Gold eased in early European trade on Thursday, after hitting its highest in three months in the previous session as strong dollar triggered selling.
However, traders said gold could see further safe-haven buying on the back of worries about Greece.
The euro fell to its weakest level in two weeks, grinding nearer to its March trough of $1.3267, which at the time was the lowest it had been since May.
"People fear another crisis," a Europe-based trader said.
"We'll definitely see some more safe-haven buying," he said, adding there was resistance at $1 150 (R8 430) -$1 160 an ounce level.
The trader said there wasn't big physical demand from the traditional consumer countries like Turkey, which had not imported any bullion in March.
PRICES:
* Spot gold was at $1 145.80 an ounce by 08:41 SA time, versus $1 147.00 an ounce last quoted in New York on Wednesday, when it rallied to a three-month high on the back of fund buying, physical demand and technical support.
* Silver was unchanged at $18.11 an ounce.
* Platinum was at $1 703.50 an ounce versus $1 700.50 late in New York on Wednesday, when it touched a 20-month high.
* Palladium eased to $503.50 an ounce versus $506 on Wednesday. It hit a two-year high in the previous session.
DATA/EVENTS:
* US weekly jobless claims due at 14:30 SA time.
* Eurozone February retail sales due at 11:00 SA time.
* European Central Bank (ECB) interest rate decision due at 13:45 SA time.
* UK February industrial production due at 10:30 SA time.
* Bank of England (BoE) interest rate decision at 13:00 SA time.
* BEIJING - US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner meets Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan.
* FRANKFURT - ECB Governing Council meeting, followed by interest rate announcement at 13:45 SA time. News conference follows at 14:30 SA time.
* WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks on "Economic Policy: Lessons from History" before the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress' 43rd Annual Alexander Hamilton Awards Dinner (02:30 SA time April 9).
* QINGDAO, China - 2010 International Iron Ore Market Conference (to April 9).
MARKET NEWS:
* The euro ground closer to this year's low against the dollar, waiting for the ECB to flesh out lending rules likely to support Greece, while jobs data in Australia wasn't quite upbeat enough to power up the Aussie.
* Asian stocks fell after racking up strong gains in recent weeks. Tokyo's Nikkei index slipped 0.8 percent to 11 204 points as a stronger yen provided investors an excuse to cash out after the market reached an 18-month high earlier in the week.
* Oil declined for a second day on Thursday to trade below $86 as a stronger dollar and soaring US crude stockpiles took the steam out of the year's sharpest rally so far.
* European shares are set to open lower, tracking falls on Wall Street and Asia, with direction likely to be dictated by interest rate decisions from the Bank of England and the European Central Bank later in the session.
FUNDAMENTALS:
* The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Trust, said its holdings stood at 1 130.737 tonnes as of April 7, up 0.914 tonnes from the previous business day.
* Ventana Gold, which said late last year it was in talks to be acquired by a third party, has signed confidentiality agreements with several gold majors and has mulled putting in place a shareholder rights plan, the company's CEO said on Wednesday.
* Mining companies will invest $13.1 billion in Mexico between 2010 and 2012, the head of the local mining chamber said on Wednesday.
TECHNICALS:
* Gold support at $1 100 resistance at $1 170, 14-day RSI at 72.9.
* Silver support at $17.90, resistance at $18.50, 14-day RSI at 74.2.
* Platinum support at $1 650, resistance at $1 750, 14-day RSI at 78.8.
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