PRECIOUS-Gold dips on stronger dollar; rate cuts awaited

* Dollar firms vs euro; ECB seen cutting rates by 50 bp

* Oil slides as demand woes outweigh U.S. stockpile dip * ZKB platinum ETF holdings rise 27 pct

(Recasts, adds detail, changes dateline, pvs SINGAPORE)

LONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Gold slipped in Europe on Thursday as the dollar firmed against the euro ahead of an expected rate cut by the European Central Bank later in the session, and oil prices fell $1 a barrel.

Investors are eyeing rate cuts this session from both the ECB and the Bank of England and key U.S. jobs data on Friday for clues as to the future direction of trade.

Spot gold <XAU=> slid to $769.25/771.25 an ounce at 1000 GMT from $772.60 an ounce in New York late on Wednesday.

"With a lower euro-dollar and lower oil, gold is pressured a bit," Commerzbank senior trader Michael Kempsinki said. "Around $735, $750, we should see some good buying interest coming into the market."

The dollar firmed in early trade against the euro, as did the yen, as investors worried about the breadth and depth of the global recession bought into the currencies.

A stronger dollar tends to weigh on gold, which is commonly bought as a hedge against weakness in the U.S. currency.  Continued...