PRECIOUS-Gold firmer, ETF holdings at record

                                
 TOKYO, March 30 (Reuters) - Gold edged higher on Monday,
rebounding from a fall of 3 percent last week, but a downside
risk remained as the dollar maintained its rise.
                                
 FUNDAMENTALS
                                
 * Spot gold <XAU=> was $924.85 per ounce at 0015 GMT, up
0.3 percent percent from New York's notional close of $922.10.
                                
 * Last week it fell 3 percent, coming under pressure from a
strengthening dollar. But buying related to gold-backed
securities propped up bullion's price well above $900.
                                
 * The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, the
SPDR Gold Trust <GLD>, said holdings rose 2.45 tonnes to a
record 1,127.44 tonnes on March 29. [GOL/SPDR]
                                
 * A weekly report by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading
Commission showed non-commercial net long gold futures
positions rose to 151,927 lots in the week to March 24, up from
150,395 lots a week earlier. [ID:nN27282282]
                                
 * Gold Fields Ltd <GJIJ.J>, the world's No.4 gold producer,
said on Friday its production for the third quarter would rise
4 percent, mostly from increased output in South Africa.
[ID:nLR482933]
                                
 MARKET NEWS
                                
 * Japan's Nikkei share average <.N225> fell 0.1
percent.[.T]
                                
 * Wall Street ended a strong week on a downnote on Friday
as investors booked profits in the wake of a recent surge and
bank shares dropped after bank executives indicated March had
been a tougher month for the industry than previous two. [.N]
                                
 * The U.S. dollar firmed on Monday after the euro posted
its biggest one-day fall since early January on Friday, as
German Finance Minister Steinbrueck suggested fiscal
irresponsibility in Europe could put the single currency at
risk. [USD/]
                                
 * Oil fell nearly $1 toward $51 a barrel on Monday,
extending Friday's losses, as renewed worries about the world
economy prompted investors to take profits from a recent rally.
[O/R]
                                
 DATA EVENTS
                                
 - World Bank chief economist Justin Lin speaks (1800 GMT)
                                
 * The following data is expected on Monday: <ECON>
                                
 - UK Feb consumer credit, mortgage lending (0830 GMT)
                                
 - Euro zone March business climate sentiment (0900 GMT)
                                
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 Prices as of 0015 GMT
                                
 Metal       Last     Change  Pct chg  Day ago pct  MA 30
RSI
 Spot gold     $924.85    $2.75  +0.30%    +3.10%    $860.10
44
 Spot silver    $13.32    $0.05  +0.38%   +11.19%     $11.29
48
 Spot plat    $1110.00  -$13.00  -1.16%    -1.16%   $1077.57
66
 COMEX gold    $925.40    $2.20  +0.24%    -1.55%    $939.53
46
 TOCOM gold      2,933      -27  -0.91%    -0.81%      2,932
58
 TOCOM plat      3,606      -37  -1.02%    -0.36%      3,350
74
 Currencies
 Euro/dlr       $1.326  -$0.020  -1.49%    -2.73%
 Dlr/yen         98.11     0.32  +0.33%    +1.12%
 (Reporting by Risa Maeda; Editing by Ben Tan)