PRECIOUS-Gold steadies near $1,050/oz, ETF unchanged

                                
 TOKYO, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Gold prices steadied near $1,050
per ounce on Friday as the dollar remained pressured and kept
bullion's appeal as an alternative asset to the U.S. currency.
                                
 FUNDAMENTALS
                                
 * Spot gold <XAU=> was up 0.1 percent at $1,046.30 per ounce
as of 2355 GMT Thursday, compared to New York's notional close of
$1,044.95. At current levels, gold was set for a 1 percent drop
on the week.
                                
 * U.S. gold futures for December delivery <GCZ9> were
unchanged from $1,047.10 an ounce on the COMEX division of NYMEX.
                                
 * Gold rose toward $1,050 an ounce on Thursday, gaining 2
percent after data showing U.S. economic growth knocked the
dollar and sent Wall Street into rally mode.
                                
 * Other precious metals rose sharply in gold's wake, with
silver <XAG=> climbing more than 3 percent, platinum <XPT=>
nearly 2 percent and palladium <XPD=> nearly 3 percent.
                                
 * The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR
Gold Trust <GLD>, said its holdings stood at 1,104.434 tonnes as
of Oct. 29, unchanged from the previous business day, after
falling for three days in a row. [GOL/SPDR]
                                
 MARKET NEWS
                                
 * U.S. stocks logged their best one-day percentage gain in
three months on Thursday as investors saw data showing the U.S.
economy returned to growth in the third quarter as brightening
the outlook for profits. [.N]
                                
 * The dollar stayed under pressure on Friday after falling
the previous day when data showing the U.S. economy expanded in
the third quarter for the first quarterly growth in over a year
eroded the greenback's attraction. [USD/]
                                
 DATA EVENTS
                                
 * The following data is expected on Friday: <ECON>
                                
 - Japan September construction orders. (0500 GMT)
                                
 - Japan September housing starts. (0500 GMT)
                                
 - The Bank of Japan interest rate decision. (N/A)
                                
 - German retail sales for September. (0700 GMT)
                                
 - UK house prices for October - Nationwide. (0700 GMT)
                                
 - Euro zone consumer prices for October. (1000 GMT)
                                
 - Euro zone unemployment data for September. (1000 GMT)
                                
 - U.S. employment cost indexfor third quarter. (1230 GMT)
                                
 - U.S. personal income/spending for September. (1230 GMT)
                                
 - U.S. Chicago PMI for October. (1345 GMT)
                                
 - Reuters/University of Michigan October final consumer
sentiment index. (1355 GMT)
                                
 RELATED NEWS         
 >Gold rises toward $1,050/oz on economic optimism        [GOL/]
 >Russia govt plans 25T gold sale, possibly at home[ID:nLT17764]
 >High gold, low costs up Newmont, Barrick results[ID:nSYD436530]
 >U.S. economy grows in 3rd qtr, ending deep slump[ID:nN29354547]
 >Commodities ramp up, end of recession eyed      [ID:nN29376890]
                                
 PRICES
                                
 Precious metals prices at 2358 GMT
 Metal         Last      Change  Pct chg  Day ago pct  MA 30  RSI
 Spot gold    $1046.35    $1.40  +0.13%   +16.65%    $860.10   52
 Spot silver    $16.65    $0.02  +0.12%   +38.98%     $11.29   40
 Spot plat    $1333.00   -$4.50  -0.34%    +2.26%   $1326.37   48
 TOCOM gold      3,056       45  +1.49%    -0.23%      3,011   49
 TOCOM plat      3,903       73  +1.91%    +0.62%      3,850   49
 Currencies
 Euro/dlr       $1.484   $0.001  +0.05%    +0.88%
 Dlr/yen         91.50     0.10  +0.11%    +0.97%
 (Reporting by Chikako Mogi)