A U.S. judge agreed on Monday to delay the start of a trial in which U.S. tax authorities hoped to force UBS AG to reveal the identities of thousands of Americans suspected of using the bank to evade taxes.

The postponement was requested in a joint motion from the Swiss bank and the U.S. Justice Department on Sunday, as the clock ticked down to Monday's scheduled start of the much-anticipated trial in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami.

Presiding Judge Alan Gold reset the trial opening for August 3, in line with Sunday's request by the parties for time to continue talks aimed at reaching an out-of-court settlement of the tax dispute.

(Reporting by Tom Brown; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

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