(Corrects first name of Fed chairman in first paragraph of July 15 story) July 15 (Reuters) - Gold prices were flat on Thursday, hovering near a four-week high scaled in the previous session, after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signalled “powerful support” for economic recovery and boosted the metal’s appeal as an inflation hedge. FUNDAMENTALS * Spot gold was steady at $1,824.81 per ounce, as of 0050 GMT, having hit a peak since June 16 on Wednesday at $1,829.55. * U.S. gold futures edged up 0.1% to $1,826.40 per ounce. * At the beginning of his two-day testimony before the Congress, Powell stuck to the view that the current price increases are transitory and that the central bank is focused on getting as many people back to work as possible. * Large stimulus measures tend to support gold, which is often considered a hedge against inflation and currency debasement. * U.S. producer prices accelerated in June, leading to the largest annual increase in more than 10-1/2 years. * The European Central Bank needs to see higher core inflation before changing its outlook and tightening policy, ECB board member Isabel Schnabel said on Wednesday. * Europe’s drug regulator said on Wednesday the Delta variant of the coronavirus will account for 90% of strains in circulation in the European Union by the end of August. * Silver fell 0.3% to $26.16 per ounce, palladium dropped 0.8% to $2,806.78, and platinum dipped 0.5% to $1,123.83. DATA/EVENTS (GMT) 0200 China Urban Investment (YTD) YY June 0200 China Industrial Output YY June 0200 China Retail Sales YY June 0200 China GDP YY Q2 0600 UK Claimant Count Unem Chng June 0600 UK ILO Unemployment Rate May 1000 EU Reserve Assets Total June 1230 US Initial Jobless Clm Weekly 1230 US Philly Fed Business Indx July 1315 US Industrial Production MM June