NEW YORK, Sept 4 (Reuters) - New York gold futures retreated on Friday as the dollar strengthened after data showed U.S. employers cut fewer jobs than expected in August, but the metal stayed within striking distance to hit the psychological $1,000 an ounce mark. For the latest detailed report, click on [GOL/]. GOLD * December gold GCZ9 down $8.50 at $989.20 an ounce at 10:32 a.m. EDT (1432 GMT) on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. * Ranging from $987 to $996.90 after touching $999.50 on Thursday, the highest price since Feb. 24. * Investors took profits on the back of a higher dollar against the euro, weaker crude oil prices and broad-based weakness of other commodities - traders. * Gold futures extended losses after the U.S. nonfarm payrolls data in August showed the smallest decline in a year, but unemployment rate jumped to a 26-year high of 9.7 percent. * Demand from jittery investors to diversify assets into gold amid shaky equities markets propelled gold's sudden rally this week - analysts. * Gold driven higher by safe-haven buying due to concerns about the U.S. financial sector, and the recent positive correlation between the metal and equities was notably broken this week - analysts. * The world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund (ETF), the SPDR Gold Trust GLD, said holdings stood at 1,078.01 tonnes as of Sept. 3, up 14.65 tonnes or 1.4 percent from the previous business day. * Should this pace of gold ETF demand continue, the metal is well placed to target the February high above $1,000 and potentially the all-time high set March 2008 - James Moore, analyst at TheBullionDesk.com. * COMEX estimated 10 a.m. volume at 65,977 lots. * Crude futures eased to trade below $68 per barrel. Investors view crude oil as a barometer of economic growth. * Gold/oil ratio at 14.59, down from the previous session's 14.68. Gold has outperformed oil this week, a sign that inflation expectations could be on the rise. * Spot gold XAU= at $986.40 an ounce, against $990.10 in the previous session in New York. * London afternoon gold fix XAUFIX= was at $989 an ounce. SILVER * December silver SIZ9 down 36 cents, or 2.3 percent, at $15.930 an ounce, following gold's decline. * Silver futures had recently outperformed gold, helped by better economic sentiment. Usually less-liquid silver has the characteristics of both precious and industrial metals. * Ranged from $15.850 to $16.310 an ounce, which matched a 13-month high set on Thursday. * COMEX estimated 10 a.m. volume at 15,494 lots. * Spot silver XAG= at $15.88 an ounce, versus its previous close of $16.08. * London silver fix XAGFIX= was at $15.95 an ounce. PLATINUM * October platinum PLV9 down $5.30 at $1,248.50 an ounce, as other precious metals fell in tandem with gold. * U.S. auto sales released earlier this week showed signs of stability. Platinum group metals are largely used as industrial metals. * Uncertain supply due to labor actions in top platinum producer South Africa provided underlying support. * Spot platinum XPT= at $1,244.50 an ounce against $1,249.50. PALLADIUM * December palladium PAZ9 down $1.05 at $293 an ounce, tracking platinum's losses. * Spot palladium XPD= at $289 an ounce, against its previous finish of $289. Prices at 10:31 a.m. EDT (1431 GMT) Last Change Pct 2008 YTD Chg Close % Chg US gold GCZ9 989.10 -8.60 -0.9 884.30 11.9 US silver SIZ9 16.045 -0.245 -1.5 11.295 42.1 US platinum PLV9 1248.60 -5.20 -0.4 941.50 32.6 US palladium PAZ9 294.00 -0.05 0.0 188.70 55.8 Gold XAU= 987.45 -2.65 -0.3 878.200 12.4 Silver XAG= 16.01 -0.07 -0.4 11.30 41.7 Platinum XPT= 1243.00 -6.50 -0.5 924.50 34.5 Palladium XPD= 291.00 2.00 0.7 184.50 57.7 Gold Fix XAUFIX= 989.00 6.00 0.6 836.50 18.2 Silver Fix XAGFIX= 15.950 0.220 1.4 14.760 8.1 Platinum Fix XPTFIX= 1241.00 0.00 0.0 1529.00 -18.8 Palladium Fix XPDFIX= 290.00 0.00 0.0 365.00 -20.5 (Reporting by Frank Tang; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

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