SINGAPORE, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Spot gold rose slightly
on Tuesday as the dollar weakened after euro zone finance
ministers delivered on expectations and sealed a deal for a
second bailout for debt-laden Greece.	
    The decision will help Athens resolve its immediate payment
needs, but Greece still faces bleak financial and economic
outlook in coming years.  	
    "Gold may remain in a consolidation phase in the near term,
as it is lacking a catalyst," said Hou Xinqiang, an analyst at
Jinrui Futures in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.	
    "The supportive factors -- euro zone debt crisis and
expectation on loosening monetary policies around the world -- 
have been around for a while and gold needs something new to
break the range."	
    The rising tensions between Iran and the West, which pushed
Brent crude futures above $120 a barrel, could surface as a key
driver for gold if the situation deteriorates, he added. 	
    Spot gold inched up 0.1 percent to $1,735.49 an ounce
by 0319 GMT. U.S. gold gained 0.7 percent to $1,737.20.	
    The dollar lost 0.5 percent against a basket of currencies
 after the Greek bailout deal. A softer dollar makes
commodities priced in the greenback cheaper for holders of other
currencies. 	
    Technical analysis suggested that spot gold faces resistance
at $1,735 an ounce, and a break above this level could send
prices towards $1,747, Reuters market analyst Wang Tao said.
    Gold has been trapped in the range between $1,700 and $1,750
over the past two weeks, as the talks over Greece's rescue
package inched forward.	
    "The market has been in the same range for a while and still
looks rangebound," said Peter Fung, head of dealing at Wing Fung
Precious Metals in Hong Kong, "The physical market is very quiet
and there seems to be less interest from funds."	
    Fung said the premiums on gold bars in Hong Kong were steady
at $1 to $1.50 an ounce above London prices.	
    Money managers cut their net long positions in U.S. gold
futures and options by about 6 percent in the week of Feb. 14,
their first decline in five weeks, said the U.S. Commodity
Futures Trading Commission. 	
    Spot platinum edged up 0.3 percent to $1,644.24 an
ounce, up 18 percent so far this year, benefitting partly from
supply concerns in top producer South Africa.	
    Impala Platinum, the world's second-largest
platinum producer, has agreed to re-instate all 17,200 workers
who were dismissed following an illegal strike, aiming to end a
dispute that paralysed the company's biggest mine, the miners'
union said. 	

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