INFLATION

Gold prices eased a touch in Europe on Wednesday after well received U.S. economic data and a spate of upbeat corporate earnings deflected interest away from bullion on to higher-risk, higher-yielding assets.

World stocks punched fresh 29-month highs on Wednesday, lifted by strong data pointing to sustained global economic recovery, continuing positive corporate earnings and easing concerns about Egypt.

Construction activity returned to growth in January, helped by better weather and a rise in new business, the monthly Markit/CIPS purchasing managers index showed on Wednesday.

Industrial producer prices in the eruozone surged 5.3 percent annually last year while the growth in the broader European Union was 5.9 percent, Eurostat data showed on Wednesday.

China is expected to see another interest rate hike within a month as the government intensifies its efforts to control the rising inflation, The New York Times reported on Wednesday citing a forecast of economists and bankers.

Japan is unlikely to escape from deflation at least through the fiscal year ending in March 2013, prompting the Bank of Japan to stick to its ultra-loose policy, Kazumasa Iwata, former deputy governor of the central bank, said on Wednesday.

Japan is unlikely to escape from deflation at least through the fiscal year ending in March 2013, prompting the Bank of Japan to stick to its ultra-loose policy, Kazumasa Iwata, former deputy governor of the central bank, said on Wednesday.

World stocks punched fresh 29-month highs on Wednesday, lifted by strong data pointing to sustained global economic recovery, continuing positive corporate earnings and easing concerns about Egypt.

Japan's economy will emerge from a lull toward spring and is certain to pull out of deflation over time, a Bank of Japan policymaker said, offering an upbeat take on the outlook on budding signs of a recovery.

Japan's economy will emerge from a lull soon and is certain to pull out of deflation over time, a Bank of Japan policymaker said, offering a somewhat upbeat take on the outlook on budding signs of a recovery.

WHAT: U.S. employment report for January

The manufacturing sector grew at its fastest pace in nearly seven years in January and signs of inflation jumped more than expected as a recovery in the world's biggest economy gained traction.

U.S. unemployment will stay high for some time, in part because changes in the labor market have made it tougher for those out of work to find jobs, a Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland economist said on Monday.

The U.S. manufacturing sector grew at its fastest pace in nearly seven years in January and signs of inflation jumped more than expected as the world's biggest economy gained traction.

South Africa's Hernic Ferrochrome, a unit of Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation, said on Tuesday it was unaffected by a wage dispute between a union and one of its contractors.

The bull market in Gold is in its 12th year (globally it began in 1999) but has yet to exhibit any bubble-like conditions. Institutional accumulation began in 2009 (e.g. Paulson, Einhorn) and we know that phase lasts at least a few years before a bull market gives birth to a bubble.

The U.S. manufacturing sector grew at its fastest pace in nearly seven years in January, and prices paid jumped more than expected in the latest sign the economic recovery is gaining traction.

The world economy is beset by problems such as high unemployment and rising prices which could fuel trade protectionism and even lead to war within nations, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned on Tuesday.

Whatever your finance advisor, economics professor, banker or coin dealer might tell you, no single asset class - bought today - can promise to hold or grow its value, year after year, until precisely the day when you need to sell it and spend.

The Gold Price ticked higher for Dollar investors Tuesday morning in London, but slipped against other currencies as world stock markets rose and government bonds edged back.

Gold rose in Europe on Tuesday as the dollar index hit a 12-week low and geopolitical tensions centered on Egypt added risk premium to prices, with Asian demand for coins and bars after January's price drop adding support.