Gold softer as dollar recovers, oil may lend support

SINGAPORE, Dec 14 (Reuters) Gold softened on Thursday after the U.S. dollar rebounded following tronger-than-expected U.S. consumer spending in November, but a firm oil price could cushion the fall.

-- Spot gold dipped to $627.25/628.00 an ounce from $628.00/629.50 late in New York on Wednesday.

-- Benchmark gold futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange added five yen per gram to 2,394 yen after New York's gold futures ignored a rallying dollar and ended higher on the back of firmer oil.

-- The euro was hardly changed at $1.3210 .

-- U.S. crude oil futures extended gains and hovered above $61 a barrel ahead of an OPEC meeting on Thursday, getting support after a government report showed U.S. crude stocks fell much more than analysts had expected.

-- Platinum fell to $1,105/1,110 an ounce from $1,107,1,112 an ounce late in New York.

-- Silver edged down to $13.73/13.80 an ounce from $13.75/13.82 an ounce in New York.

-- Palladium eased to $325/330 an ounce from $326/329.

REUTERS DKS PM0613