PRECIOUS-Gold steady helped by weak U.S. job data, dollar

                                
 SINGAPORE, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Gold held steady on Thursday
below the record high, supported by the ongoing weakness in the
dollar, after an unexpected loss in private-sector jobs in the
United States.
                                
 FUNDAMENTALS
                                
 * Spot gold <XAU=> was little changed at $1,345.50 an ounce
by 0041 GMT, after rising to a fresh all-time peak of $1,349.80
on Thursday.
                                
 * U.S. gold futures for December delivery <GCZ0> was steady
at $1,346.5.
                                
 * Spot silver <XAG=> hit a fresh 30-year high at $23.26 an
ounce, heading to its sixth weekly gain in the past seven
weeks.
                                
 * The U.S. dollar weakness has been fueling the rally in
gold, up 7 percent over the past month, as economic
uncertainties and speculation on more monetary easing by
central banks drive investors to bullion as an alternative
investment. [USD/]
                                
 * ADP's national employment report said U.S. private
employers unexpectedly shed jobs in September, reinforcing the
conviction that the U.S. Federal Reserve as early as next month
will embark on another round of monetary policy stimulus to
support the economic recovery. [ID:nN06255134]
                                
 * Holdings in the SPDR Gold Trust <GLD.P> remained
unchanged for a second consecutive day, at 1,301.913 tonnes.
[GOL/SPDR]
                                
 * iShares Silver Trust, the world's largest silver-backed,
exchange-traded fund, said its holdings rose to a fresh record
high of 9,944.14 tonnes.
                                
 * Spot palladium <XPD=> rose more than one percent to
$585.25 an ounce, after hitting a nine-year high of $591.50 an
ounce in the previous session.
                                
 MARKET NEWS
                                
 * Tech shares slumped on the Wall Street on Wednesday, hit
by worries about demand for semiconductors and data
storage.[.N]
                                
 * The U.S. dollar was steady against a basket of currencies
on Thursday, after falling to a 15-year low versus the yen and
an eight-month trough against the euro on expectations of Fed's
stimulus measures. [USD/]
                                
 DATA/EVENTS
                                
 1000 Germany  Industrial output mm      Aug      <DEIP=ECI>
                                
 1100 Britain  BoE rate decision         Oct    <GBBOEI=ECI>
                                
 1145 EZ       ECB rate decision         Oct    <EUECBR=ECI>
                                
 1230 U.S.     Initial jobless claims    Weekly  <USJOB=ECI>
                                
 RELATED NEWS > Global policymakers clash on currency
policies   [nLDE6950OG] > Nasdaq slides, S&P slips as tech
worries rise    [nN06281560] > US private sector job cuts raise
Fed easing odds [nN06255134] > China tells EU to stop pressing
on currency      [nLDE6950A1] > Japan ruling party crafts
stimulus after BOJ eases[nTOE69505S] > Aus construction
activity at 14-mth low in Sept  [nSGE6950ML] > Steady BoE rate
decision may hide three-way split [nLDE6951BM] > Euro zone
growth strong in Q2 but seen flagging  [nLDE6950Z8] > US
Justice Dept probing foreclosure processes    [nN06279584] >
Oil ends up, above $83 on EIA data, dollar       [nSGE6950A2] >
Fitch cuts Ireland; morale slides amid loan fears [nLDE6951KL]
> Emerging markets prop up sluggish recovery-IMF   [nN06265262]
                                
 PRICES
                                
  Precious metals prices at 0041 GMT
 Metal             Last    Change  Pct chg  YTD pct chg
Turnover
 Spot Gold        1345.50   -0.30   -0.02     22.80
 Spot Silver        23.15    0.02   +0.09     37.55
 Spot Platinum    1709.25   14.25   +0.84     16.51
 Spot Palladium    585.25    6.50   +1.12     44.33
 TOCOM Gold       3592.00  -19.00   -0.53     10.22      
19109
 TOCOM Platinum   4586.00   18.00   +0.39      4.68       
6349
 TOCOM Silver       61.90    0.30   +0.49     19.73        
417
 TOCOM Palladium  1567.00   17.00   +1.10     34.51        
329
 Euro/Dollar       1.3923
 Dollar/Yen         82.85
 TOCOM prices in yen per gram. Spot prices in $ per ounce.
 (Reporting by Rujun Shen; Editing by Ed Lane)