Gold firmed on Tuesday but investors remained cautious about the market's upside, eyeing the dollar and stock markets for clues on whether leveraged positions would be reduced further. FUNDAMENTALS * Gold was at $918.30, up 0.2 percent from New York's notional close of $916.30. Gold ended the previous session lower as a stronger dollar and sharp decline of stock markets prompted investors to reduce leveraged positions across all asset classes. * The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, the SPDR Gold Trust GLD, said holdings stayed unchanged at a record 1,127.44 tonnes as of March 30, a level first reached as of March 29. [GOL/SPDR] MARKET NEWS * Nikkei average opened down 0.44 percent. [.T] * U.S. stocks tumbled on Monday as two major U.S. automakers took a step closer to potential bankruptcy, and a spate of European bank rescues heightened concerns over the financial system's health, putting the brakes on a recent run-up. [.N] * The dollar and yen rose on Monday as fears of bankruptcy for U.S. automakers General Motors (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Chrysler and persistent worries about banks worldwide boosted safe-haven flows into the two currencies. [USD/] * Oil fell more than 7 percent to below $49 a barrel on Monday, weighed down by the stronger dollar and weaker stock markets. [O/R] DATA EVENTS * The following data is expected on Tuesday: ECON - Germany's unemployment rate for March will be released. (0800 GMT) - Euro zone harmonised inflation flash estimate for March is due. (0900 GMT) - Redbook releases its Retail Sales Index of department and chain store sales for the week ended March. (1255 GMT) - Standard & Poor's releases its S&P Case/Shiller Home Price Index for January. (1300 GMT) - New York NAPM releases March index of regional business activity. (1300 GMT) - The Institute of Supply Management Chicago releases March index of manufacturing activity. (1345 GMT) - The Conference Board releases March consumer confidence. (1400 GMT0 RELATED NEWS >US rejects auto-rescue plans, world markets tumble [TOPWRAP] >Gold turns lower as dollar rise, deleveraging weigh [GOL/] >Obama's tough auto stance may include bankruptcy [ID:nSP207882] >ECB's Trichet-Demand to remain weak through 2009 [ID:nLU207331] PRICES Prices as of 0002 GMT Metal Last Change Pct chg Day ago pct MA 30 RSI Spot gold $917.95 $1.65 +0.18% +2.34% $860.10 42 Spot silver $13.02 -$0.01 -0.08% +8.68% $11.29 40 Spot plat $1112.50 $0.50 +0.04% -0.93% $1079.12 57 COMEX gold $917.00 $0.00 +0.00% -0.67% $937.71 44 TOCOM gold 0,000 -2960-100.00% -100.00% 2,931 42 TOCOM plat 0,000 -3643-100.00% -100.00% 3,346 56 Currencies Euro/dlr $1.319 -$0.002 -0.14% -0.33% Dlr/yen 97.44 0.16 +0.16% -0.47%

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