SINGAPORE, May 9 - Gold edged down on Thursday, after rising more than 1 percent in the previous session, as speculators booked profits and investors cut their holdings on bullion exchange-traded funds to their lowest since early 2009.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold fell $2.78 an ounce to $1,469.41 by 0045 GMT, with gains in equities also weighing on prices. Gold hit an intraday high around $1,476 on Wednesday on physical buying and a drop in the dollar against the euro.
* U.S. gold was at $1,468.90 an ounce, down $4.80.
* SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, said its holdings fell 0.60 percent to 1,051.47 tonnes on Wednesday from 1057.79 tonnes on Tuesday.
* The U.S. Mint will limit dealers' purchases of its "America the Beautiful" five-ounce silver bullion coins when they go on sale next week, reflecting soaring physical demand after a sharp selloff in precious metals.
MARKET NEWS
* Encouraging global data and Wall Street's extended record run underpinned Asian shares on Thursday, with Japanese stocks leading the way to within striking distance of fresh five-year highs.
* The euro held near a one-week high against the dollar and two-month peaks on its Australian counterpart in early Asian trade on Thursday, having risen broadly after upbeat German factory activity data bolstered sentiment.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0130 China CPI yy Apr CNCPI=ECI
0130 China PPI yy Apr CNPPI=ECI
1100 Britain BOE bank rate May GBBOEI=ECI
1230 U.S. Jobless claims Weekly ECONUS
2350 Japan Bank lending yy Apr JPBNK=ECI
PRICES
Precious metals prices 0045 GMT
Metal Last Change Pct chg YTD pct chg Volume
Spot Gold 1469.41 -2.78 -0.19 -12.25
Spot Silver 23.83 -0.06 -0.25 -21.30
Spot Platinum 1496.24 -3.76 -0.25 -2.53
Spot Palladium 690.47 -1.53 -0.22 -0.22
COMEX GOLD JUN3 1468.90 -4.80 -0.33 -12.35 2924
COMEX SILVER JUL3 23.82 -0.11 -0.45 -21.20 430
Euro/Dollar 1.3161
Dollar/Yen 98.84
COMEX gold and silver contracts show the most active months