Oct 9 (Reuters) - Gold prices edged higher on Friday, supported by a weaker dollar and optimism over a new U.S. coronavirus relief aid after President Donald Trump said talks with Congress have restarted.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= rose 0.3% to $1,898.31 per ounce by 0054 GMT.
* U.S. gold futures GCv1 were up 0.4% at $1,902.60.
* The dollar index .DXY was on track for a second consecutive weekly decline. USD/
* In an interview, Trump said there was a good chance a deal over COVID-19 relief could be reached, but gave no other details about a possible agreement. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said legislation to help airline companies survive the fallout from the pandemic could only move through Congress with guarantees that a comprehensive aid bill would be developed too. Gold tends to benefit from widespread stimulus measures as it is widely viewed as a hedge against inflation and currency debasement.
* Trump's physician said on Thursday that the U.S. president had completed his course of therapy for COVID-19, had remained stable since returning to the White House and could resume public engagements on Saturday. Gold-backed exchange traded funds added more than 1,000 tonnes of bullion worth $60 billion at current prices to their stockpile in the first nine months of 2020, driving a sizzling price rally, the World Gold Council (WGC) said. The world's central banks sold more gold in August than they bought, the WGC said, ending a year-and-a-half-long run of monthly gold accumulation and helping stall a rapid rise in gold prices. Silver XAG= rose 0.4% to $23.93 per ounce, platinum XPT= gained 0.6% to $867.06, and palladium XPD= was up 0.3% to $2,379.29.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0145 China Caixin Services PMI
Sept
0600 UK
GDP Est 3M/3/M
Aug
0600 UK
GDP Estimate MM, YY
Aug
0600 UK
Manufacturing Output MM Aug