Oct 18 (Reuters) - Gold prices rose on Wednesday after a deadly blast in Gaza fuelled fears of an escalating regional conflict, keeping the safe-haven asset in demand among nervous investors despite robust U.S. economic data and a high rate scenario.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold climbed 0.4% to $1,929.89 per ounce by 0123 GMT, and U.S. gold futures also jumped 0.4% to $1,942.70.
* About 500 Palestinians were killed in a blast at a Gaza City hospital on Tuesday that Israeli and Palestinian officials blamed on each other and that ignited protests in the West Bank and around the Middle East.
* Gold prices, which have surged about $100 since the conflict began, have risen despite recent robust U.S. economic data fuelling bets of higher-for-longer interest rates, which tend to lift the dollar and bond yields. [USD/
* Production at U.S. factories and retail sales increased more than expected in September, suggesting the economy ended the third quarter on a strong note.
* Markets now await Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's speech on Thursday for rate cues.
* Richmond Fed Bank chief Thomas Barkin on Tuesday said that higher long-term borrowing costs are putting downward pressure on demand.
* Minneapolis Fed Bank President Neel Kashkari said it has taken much longer than expected for inflation to come down, and it is "still too high."
* China's economy likely slowed in the third quarter, data is expected to show on Wednesday.
* Spot silver added 0.5% to $22.93, platinum rose 0.2% to $898.77 and palladium slipped 0.8% to $1,134.93.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT) 0200 China Urban Investment (YTD) YY Sept 0200 China Retail Sales YY Sept 0200 China GDP YY Q3 0200 China Unemp Rate Urban Area Sept 0600 UK Core CPI YY Sept 0600 UK CPI YY Sept 0900 EU HICP Final MM, YY Sept 1230 US Housing Starts Number Sept 1800 US Federal Reserve issues the Beige Book (Reporting by Swati Verma in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
