TOKYO, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Gold prices steadied at around
$1,000 per ounce on Tuesday, underpinned by a fall in the dollar
versus the euro, while investors were mostly cautious on whether
the metal's recent run to an 18-month high was overdone.
                                 FUNDAMENTALS
                                 * Spot gold <XAU=> edged up 0.2 percent to $1,000.85 per
ounce as of 0012 GMT, compared to New York's notional close of
$998.65. It hit $1,011.55 on Friday, its highest since March
2008.
                                 * Gold jumped 1 percent on Friday, closing above $1,000 an
ounce for the first time since March 2008 as a slumping dollar
and inflation fears stirred investment demand for bullion.
                                 * U.S. gold futures for December delivery <GCZ9> rose 0.2
percent to $1,002.80 per ounce. On Monday, the contract fell
$5.30 to $1,001.10 on the COMEX division of the New York
Mercantile Exchange, retreating further from a Friday high of
1,013.70, its highest since Feb. 20.
                                 * The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, the
SPDR Gold Trust <GLD>, said its holdings rose by 1.221 tonnes to
1,078.851 tonnes on Monday, marking their first rise since Sept.
3. []
                                 * ETF Securities said on Monday the amount of metal it holds
to back its gold exchange-traded commodities rose to record highs
in the week to Sept. 11. []
                                 MARKET NEWS
                                 * The euro climbed in early trade on Tuesday, staying in
sight of its 2009 highs. []
                                 * Surging investment demand for gold due to a weaker dollar
and inflation fears is likely to offset a decline in jewellery
buying this year, leading to an overall rise in demand, metals
consultancy GFMS said on Monday. []
                                 * Gold prices are likely to correct after their current run
above $1,000 an ounce, but may rebound to as high as $1,100
within the next six months if inflation fears grow, GFMS said in
an interview. []
                                 * Japan's Nikkei share average <> rose 0.8 percent. []
                                 * U.S. stocks rose on Monday as reports of more merger
activity added to a string of recent deals, suggesting investors
still see value in the market after its run-up of more than 50
percent since March. []
                                 DATA EVENTS
                                 * The following data is expected on Tuesday: <ECON>
                                 - Germany ZEW economist sentiment for Sept (0900 GMT)
                                 - Euro zone wages for Q2 (0900 GMT)
                                 - U.S. PPI/Core PPI for Aug (1230 GMT)
                                 - U.S. retail sales for Aug (1230 GMT)
                                 - New York Fed Empire State survey for Sept (1230 GMT)
                                 - Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke speaks (1400 GMT)
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                                 PRICES
                                 Precious metals prices at 0016 GMT
 Metal         Last      Change  Pct chg  Day ago pct  MA 30  RSI
 Spot gold    $1001.50    $2.85  +0.29%   +11.65%    $860.10 73
 Spot silver    $16.64    $0.13  +0.79%   +38.90%     $11.29 75
 Spot plat    $1311.00   -$2.50  -0.19%   +38.15%    $948.98 77
 COMEX gold   $1001.60  $113.40 +12.77%   +11.35%    $857.64 72
 TOCOM gold      2,944      361 +13.98%   +12.84%      2,476 54
 TOCOM plat      3,846     1106 +40.36%   +39.10%      2,659 60
 Currencies                                              
 Euro/dlr       $1.465   $0.151 +11.50%   +11.15%
 Dlr/yen         90.99     0.61  +0.67%    +2.33%
 (Reporting by Risa Maeda; Editing by Joseph Radford)