NEW YORK, Aug 13 (Reuters) - U.S. gold futures rose
Thursday on follow-through buying after the Federal Reserve
said it would keep interest rates near zero, bolstering
bullion's status as a hedge against inflation
For the latest detailed report, click on [GOL/].
GOLD
* December gold GCZ9 up $4.40 at $956.90 an ounce at
10:07 a.m. EDT (1407 GMT) on the COMEX division of the New York
Mercantile Exchange.
* Ranging from $949.80 to $963.10.
* Gold boosted by economic optimism after the Fed said in
its policy statement that economic conditions showed signs of
leveling out but would likely to keep interest rates near zero
for an extended period.
* Bullion's rally supported by the fact that the Fed would
not continue to buy $300 billion worth of Treasury bills -
Mihir Dange, COMEX gold floor trader.
* On Wednesday, the U.S. central bank cautiously moved to
pull back some of that help for the economy, signaling it would
slowly phase out a program to buy $300 billion in longer-term
Treasuries by the end of October. [ID:nN1272730]
* Gold market sentiment lifted by news that the Swiss
National Bank had sold 105 tonnes of gold to private investors
for 3 billion francs, completing a planned sale of a total of
250 tonnes of gold. [ID:nLD638181]
* South African gold output fell 12.2 percent in volume and
total mineral production dropped 7.3 percent in June compared
with the same month in the previous year - official data.
* Gold/oil ratio at 13.51, higher than 13.44 from the
previous session.
* Spot gold XAU= at $955.05, compared with $946.05 in
late New York business on Wednesday.
* London afternoon gold fix XAUFIX= at $953.50 an ounce.
SILVER
* September silver SIU9 up 31 cents, or 2.1 percent, at
$14.895 an ounce, helped by copper and other industrial metals'
gains.
* Ranging from $14.505 to $15.145 an ounce.
* Spot silver XAG= was at $14.89 an ounce versus $14.51
an ounce in Wednesday's late quote.
* London silver fix XAGFIX= at $15.070 an ounce.
PLATINUM
* October platinum PLV9 up $23.30, or 1.9 percent, at
$1,267.70 an ounce on pent-up buying after weakness prompted by
easing supply worries.
* Spot platinum XPT= at $1,259 versus $1,238.
PALLADIUM
* September palladium PAU9 up $3.90, or 1.4 percent, at
$277.25 an ounce, tracking platinum's gains.
* Spot palladium XPD= at $274, against its previous
finish of $270.
Prices at 10:07 a.m. EDT (1407 GMT)
Last Change Pct 2008 YTD
Chg Close % Chg
US gold GCZ9 956.80 4.30 0.5 884.30 8.2
US silver SIU9 14.905 0.320 2.2 11.295 32.0
US platinum PLV9 1267.10 22.70 1.8 941.50 34.6
US palladium PAU9 277.25 3.90 1.4 188.70 46.9
Gold XAU= 954.40 8.35 0.9 878.200 8.7
Silver XAG= 14.89 0.38 2.6 11.30 31.8
Platinum XPT= 1258.00 20.00 1.6 924.50 36.1
Palladium XPD= 273.50 3.50 1.3 184.50 48.2
Gold Fix XAUFIX= 953.50 6.25 0.7 836.50 14.0
Silver Fix XAGFIX= 15.070 0.790 5.5 14.760 2.1
Platinum Fix XPTFIX= 1234.00 0.00 0.0 1529.00 -19.3
Palladium Fix XPDFIX= 269.00 0.00 0.0 365.00 -26.3
(Reporting by Frank Tang; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
