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SINGAPORE, March 10 (Reuters) Gold was steady above $545 an on ounce on Friday and traders said it was likely to trade in a tight $10 range ahead of a U.S. employment report.

-- Spot gold was quoted at $545.50/546.25 an ounce, hardly changed from $545.60/546.50 late in New York on Thursday, when it rose around $3 on renewed buying interest from speculators and consumers.

-- Dealers expect gold to trade in volatile $540 to $550 range.

-- Benchmark gold futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange, currently February 2007, rose three yen per gram to 2,100, tracking a rebound in in New York's COMEX.

-- Traders await Friday's U.S. February employment report to shed more light on the economy and interest rate outlook.

Economists polled by Reuters expected a rise of 210,000 in nonfarm payroll jobs.

-- Spot silver inched down to to $9.94/9.97 an ounce from $9.96/9.99 late in New York.

-- Platinum fell to $1,012/1,017 from $1,016/1,020 an ounce in New York.

-- Palladium rose to $286/291 an ounce from $285/289.

Precious Metals Prices by 0037 GMT* Last Net Change Pct Move Gold 545.50 -0.10 -0.02 TOCOM Gold 2098.00 12.00 +0.58 Platinum 1012.00 -4.00 -0.39 Palladium 286.00 1.00 +0.35 Silver 9.94 0.02 +0.20 Change so far in 2006 Metal Latest bid End prev year Pct Move Gold 545.50 517.20 +5.47 TOCOM Gold 2098.00 1973.00 +6.34 Platinum 1012.00 968.00 +4.55 Palladium 286.00 254.00 +12.60 Silver 9.94 8.81 +12.83 * The closing prices used to calculate the net change may differ from New York's last quoted prices.

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