PRECIOUS-Gold rises 1% as Middle East conflict spurs safe-haven demand

By Noel John

March 6 (Reuters) - Gold prices rose on Friday, rebounding from a more than 1% drop in the previous session, as investors sought safe-haven bullion on heightened uncertainty over a widening Middle East conflict.

Spot gold XAU= was up 1% at $5,128.39 per ounce, as of 0506 GMT. The metal has lost roughly 3% so far this week, set to snap a four-week winning streak, as fading rate-cut prospects and higher energy prices stoked inflation concerns.

U.S. gold futures GCcv1 for April delivery were up 1.2% at $5,137.50.

The dollar weakened, making greenback-priced bullion less expensive for holders of other currencies. USD/

"Geopolitical risks are still not subsiding. In fact, there could be a risk of escalation, given the fact that the recent interview by Iranian foreign minister stating that the Iranian forces are ready for a ground invasion by the U.S. or even Israel. So that's actually supporting gold price," said Kelvin Wong, a senior market analyst at OANDA.

On the sixth day of the war, Iran launched a series of attacks on Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Admiral Brad Cooper, who leads U.S. forces in the Middle East, said that the U.S. has enough munitions to continue its bombardment indefinitely.

The U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran launched on Saturday has struck targets across the country and triggered Iranian retaliation.

Bullion, traditionally viewed as a safe-haven asset, has risen about 18% so far this year, notching successive record highs amid heightened geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

Gold prices would be volatile in the near term with key support at $5,040 level and resistance at $5,280, said Wong, adding that prices could rise up to $5,448 if the resistance is broken.

CME Group on Thursday cut the initial margin on its COMEX 100 gold futures to 7% from 9%, and reduced the margin on its COMEX 5,000 silver futures to 14% from 18%.

Meanwhile, U.S. data on Thursday showed initial jobless claims unchanged last week, while layoffs dropped sharply in February.

Investors now await the U.S. employment report for February, due later in the day.

Spot silver XAG= rose 2.6% to $84.26 per ounce. Spot platinum XPT= gained nearly 1.6% to $2,154.60, while palladium XPD= climbed 2.2% to $1,665.21.