* U.S. rate hike still on horizon despite weak data - Mizuho
* Platinum, palladium fall to fresh multi-year lows
* Coming Up: U.S. factory orders at 1400 GMT
(Updates prices)
By Manolo Serapio Jr
MANILA, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Gold hovered near a 5-1/2-year low
on Tuesday, still pressured by expectations that the Federal
Reserve was well on course to raise interest rates this year.
While U.S. data on Monday suggested the world's largest
economy may have lost some momentum in the past two months,
economists believe the U.S. central bank was still set to lift
rates this year. But the initial hike - the first in nine years
- could be later than September when Fed policymakers meet next.
"I think it underscores our sense that the Fed may take a
cautious approach, hence perhaps defer the first hike to
December," said Vishnu Varathan, senior economist at Mizuho Bank
in Singapore.
"The bigger picture is that an initial rate hike this year
is not blown out of the water by any of the data that have come
out so far. All it does is it reinforces that the pace of hikes
as we go forward will be quite gradual and the way the Fed
assesses policy will probably err on the side of caution," said
Varathan.
Spot gold XAU= was up 0.2 percent at $1,087.70 an ounce by
0639 GMT, near last month's low of $1,077, the weakest since
February 2010.
U.S. gold for December delivery GCcv1 slipped 0.2 percent
to $1,087 an ounce.
The U.S. Institute for Supply Management's index of national
factory activity slipped to 52.7 in July, falling short of
expectations, and U.S. consumer spending rose at its slowest
pace in four months in June. ID:nL1N10E0NV
But an improving labour market means the Fed could still
tighten policy, indicating further price losses for non-interest
bearing gold.
Gold lost nearly 7 percent in July, its steepest monthly
fall in two years, as the looming rate hike buoyed the dollar
and spurred investors to cut their exposure to bullion.
A "delay in the Fed's rate hike expectations would be
interpreted as bullion friendly", HSBC analyst James Steel
wrote.
In other metals, spot platinum XPT= fell as much as 1.6
percent to $940.50 an ounce, its lowest since February 2009.
Palladium XPD= also dropped by that extent to $586.33 an
ounce, its weakest since October 2012. Spot silver XAG= gained
0.3 percent to $14.52 an ounce.
A key global commodities price benchmark .TRJCRB sank to a
12-year low on Monday as fears about a hard economic landing in
China and global glut deepened. COM/WRAP