US gold ends 4 pct lower as dollar rallies on jobs

NEW YORK, Dec 4 (Reuters) - U.S. gold futures settled below
$1,170 an ounce in choppy trade on Friday, losing 4 percent as
better-than-expected jobs data sent the dollar sharply higher,
triggering heavy margin selling.

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

GOLD

* COMEX February gold GCG0 settled down $48.80, or 4
percent, at $1,169.50 an ounce on the NYMEX.

* Ranged from $1,213.90 to $1,147.40 -- a one-week low as
December extended losses after the pit trade settlement
.

* Spot gold XAU= at $1,155.80 an ounce at 3:38 p.m. EST
(2038 GMT), against the previous session in New York at
$1,207.10.

* Gold on track to post its biggest one-day percentage loss
since Dec 1, 2008.

* Gold pummeled as the dollar rallied against the euro and
yen after data showed the United States shed
far-fewer-than-expected jobs last month. [USD/]

* Bullion investors who recently entered the gold market
forced to sell to cover margins as prices break below support
levels - Bill O'Neill at LOGIC Advisors.

* Euro falls below key $1.50 level, undercutting the need
for currency hedgers to buy gold - James Steel at HSBC.

* Optimistic jobs data is strong enough to force the
foreign exchange market to trade it like the Fed may tighten
its monetary policy - analyst.

* Gold traders will closely monitor Monday's currency
market movements, and a further rally of the dollar could lead
to more losses in bullion - O'Neill

* Gold-to-oil ratio at 15.47, down from the previous
session's 15.94.

* COMEX estimated final volume at a heavy 338,150 lots.

* London's afternoon gold fix XAUFIX= at $1,190.25 an
ounce.

SILVER

* March silver SIH0 ends down 60.8 cents, or 3.2 percent,
at $18.520 an ounce, tracking gold's weakness.

* Ranged from $18.99 to $18.30.

* COMEX estimated final volume at 46,444 lots.

* Spot silver XAG= was at $18.46, against $18.80 in the
previous session in New York.

* London silver fix XAGFIX= at $18.83.

PLATINUM

* January platinum PLF0 finishes down $44, or 3 percent,
at $1,449.70 an ounce due to a sharp precious metals pullback.

* Spot platinum XPT= at $1,440.50 an ounce.

PALLADIUM

* March palladium PAH0 closes down $7.50, or 1.9 percent,
at $379.30 an ounce on platinum's drop.

* Spot palladium XPD= at $371 an ounce.

Close Change Pct 2008 YTD

Chg Close % Chg
US gold GCG0 1169.50 -48.8 -4.0 884.3 32.3
US silver SIH0 18.520 -0.608 -3.2 11.295 64.0
US platinum PLF0 1449.70 -44.00 -2.9 941.50 54.0
US palladium PAH0 379.30 -7.50 -1.9 188.70 101.0
Prices at 3:41 p.m. EST (2041 GMT)
Gold XAU= 1155.30 -51.80 -4.3 878.20 31.6
Silver XAG= 18.46 -0.34 -1.8 11.30 63.4
Platinum XPT= 1440.50 -40.00 -2.7 924.50 55.8
Palladium XPD= 371.00 -9.500 -2.5 184.50 101.1
Gold Fix XAUFIX= 1190.25 -13.00 -1.1 836.50 42.3
Silver Fix XAGFIX= 18.83 -28.00 -1.5 14.76 27.6
Platinum Fix XPTFIX= 1472.00 12.00 0.8 1529 -3.7
Palladium FixXPDFIX= 378.00 4.00 1.0 365.0 3.6
(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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