FACTBOX-Gold, silver exchange-traded funds (ETF) holdings

(Reuters) - Investment demand in precious metals exchange-traded funds (ETFs) remains robust as gold and other precious metals are trading near record highs.

Changes in gold and silver ETF holdings are closely watched by market participants because sharp inflows in gold ETFs could be a bullish signal as they show longer-term retail and institutional investors are entering the market.

ETFs are listed on the stock exchanges and offer investors exposure in the underlying commodity -- gold -- without taking physical delivery. Sponsors of such funds buy a matching amount of the commodity from the market to keep in bank vaults.

U.S.-based StreetTRACKS gold shares GLD.N is the world's largest gold ETF, accounting for more than 80 percent of the metal held by all such funds, while iShares silver trust SLV.A is the top silver fund.

For more details on gold ETFs, click within the brackets

<EXTGOLD/INFO>

Following are the most recent gold and silver holdings of precious metals ETFs as of Friday, Jan 4, compared with the Friday a week earlier: (in tonnes unless indicated otherwise) - StreetTRACKS Gold Shares GLD.NXAUEXT-NYS-TT Jan 4 Dec 28 Change 627.88 627.88 unchanged - iShares COMEX Gold Trust IAU.A Jan 4 Dec 28 Change 55.80 55.20 up 1.1 pct - iShares silver trust SLV.A Jan 4 Dec 28 Change 4,750.27 4,628.73 up 2.6 pct ETF Securities' ETFS Physical Gold (PHAU.L) Jan 4 Dec 28 Change 633,547 ounces 633,547 ounces unchanged (17.96 tonnes) (17.96 tonnes) ETF Securities' ETFS Physical Silver (PHAG.L) Jan 4 Dec 28 Change 12,353,908 ounces 12,353,908 ounces unchanged (350.23 tonnes) (350.23 tonnes)

(Compiling by New York Commodity Desk)