PRECIOUS-Gold claws back above $940/oz, ETF steady

TOKYO, June 18 (Reuters) - Gold clawed its way back above
$940 per ounce on Thursday for the first time in almost a week,
maintaining its momentum from the previous day, when tame U.S.
inflation data dragged the dollar lower.

FUNDAMENTALS

* Spot gold XAU= rose 0.3 percent to $940.85 per ounce at
2357 GMT from New York's notional close of $938.40.

* Gold was last above $940 on June 12 before it fell on a
strengthening dollar, which was initially prompted by weak data
in Europe dampening the euro.

* U.S. gold futures for August delivery GCQ9 were at
$941.90 per ounce, up 0.6 percent from Wednesday's settlement of
$936 on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.

* The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, the
SPDR Gold Trust (GLD: Quote, Profile, Research), said its holdings stood at 1,132.15 tonnes
as of June 16, unchanged since June 5. [GOL/SPDR]

* Canada's Brompton Funds Management Ltd said it will launch
a new combined gold, silver and platinum fund. [ID:nN17543520]

* Indian gold prices rose on Wednesday on a small spurt in
demand towards the end of the wedding season in June.
[ID:nBOM112536]

MARKET NEWS

* The dollar was off lows versus other major currencies
struck after Wednesday's unexpectedly small rise in U.S.
inflation that strengthened expectations the Federal Reserve will
keep interest rates low for some time. [USD/]

* Japan's Nikkei share average .N225 opened down 0.6
percent. [.T]

* Technology shares buoyed the U.S. Nasdaq on Wednesday after
positive broker comments on Qualcomm, but financial shares'
losses held back the Dow and the S&P 500. [.N]

DATA EVENTS

- Swiss National Bank interest rate decision (0730 GMT)

- U.S. Treasury Secretary Geithner testifies (1330 GMT)

* The following data is expected on Thursday: ECON

- Reserve Bank of Australia monthly bulletin (0130 GMT)

- UK retail sales for May (0830 GMT)

- UK CBI orders for June (1000 GMT)

- Weekly U.S. jobless claims (1230 GMT)

- Philadelphia Fed bus activity index for June (1400 GMT)

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PRICES

Precious metals prices at 0000 GMT
Metal Last Change Pct chg Day ago pct MA 30 RSI
Spot gold $940.30 $1.90 +0.20% +4.83% $860.10 45
Spot silver $14.35 $0.03 +0.21% +19.78% $11.29 41
Spot plat $1208.50 $7.50 +0.62% -0.53% $1194.22 46
COMEX gold $941.70 $7.90 +0.85% +1.08% $946.83 45
TOCOM gold 2,913 -11 -0.38% +0.55% 2,958 30
TOCOM plat 3,759 -53 -1.39% -0.87% 3,715 37
Currencies
Euro/dlr $1.396 $0.018 +1.28% -0.15%
Dlr/yen 95.92 -1.90 -1.94% -2.58%
TOCOM prices in yen per gram, except TOCOM silver which is
priced in yen per 10 grams. Spot prices in $ per ounce.
(Reporting by Risa Maeda)