* Weak Chinese data, US earnings worries curb gold buying
* Bearish double-top pattern triggers technical sales
* Physical demand pushes up Asian premiums (Recasts, updates with comment, prices, adds NEW YORK to dateline, second byline)
By Frank Tang and Amanda Cooper
NEW YORK/LONDON, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Gold fell in tandem with riskier assets on Thursday, as discouraging economic data from China and weaker U.S. equity markets dampened buying sentiment across the board.
Bullion followed U.S. stocks and commodities down after
news of lower-than-expected Chinese exports renewed fears of a
global economic slowdown. Wall Street is on track to snap three
days of gains on lower earnings by JPMorgan Chase
The precious metal is up around 1 percent over the past four sessions. Optimism about a plan to tackle Europe's debilitating debt crisis prompted gold, traditionally a safe haven, to move in sync with equities and commodities.
Bullion once again traded below its 20-day moving average after breaching that resistance the previous day. Analysts said technical selling could continue after gold briefly rose above $1,900 an ounce twice in late August and early September.
"Just the double top is enough to push the market down," said Adam Hewison, president of MarketClub.com.
"I think that gold already topped out for the year, and it is likely to be moving sideways in a broad trading range similar to a pattern early this year."
Spot gold
Gold also came under pressure from gains in the dollar after new U.S. claims for jobless benefits were little changed last week and the trade deficit narrowed marginally in August, indicating a modest improvement in the economy.
The metal, however, is on track for a rise of more than 1 percent this week, its strongest weekly performance in over a month.
IN SYNC WITH RISKIER ASSETS
Gold in recent weeks has moved with other commodities and assets perceived as higher risk, such as stocks, despite having had an inverse relationship with them earlier in the year as buyers sought the metal as a safe haven.
"The current price movement of gold as a risk-on asset is a sharp contrast to the historical view of it being a safe-haven asset," James Steel, metals analyst at HSBC, said in a note.
Gold prices are also being underpinned by strong physical demand from jewelers and other consumers in Asia, where premiums are at their highest since the start of the year, indicating regional supply tightness.
Silver
Palladium, which virtually doubled in price last year due to demand from China's fast-growing car market, has lost more than a quarter of its value this year, having fallen to its lowest in 25 months this month.
Platinum
LAST NET PCT YTD
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US gold