium hits record high of $1,834.76 an ounce
* GRAPHIC-2019 asset returns: http://tmsnrt.rs/2jvdmXl
By Karthika Suresh Namboothiri
Nov 27 (Reuters) - Gold fell on Wednesday as equities climbed to record levels bolstered by hopes that the United States and China were close to signing an initial trade deal and by the release of robust U.S. economic data.
Spot gold XAU= dipped 0.5% to $1,454.41 per ounce as of 02:03 p.m. ET (1903 GMT), slipping five sessions in six.
U.S. gold futures GCcv1 settled 0.5% lower at $1,453 per ounce.
"Given the situation, the statements from the White House that the U.S.- China trade deal may be imminent is continuing to drive risk appetite a bit higher," said Bart Melek, head of commodity strategies at TD Securities.
"There is less interest in gold as a hedge, and a higher opportunity cost to hold zero yielding assets like gold."
Wall Street hit fresh record levels on Wednesday while world shares .MIWD00000PUS were close to notching a record peak in the session after U.S. President Donald Trump said the world's two largest economies were in the "final throes" of signing an initial trade deal. .N confidence was buoyant and investors moved away from safe-haven gold. The CBOE VIX equity volatility index .VIX , often referred to as a fear gauge, was at seven-month lows.
The absence of signs of further monetary policy easing in the near term by the U.S. Federal Reserve did little to support gold. Fed Chair Jerome Powell said on Monday that monetary policy was "well positioned" to support the strong U.S. labour market. interest rates boost the dollar, making dollar-denominated gold more expensive for buyers using other currencies, and they reduce investor interest in non-yielding bullion.
U.S. economic growth picked up slightly in the third quarter, rather than slowing as initially reported, assuring markets that the world's largest economy was healthy despite fears of the impact of the long-drawn trade war. jobless claims also declined, while core capital goods ordered posted their biggest gain in nine months. remains range-bound with hard support sitting toward $1,445-$1,450... While top-side resistance cuts in toward $1,475-$1.480," analysts at MKS PAMP said in a note.
Palladium XPD= jumped 1.1% to $1,830.00 an ounce, after hitting a record high of $1,834.76 in the session
Silver XAG= dropped 0.6% to $16.96 per ounce, platinum XPT= slipped 1.5% to $893.94.