Gold prices fell slightly on Wednesday, penalized by the rise in the dollar, even though renewed concerns about the independence of the American central bank, after President Donald Trump's threat to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook, gave some support to the precious metal.

Spot gold lost 0.5% to $3,376.99 per ounce at 07:01 GMT, after reaching the highest level since August 11 on Tuesday. American gold futures for delivery in December fell 0.2% to $3,427.

The dollar index rose by around 0.3% against its main competing currencies, making gold less attractive for holders of other currencies.

The focus is now on the Personal Consumer Expenditure Price Index (PCE), the inflation indicator preferred by the Fed, expected on Friday, for new indications on the trajectory of interest rates, after accommodative remarks by Powell at the Jackson Hole symposium last week.

Gold, which does not generate returns, generally performs well in a context of low interest rates. Elsewhere, spot silver fell 0.4% to $38.42 per ounce, platinum lost 0.4% to $1,343.95, and palladium remained stable at $1,093.57