SINGAPORE, April 20 (Reuters) - - Spot gold held steady on
Wednesday after hitting a record tantalisingly close to $1,500
in the previous session, as concerns over Europe's debt crisis
and a weaker dollar support sentiment.	

 FUNDAMENTALS	

 * Spot gold was little changed at $1,494.39 an ounce
by 0035 GMT, after reaching a record high of $1,499.31 in the
previous session.	

 * U.S. gold futures GCcv1 were flat at $1,495.10, easing
from a record of $1,500.5 hit on Tuesday.	

 * Concerns about sovereign debt problems on both sides of
the Atlantic continued to drive investors to bullion to park
their value. [ID:nLDE73I13M][ID:nN19146862]	

 * The dollar index weakened, as the euro and
commodity currencies like the Australian dollar rose in early
trade. 	

 * Holdings in the world's largest gold-backed
exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Trust , eased slightly,
while the holdings in the iShares Silver Trust continued
to rise. [ID:nSGE73I024]	

 * Spot silver was little changed at $43.90, after
rising to a 31-year high of $44.16 on Tuesday.	

 * Silver, known as the poor man's gold, is likely to rise
further and outperform gold, after its stunning 40 percent run
so far this year. [ID:nL3E7FI1AA]	

(Reporting by Rujun Shen;Editing by Clarence Fernandez)