May 9 (Reuters) - Gold prices eased during early Asian hours on Tuesday as cautious market participants awaited U.S. inflation data that could influence the Federal Reserve's policy path.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold fell 0.1% at $2,020.22 per ounce, as of 0023 GMT. U.S. gold futures were down 0.3% at $2,027.10.
* The dollar index was up 0.1%, making bullion less affordable for overseas buyers.
* The U.S. consumer price index (CPI) data is due on Wednesday.
* While U.S. consumers said last month they expected slightly lower inflation in a year's time, the New York Federal Reserve's report also showed the bank stresses that kicked off in March weren't weighing heavily on the moods of Americans.
* Investors are pricing in a 92% chance of the Fed holding rates at their current level in June.
* Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Monday that a failure by Congress to raise the $31.4 trillion federal debt limit would cause a huge hit to the U.S. economy and weaken the dollar as the world's reserve currency.
* Spot silver slipped 0.2% at $25.52 per ounce, platinum rose 0.2% to $1,072.51, while palladium was flat at $1,553.50.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT, April) 0300 China Exports, Imports YY 0300 China Trade Balance 0600 UK Halifax House Prices MM, YY 0645 France Reserve Assets Total
(Reporting by Ashitha Shivaprasad in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh Venkateshwaran)
