PRECIOUS-Gold near 5-wk high on inflation, Mideast tension

                                
 SINGAPORE, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Gold was steady near its strongest level in
five weeks on Friday, heading for its best weekly gain since early January, on
inflation fears sparked by rising oil prices and flaring Middle East tensions.	
	
                                
 FUNDAMENTALS	
                                
 * Spot gold added 42 cents to $1,383.72 an ounce by 0036 GMT, having
hit its highest level since Jan 13 at $1,384.85 on Thursday after data showed
U.S. core consumer prices rose 0.2 percent that month, the fastest pace in more
than a year. 	
                                
 * U.S. gold futures for April hardly changed at $1,384.6 an ounce.	
                                
 * U.S. crude futures edged up in early Asian trade on Friday as concerns
grew that escalating citizen protests in oil-producing regions could cause
supply  disruptions, while narrowing a record deficit to Brent crude. 	
                                
  	
                                
 MARKET NEWS	
                                
 * Japan's Nikkei average inched lower after hitting 9-1/2-month high the day
before and as a four-day rally lost steam amid signs of short-term overheating
and as caution set in ahead of a three-day weekend in the United States. 	
                                
 * The Swiss franc held on to gains early in Asia on Friday, having powered
higher on mounting Middle East tensions, while the Australian dollar lost a bit
of steam as it reached the top-end of its range.  	
                                
       	
                                
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 Precious metals prices 0036 GMT
 Metal             Last    Change 
  Pct chg  YTD pct chg  
 Turnover
 Spot Gold        1383.72    0.42  
  +0.03     -2.52
 Spot Silver        31.65   -0.09  
  -0.28      2.56
 Spot Platinum    1840.50  
  -2.24   -0.12      4.13
 Spot Palladium    844.66   
  3.69   +0.44      5.65
 TOCOM Gold       3717.00    4.00  
  +0.11     -0.32        13176
 TOCOM Platinum   4986.00  
  18.00   +0.36      6.18         4027
 TOCOM Silver       84.70    2.40  
  +2.92      4.57         1110
 TOCOM Palladium  2268.00  
  -5.00   -0.22      8.15          243
 Euro/Dollar       1.3614
 Dollar/Yen         83.32
 TOCOM prices in yen per gram. Spot prices in
  $ per ounce.
                                
 	
 (Reporting by Lewa Pardomuan; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)	
 	
 	
 	
                                
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