TOKYO, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Gold prices eased on Tuesday from record highs hit the day before but sentiment was underpinned by dollar weakness, which boosts bullion's appeal as an alternative asset and makes it cheaper for holders of other currencies.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold <XAU=> inched down 0.2 percent to $1,163.00 per ounce as of 2345 GMT Monday, after hitting an all-time high of $1,173.50 on Monday. In the year to date it has risen nearly 33 percent.
* U.S. gold futures for December delivery <GCZ9> eased 0.1 percent to $1,163.5 per ounce, compared to $1,164.70 on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Futures hit a record high $1,174.00 on Monday.
* Noncommercial net long U.S. gold futures positions eased 1 percent to 235,697 lots in the week to Nov. 17 from 238,060, a weekly report by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed. [
]* Other precious metals were also off Monday's multi-month highs, dragged lower by gold's retreat from record highs.
* Platinum <XPT=> was at $1,455 per ounce after hitting $1,473.50 on Monday, its highest since September 2008, while silver <XAG=> stood at $18.57, also off $18.91 hit on Monday, its highest since July 2008.
* The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Trust <GLD>, said its holdings rose 3.964 tonnes or 0.4 percent from the previous business day to 1,121.457 tonnes as of Nov. 23, inching closer to a record high of 1,134.03 tonnes hit on June 1. [
]* Japanese financial markets were closed for a public holiday on Monday.
MARKET NEWS
* U.S. stocks snapped a three-day losing streak on Monday as stronger-than-expected home sales data fuelled optimism while a weaker dollar boosted commodity-linked stocks. [
]* The dollar remained pressured on Tuesday against a basket of major currencies after remarks by senior Federal Reserve official James Bullard reinforced views that U.S. interest rates will stay low for a while. Investors' risk appetite returned after a rally in U.S. stocks, strong U.S. housing data and higher commodity prices, adding to dollar weakness. [
]DATA EVENTS
* The following data is expected on Tuesday: <ECON>
- German IFO index for November. (0900 GMT)
- BoE Governor Mervyn King and others attend treasury committee hearing. (0945 GMT)
- Euro zone industrial orders for September. (1000 GMT)
- ICSC/Goldman Sachs weekly U.S. chain store sales. (1245 GMT)
- U.S. GDP for preliminary (second) Q3 estimate. (1330 GMT)
- Redbook weekly U.S. retail sales. (1355 GMT)
- U.S. S&P/Case-Shiller home price index for September. (1400 GMT)
- U.S. consumer confidence for November.(1500 GMT)
- FOMC releases minutes of Nov. 3-4 meeting. (1900 GMT)
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Precious metals prices at 2349 GMT Metal Last Change Pct chg Day ago pct MA 30 RSI Spot gold $1162.80 -$3.05 -0.26% +29.63% $860.10 85 Spot silver $18.59 $0.00 +0.00% +55.18% $11.29 73 Spot plat $1455.00 $0.50 +0.03% +0.97% $1374.50 72 COMEX gold $1165.00 -$1.20 -0.10% +1.11% $1093.51 86 TOCOM gold 3,269 -11 -0.34% -0.58% 3,161 70 TOCOM plat 4,111 -9 -0.22% -0.72% 3,973 66 Currencies Euro/dlr $1.497 $0.000 +0.01% +0.69% Dlr/yen 88.90 -0.11 -0.12% +0.10% (Reporting by Chikako Mogi; Editing by Michael Watson) ((chikako.mogi@thomsonreuters.com; +81-3-6441-1871; Reuters Messaging: chikako.mogi.reuters.com@reuters.net)) ((If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com)) ((Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for:
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