NEW YORK, March 30 (Reuters) - U.S. gold futures jumped
Friday following the fall in the dollar to a one month low while
U.S. copper was slightly higher with gains in Europe as markets
wind up the first quarter of 2012.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Gold prices edged higher Friday, helped by a drop in the
U.S. dollar to one-month lows but they remained in a narrow
range ahead of a meeting of euro zone finance ministers later in
the day to discuss the bloc's bailout fund.
* Copper firmed slightly Friday and was on track for an 11
percent gain the first quarter of 2012, supported by a weaker
dollar and falling inventories in Asia although fears lingered
of weak demand in top consumer China.
* Chile sees copper prices rising slightly in the second
half of 2012 due to demand from China and supplies stayed tight,
with mines working at full capacity and a lack of new projects.
* CME Group, NYSE Euronext, InterContinental Exchange, and
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Exchange are on a shortlist of
bidders for the London Metal Exchange, sources close to the
matter said.
ECONOMY
* The Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index rose to
51.1 in March from 50.5 in February.
* U.S. February personal income at 0830 EDT (1230 GMT) is
seen up 0.4 percent and consumption is forecast up 0.6 percent.
* The final Thomson Reuters/U. Michigan March sentiment
index at 0955 EDT is seen at 74.7, vs early March's 74.3.
MARKETS
* Stocks rose and the dollar fell on the last trading day
the quarter on optimism ministers will agree later Friday to
almost double the euro zone's crisis-fighting funds.
* Oil steadied after three losing sessions, supported by a
weaker dollar and expectations of tight gasoline supplies in the
United States.
Prices at 7:22 a.m. EDT (1122 GMT)
LAST NET PCT YTD
CHG CHG CHG
US gold 1665.20 13.00 0.8% 6.3%
US silver 32.510 0.518 1.6% 16.5%
US platinum 1644.00 21.30 1.3% 17.5%
US palladium 653.45 8.90 1.4% -0.4%
US copper 382.95 3.30 0.9% 11.5%
(Reporting by Rene Pastor; Editing by Alden Bentley)
