UPDATE 3-Gold firms as equities slip, dollar eases

* Gold climbs as dollar softens, oil steadies

* Weaker equities encourage diversification into gold

* Platinum bounces from 1-mth low as supply fears bite

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

By Jan Harvey

LONDON, July 8 (Reuters) - Gold climbed in Europe on Tuesday as the dollar softened, oil steadied and a slide in equities sparked buying of the metal as an alternative investment.

Spot gold <XAU=> rose to $929.20/930.20 an ounce at 0931 GMT from $925.15/926.35 an ounce late in New York on Monday.

The precious metal fell as low as $914.50 an ounce on Monday, its weakest level since June 27, in line with a broader commodities sell-off as oil slipped more than $4 a barrel.