PRECIOUS-Gold wavers near $1,095 in cautious trade

                                
 TOKYO, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Gold prices traded narrowly around
$1,095 an ounce on Monday in a cautious start to the year after
ending 2009 with their biggest absolute annual gain in three
decades.
                                
 FUNDAMENTALS
                                
 * Spot gold <XAU=> stood at $1,093.15 an ounce as of 0012
GMT, down 0.3 percent from New York's notional close of $1,096.35
after earlier rising to as high as $1,099.75.
                                
 * U.S. gold futures for February delivery <GCG0> stood at
$1,095.20 an ounce, down 0.1 percent from Dec. 31.
                                
 * Gold prices made consistent gains in 2009, rising about 25
percent, due to bullion's role as a hedge against economic
uncertainties after the worst economic crisis since the Great
Depression.
                                
 * It was up over $210 an ounce in the biggest dollar gains
since 1979.
                                
 * The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR
Gold Trust <GLD>, said its holdings stood at 1,133.622 tonnes as
of Dec. 31, unchanged from the previous business day. [GOL/SPDR]
                                
 MARKET NEWS
                                
 * U.S. stocks ended 2009 on Thursday with their best gains
since 2003, driven by optimism about the economy's recovery and a
brighter outlook for profits. [.N]
                                
 * The dollar rose to its highest level in more than three
months against the yen on Thursday in holiday-thinned trading
after data showed U.S. jobless claims fell to their lowest since
mid-2008, affirming optimism about the economy.
                                
 * Oil finished 2009 above $79 a barrel on Thursday, climbing
78 percent last year and notching the biggest annual gain in a
decade. [O/R]
                                
 * Financial markets in Asia, Europe and the U.S. were closed
on Jan. 1 for the New Year holiday.
                                
 DATA EVENTS
                                
 * The following data is expected on Monday: <ECON>
                                
 - Euro zone Dec manufacturing PMI       (0858 GMT)
                                
 - Euro zone sentix index                (0930 GMT)
                                
 - UK consumer credit and money supply   (0930 GMT)
                                
 - U.S. construction spending for Nov    (1500 GMT)
                                
 - U.S. ISM for Dec                      (1500 GMT)
                                
 RELATED NEWS
 > PRECIOUS-Gold ekes gains to end 2009 with 25 pct return [GOL/]
 > Biggest gains in 36 years, copper, sugar lead       [COM/WRAP]
 > Fed defends policies, sees slow recovery       [ID:nN03209439]
                                
 PRICES
                                
 Precious metals prices at 0010 GMT
Metal         Last      Change  Pct chg  Day ago pct  MA 30   RSI
 Spot gold    $1093.95   -$2.40  -0.22%    -5.52%   $1133.91  41
 Spot silver    $16.83   -$0.01  -0.06%    -7.43%     $17.72  37
 Spot plat    $1468.50    $3.00  +0.20%    +0.20%   $1450.10  56
 COMEX gold   $1096.90    $4.40  +0.40%    -0.11%   $1139.88  45
 TOCOM gold      3,279       20  +0.61%    +0.18%      3,282
 TOCOM plat      4,403       18  +0.41%    +0.71%      4,179
 Currencies
 Euro/dlr       $1.431  -$0.002  -0.12%    -0.07%
 Dlr/yen         92.76    -0.24  -0.26%    -0.15%
 TOCOM prices in yen per gram, except TOCOM silver which is
priced in yen per 10 grams.  Spot prices in $ per ounce.
 (Reporting by Miho Yoshikawa; Editing by Chris Gallagher)