UPDATE 5-Gold down but off lows after Wall St opening

* Gold slips as dollar firms, stocks tick up in Europe

* Softer opening on Wall St lifts gold off lows

* Platinum extends slide as supply fears recede

(Recasts, adds comment, updates throughout)

By Jan Harvey

LONDON, July 18 (Reuters) - Gold was softer on Friday but recovered from a more than 1 percent dip earlier in the day, as Wall Street equities opened lower and the dollar retreated from session highs.

Spot gold <XAU=> eased to $957.40/958.40 an ounce at 1438 GMT from $962.10/963.10 an ounce late in New York on Thursday, having earlier slipped as low as $949.50 an ounce.

The precious metal slipped to a one-week low in early afternoon trade after better-than-expected earnings from the U.S.' largest bank, Citigroup, boosted the dollar and sent equity markets higher in Europe.