SINGAPORE, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Gold slipped on Friday
as weak U.S. data prompted investors to book profits, but a
steady euro and rising equities could limit the decline as the
metal headed for a third week of gains -- the longest winning
streak since November.  	
    	
    FUNDAMENTALS	
    * Spot gold slipped $2.55 an ounce to $1,654.24 by
0015 GMT. It had hit a high around $1,669 an ounce on
Thursday, its strongest since mid-December, before losing some
of the gains. Bullion struck a record around $1,920
 last September. 	
    * U.S. gold for February was steady at $1,655.10 an
ounce. 	
    * The number of Americans filing for new jobless benefits
dropped to an almost four-year low last week, and factory
activity in the mid-Atlantic expanded moderately, suggesting the
economy carried some momentum into the new year. 	
    * Greece and its private bondholders resume debt swap talks
on Friday amid signs they are inching closer to a long-awaited
deal needed to prevent a chaotic default by Athens.
 	
    * General Motors Co reclaimed its title as the
world's top selling automaker for the first time since 2007,
after sales of more than 9 million vehicles globally in 2011.
 	
    * For the top stories on metals and other news, click
, or 	
    	
    MARKET NEWS	
    * The euro held near two-week highs against the dollar and
yen in Asia on Friday, having extended its short-covering rally
overnight after successful bond sales in Spain and France
boosted risk sentiment. 	
    * Japan's Nikkei share average hit a two-month high on
Friday, boosted by encouraging results from U.S. banks Morgan
Stanley and Bank of America, while near-term
concerns over Europe eased after successful Spanish debt
auctions. 	
    * Brent crude oil futures climbed back in late trading to
end almost 1 percent higher on Thursday on an easing of worries
over the euro zone debt crisis and signs of steadier global
economic growth. 	
	
    (GMT) DATA/EVENTS	
    0700 - Germany producer prices for December   	
    0900 - Italy industrial orders for November   	
    0900 - Italy industrial sales for November   	
    0930 - U.K. retail sales for December   	
    1500 - U.S. existing home sales for December  	
    1530 - U.S. ECRI weekly    	
	
    PRICES	
    	
  Precious metals prices 0015 GMT
  Metal             Last    Change  Pct chg  YTD pct chg    Volume
  Spot Gold        1654.24   -2.55   -0.15      5.78
  Spot Silver        30.58    0.03   +0.10     10.44
  Spot Platinum    1520.00    4.60   +0.30      9.12
  Spot Palladium    671.47   -3.00   -0.44      2.91
  COMEX GOLD FEB2  1655.30    0.80   +0.05      5.65         1399
  COMEX SILVER MAR2  30.58    0.07   +0.23      9.55          182
  Euro/Dollar       1.2957
  Dollar/Yen         77.04
 
  COMEX gold and silver contracts show the most active months
 	
	
 (Reporting by Lewa Pardomuan;Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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