KOSTBARE Goldgewinne gegenüber schwächerem Dollar; Einzelhandelsverkauf, Daten ohne Arbeit

    April 15 (Reuters) - Gold prices rose on Thursday as a
weaker dollar boosted the safe-haven metal's appeal, while
investors awaited the release of weekly jobless claims and March
retail sales data in the United States later in the day.
    
    FUNDAMENTALS
    * Spot gold        rose 0.2% to $1,738.96 per ounce by 0121
GMT. U.S. gold futures        were up 0.1% to $1,737.90 per
ounce.
    * The dollar held near a three-week low against a basket of
currencies on Thursday, as U.S. bond yields levelled off
following a surge last month.            
    * A weaker dollar makes gold cheaper for buyers outside the
United States.
    * Further supporting bullion, major global stock indexes
also slipped.                 
    * The U.S. economy accelerated into the spring on the basis
of rising consumer sentiment, according to the Federal Reserve,
and Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the country is on track for
faster growth and hiring in the coming months.             
    * The eurozone economy, however, is now relying on the "two
crutches" of monetary and fiscal stimulus, which cannot be
removed until the economy recovers completely, according to
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde.              
    * U.S. import prices rose more than anticipated in March,
boosted by higher fuel rates and tight supply chains.
            
    * A U.S. health panel called for more data before making a
decision on whether to resume Johnson & Johnson's        
vaccine.             
    * Silver        rose 0.5% to $25.53 and palladium        was
up 0.3% at $2,683.51. Platinum        gained 0.5% to $1,176.05. 
    
    DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0130  Australia  Employment                  March
0130  Australia  Unemployment Rate           March
0600  Germany    HICP Final YY               March
0645  France     CPI (EU Norm) Final MM, YY  March
1000  EU         Reserve Assets Total        March
1230  US         Initial Jobless Clm         Weekly
1230  US         Philly Fed Business Indx    April
1230  US         Retail Sales MM             March
1315  US         Industrial Production MM    March

 (Reporting by Diptendu Lahiri in Bengaluru; editing by
Uttaresh.V)