PRECIOUS-Gold inches down, US data calms economic concerns

                                
 * Gold falls, Vietnam grants more gold import quotes
                                
 * U.S. markets closed for Thanksgiving holiday

 (Updates prices, adds quotes)	
                                
 By Lewa Pardomuan	
                                
 SINGAPORE, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Gold edged down in thin 
trade on Thursday after encouraging U.S. jobless claims data 
calmed some worries about economic growth, but concerns over 
tensions on the Korean peninsula could offer some support.	
                                
 Bullion barely reacted to news that Vietnam's central bank 
has granted additional quotas for domestic companies to import 
gold between now and the year end, but dealers noted buying on 
dips from consumers in Asia. [ID:nHAN445223]	
                                
 Spot gold eased $4.42 to $1,369.29 an ounce by 0240 
GMT - well below a lifetime high around $1,424 struck in early 
November. It had hit an intraday low around $1,367 an ounce.	
                                
 U.S. gold futures fell $4.5 to $1,368.5 an ounce. 
U.S. markets are shut on Thursday for the Thanksgiving 	
holiday.	
                                
  "I would say sentiment is still bullish. The conflict 
between North and South Korea is not going be solved within a 
short period of time," said Ronald Leung, director of Lee 
Cheong Gold Dealers in Hong Kong.	
                                
  "It will take a bit of time. There may be more buying at 
below $1,370." 	
                                
 North Korea warned of additional military attacks if South 
Korea makes "reckless military provocations again," its 
official media said on Thursday. [ID:nTOE6AO02K]	
                                
  The United States says it believes North Korea's actions  
were an isolated act tied to leadership changes in Pyongyang,  
and many experts say the North carried out the shelling to  
burnish the image of the inexperienced and little-known 
younger Kim.  	
                                
 In the currency market, the euro earned a reprieve on 
Thursday, lifting off a two-month trough after three straight 
sessions of falls, but with the euro zone debt crisis still 
festering any rebound may well prove short-lived. 
                                
 U.S. initial jobless benefits claims fell to their lowest 
level in more than two years last week while consumer spending 
rose for a fourth straight month in October, fueling hopes the 
economic recovery is strengthening. [ID:nN24211131]	
                                
 "I would say there's a mixed bag of trading today. We see 
sales of scrap but at the same time, there's also physical 
buying. Honestly, consumers don't want to get short. Each 
time, they will just buy on dips," said a dealer in Singapore.	
                                
 "But the U.S. holiday deters people from doing much. 
There's some light buying from Indonesia and we did see buying 
from India yesterday," said the dealer.	
                                
 The gold market in India, top consumer of the metal, is 
still in the midst of its busy season after the Dhanteras and 
Diwali festivals earlier this month as many weddings are to 
take place till December, spurring at least some demand for 
the metal that plays an important role in social functions.	
                                
 U.S. crude futures firmed on Thursday, extending a rally 
from the day before on optimism about the U.S. economic 
recovery, but the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States 
and concerns over tensions on the Korean peninsula may limit 
further gains. 
 	
 Precious metals prices at 0240  GMT                                      
  Metal             Last    Change  Pct chg  YTD pct chg  Turnover        
  Spot Gold        1369.29   -4.42   -0.32     24.97                      
  Spot Silver        27.42   -0.13   -0.47     62.92                      
  Spot Platinum    1651.49   -8.50   -0.51     12.58                      
  Spot Palladium    691.00   -3.50   -0.50     70.41                      
  TOCOM Gold       3685.00   -2.00   -0.05     13.07        37834         
  TOCOM Platinum   4481.00    2.00   +0.04      2.28         6735         
  TOCOM Silver       73.80   -0.10   -0.14     42.75          762         
  TOCOM Palladium  1856.00  -13.00   -0.70     59.31          396         
  Euro/Dollar       1.3316                                                
  Dollar/Yen         83.47                                                
                                
                                                                       
  TOCOM prices in yen per gram. Spot prices in $ per ounce.               
	
 (Editing by Himani Sarkar)	
 
                                
 	
 
                                
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