Gold flat; Tokyo futures firmer on weak yen

SINGAPORE, May 29 (Reuters) Gold was barely changed in thin early trade on Tuesday, waiting for leads from the currency market, while Tokyo futures were mostly higher.

-- Spot gold was at $655.65/656.15 an ounce, against $655.35/655.85 late in New York on Friday and within sight of a 9-week low of $651.30 hit last Thursday.

-- The U.S. market was closed on Monday for a holiday.

Trading resumes on Tuesday.

-- Investec Australia pegged support at $650 and resistance at $682 an ounce.

-- Key April 2008 gold futures on the Tokyo Commodity Exchange rose 1 yen per gram to 2,594 yen, having risen 12 yen on Monday on a weaker yen.

-- The dollar held near a 7-week peak against the euro and a 3-month high versus the yen on Tuesday, ahead of a slew of data that may revive receding expectations of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut.

-- Investors will scrutinise the minutes of the Fed's rate-setting meeting on Wednesday, before the release of the second estimate of first-quarter growth data on Thursday and the payrolls report due on Friday.

-- The euro was little changed at $1.3450 within sight of a 7-week low of $1.3411 hit last Friday. The dollar was flat against the yen at 121.70 -- Platinum rose to $1,267/1,272 an ounce from $1,266/1,270 late in New York.

-- Palladium rose to $366/371 from $363/367.

-- Silver inched up to $12.95/12.98 an ounce from $12.92/12.96 an ounce.

Precious metals prices at 0052 GMT Last Net Change Pct Move Turnover (lots) TOCOM Gold 2593.00 0.00 +0.00 9080 TOCOM Platinum 4882.00 6.00 +0.12 12262 TOCOM Silver 507.20 -0.70 -0.14 232 TOCOM Palladium 1457.00 -0.70 -0.07 136 Spot Gold 655.65 Spot Platinum 1267.00 Spot Silver 12.93 Spot Palladium 366.00 Change so far in 2007 Metal Latest bid End prev year Pct Move TOCOM Gold 2593.00 2445.00 +6.05 TOCOM Platinum 4882.00 4254.00 +14.76 TOCOM Silver 507.20 493.30 +2.82 TOCOM Palladium 1457.00 1255.00 +16.10 Spot Gold 655.65 636.10 +3.07 Spot Platinum 1267.00 1132.00 +11.93 Spot Silver 12.93 12.85 +0.62 Spot Palladium 366.00 332.00 +10.24 Euro/Dollar $1.3446 Dollar/Yen 121.66 TOCOM prices in yen per gram, spot prices in $ per ounce.

REUTERS SBA BST0650