PRECIOUS-Gold rises after western powers strike Libya

                                
 SINGAPORE, March 21 (Reuters) - Spot gold firmed a touch on
Monday following increased tensions in Libya after western
forces launched a military campaign, while investors continued
to watch the unfolding nuclear crisis in Japan.	
                                
 	
                                
 FUNDAMENTALS	
                                
 * Spot gold gained nearly half a percent at $1,426 an
ounce by 0032 GMT.	
                                
 * U.S. gold futures rose by 0.7 percent at $1,426.40.	
                                
 * Spot silver climbed 2.1 percent at $35.79 an ounce.	
                                
 * Tensions in the Middle East and North Africa heightened
after western nations pressed ahead with a campaign of air
attacks in Libya, supporting the sentiment in the precious
metals market.  	
                                
 * Holdings in the world's largest gold-backed,
exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Trust , rose to 1,226.395
tonnes, their highest since Feb. 9. 	
                                
 * Japan continues the battle to avert a deadly nuclear
disaster, planning to start testing the power supply to the
quake-damaged reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant soon.
 	
                                
 * For the top stories in metals and other news, click 	
 , or 	
                                
	
                                
 MARKET NEWS	
                                
 * U.S. stocks gained after a week of heightened volatility
on Friday, but investors were reluctant to make big bets due to
turmoil in the Middle East and Japan's nuclear crisis. 	
                                
 * The yen stayed on the defensive early in Asia on Monday,
although selling momentum was already waning in a sign that
further action may be needed to curb the Japanese currency after
the first G7 joint intervention in a over decade.  	
                                
 * Oil jumped by more than $2 on Monday, with Brent above
$116, after the military action in Libya. 	
 	
                                
 DATA/EVENTS (GMT)	
1400 U.S. Exist. home sales and chg      Feb        	
                                
    	
 Precious metals prices 0032 GMT
  Metal             Last    Change  Pct chg  YTD pct chg    Volume
  Spot Gold        1426.00    6.43   +0.45      0.46
  Spot Silver        35.79    0.74   +2.11     15.98
  Spot Platinum    1724.24    6.74   +0.39     -2.45
  Spot Palladium    730.77    2.77   +0.38     -8.60
  COMEX GOLD APR1  1426.40   10.30   +0.73      0.35         6109
  COMEX SILVER MAY1  35.84    0.78   +2.22     15.82         4126
  Euro/Dollar       1.4159
  Dollar/Yen         80.89
  TOCOM prices in yen per gram. Spot prices in $ per ounce.
  COMEX gold and silver contracts show the most active months
	
 (Reporting By Rujun Shen; Editing by Manash Goswami)	
 	
  
                                
Reuters
Terminal users can see related news and prices by  
                                
double
clicking on the codes in brackets:  
 - All precious metals
headlines  
 - Precious metals market reports  

- Daily fixing headlines  
 - Technical analysis
  
 - Indian gold reports  
 - European gold
prices  <0#PREC>  
 - London interbank gold
forward rates <0#GOFO=>  
 - London silver forwards
                                

 - Gold lease rates <0#LGLR=>  
 -
London Bullion Market Association  
 - New York Comex
gold <0#GC:> and silver <0#SI:>            
 - New York
platinum <0#PL:> and palladium <0#PA:>            
 - Asian
gold prices <0#PREC>            
 - Australian
precious metals prices <0#AUPREC=>     
                                
      

- Shanghai Gold Exchange prices            
 - Hong
Kong gold exchange prices            
 - Hong Kong
bullion prices            
 - Indian bullion prices
 <0#PREC-IN>       
 - Japanese producer prices
                                
         
 For Related News and other topics,
double click on one of  
these   
codes: SPEED GUIDES     
                                
  
                                
   

))