US gold ends up, off record on liquidity concern

NEW YORK, Dec 3 (Reuters) - U.S. gold futures ended higher
in choppy trade on Thursday, off an all-time high earlier in
the session, as worries about central banks withdrawing excess
liquidity from the financial system pressured bullion.

For the latest detailed report, click on [GOL/].

GOLD

* COMEX February gold GCG0 settled up $5.30 at $1,218.30
an ounce on the NYMEX.

* Ranged from $1,205.20 to $1,227.50 -- an all-time high.

* A slightly weaker dollar provides support to bullion late
in the session.

* Physical gold continues to pile up in vaults from
exchange traded funds and institutional investors -
ScotiaMocatta's Andy Montano.

* Worries about monetary authorities around the world
starting to unwind support for the market weigh down on gold.

* ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet laid out a package of
decisions on ending and tightening up liquidity.
[ID:nGEE5B227K]

* New York Federal Reserve conducted a small reverse
repurchase agreement transaction to test the cash-draining
tool. [ID:nN03167100]

* Gold weakened as the Federal Reserve's reverse repurchase
was seen as it testing the water of liquidity withdrawal -
Frank McGhee at Integrated Brokerage Services.

* Gold-to-oil ratio at 15.94, up from the previous
session's 15.84.

* COMEX estimated final volume at 220,273 lots.

* Spot gold XAU= at $1,217.45 an ounce at 2:43 p.m. EST
(1943 GMT), after hitting a record high of $1,226.10. Finished
the previous session in New York at $1,215.90.

* London's afternoon gold fix XAUFIX= at $1,208.75 an
ounce.

SILVER

* March silver SIH0 ends down 19.7 cents, or 1 percent,
at $19.128 an ounce, tracking metals weakness.

* Ranged from $18.835 to $19.50 - the highest level since
July 2008.

* COMEX estimated final volume at 44,452 lots.

* Spot silver XAG= was at $19.05, against $19.20 in the
previous session in New York.

* London silver fix XAGFIX= at $19.11.

PLATINUM

* January platinum PLF0 finishes down $12.60 at $1,493.70
an ounce, as investors take profits amid weaker market
sentiment.

* Platinum futures hit $1,500 for the first time since
August 2008 on Wednesday.

* Spot platinum XPT= at $1,486 an ounce.

PALLADIUM

* March palladium PAH0 closes down $3.20 at $386.80 an
ounce on investment buying.

* Spot palladium XPD= at $383.50 an ounce.

Close Change Pct 2008 YTD

Chg Close % Chg
US gold GCG0 1218.30 5.3 0.4 884.3 37.8
US silver SIH0 19.128 -0.197 -1.0 11.295 69.3
US platinum PLF0 1493.70 -12.60 -0.8 941.50 58.7
US palladium PAH0 386.80 -3.20 -0.8 188.70 105.0
Prices at 2:57 p.m. EST (1957 GMT)
Gold XAU= 1216.95 1.05 0.1 878.20 38.6
Silver XAG= 19.05 -0.15 -0.8 11.30 68.6
Platinum XPT= 1488.50 -12.00 -0.8 924.50 61.0
Palladium XPD= 383.50 -4.000 -1.0 184.50 107.9
Gold Fix XAUFIX= 1208.75 -9.50 -0.8 836.50 44.5
Silver Fix XAGFIX= 19.11 -7.00 -0.4 14.76 29.5
Platinum Fix XPTFIX= 1494.00 6.00 0.4 1529 -2.3
Palladium FixXPDFIX= 386.00 3.00 0.8 365.0 5.8
(Reporting by Frank Tang; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
((frank.tang@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646 223 6126;
Reuters Messaging: frank.tang.reuters.com@reuters.net))

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