Gold prices steadied on Friday as investors took stock of doubts raised over the efficacy of an inexpensive coronavirus vaccine, but the precious metal was set for a third week of declines.

FUNDAMENTALS

* Spot gold was little changed at $1,810.75 per ounce by 0118 GMT. U.S. gold futures rose 0.2% to $1,809.80 per ounce.

* Gold was down over 3% for the week as progress in COVID-19 vaccine development and U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's transition to the White House bolstered risk sentiment.

* Britain has asked its medicine regulator to assess Oxford University and AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine candidate for temporary supply, while U.S. President Donald Trump said vaccine delivery would begin next week. 

* AstraZeneca, however, is facing tricky questions about its success rate that could hinder its chances of getting speedy U.S. and EU regulatory approval, prompting Asian shares to fall slightly. 

* Trump said on Thursday he will leave the White House if the Electoral College votes for Biden, the closest he has come to conceding the Nov. 3 election, even as he repeated his unfounded claims of massive voter fraud. 

* Raising the prospect for further stimulus, the European Central Bank's chief economist warned that tolerating "a longer phase of even lower inflation" would hurt consumption and investment. 

* Core consumer prices in Tokyo recorded their biggest annual drop in more than eight years, a sign the hit to consumption from the coronavirus crisis was heightening deflationary pressure on the economy. 

* Britain wants to resume face-to-face trade negotiations with the European Union, but it is a decision for Brussels, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday. 

* Silver fell 0.9% to $23.25 per ounce, while Platinum fell 0.1% to $961.18 and palladium was up 0.3% at $2,391.19.

(Reporting by Nakul Iyer in Bengaluru; Editing by Ramakrishnan M.) ((nakul.iyer@thomsonreuters.com; Within U.S. +1 646 223 8780, Outside U.S. +91 80 6749 0417; Reuters Messaging: nakul.iyer.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))