• Australian gold miners rise as much as 1.2%, while the broader benchmark slips 0.7%

• Sub-index on track for ninth consecutive day of gains, if trends hold

• Bullion prices rise nearly 1% ahead of key U.S. inflation data that would provide monetary policy clues, while the Gulf conflict kept concerns about oil-driven inflation elevated [GOL/]

• Northern Star Resources rises as much as 2.1%

• Evolution Mining advances as much as 1.1% in its ninth straight day of gains

• YTD, AXGD down 1.8%, including the day's moves, lagging behind AXJO's 5.4% rise

(Reporting by Nikita Maria Jino in Bengaluru)