Dec 16 (Reuters) - Gold prices held near their weakest level in 10-1/2 months on Friday as the U.S. dollar surged to multi-year peaks after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates and projected further rate hikes in 2017.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was steady at $1,128.70 an ounce by 0101 GMT, after touching its weakest level since Feb. 2 at $1,122.35 in the previous session. Gold fell nearly 1.4 percent on Thursday, its biggest percentage fall in three weeks.
* The metal was down more than 2.5 percent for the week, on track for its sixth consecutive weekly decline.
* "U.S. gold futures GCcv1 were up 0.1 percent at $1,130.90 an ounce, after falling nearly 3 percent in the prior session."
* The dollar stood tall on Friday, on track for hefty gains for the week, on expectations of more U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate hikes. USD/
* The dollar index .DXY , which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, was up 0.1 percent at 103.140.
* Rising rents lifted underlying U.S. inflation in November, pointing to a steady build-up of price pressures in the economy that could support more interest rate increases from the Federal Reserve next year. The prospect of further monetary policy tightening in 2017 was also bolstered by other data on Thursday showing a drop in the number of Americans filing for unemployment aid last week.
* Holdings of the SPDR Gold Trust GLD , the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, fell 0.84 percent to 842.33 tonnes on Thursday. GOL/ETF
* Russia's Petropavlovsk POG.L downgraded its 2016 gold output forecast due to mining disruptions at Pioneer, the company's largest mine. Silver miner Hochschild Mining Plc HOCM.L said production at its Pallancata silver mine in Peru had been temporarily suspended, as members of a local community blocked a road and demanded renegotiation of agreements for land easements. The Royal Mint is to launch its first range of platinum bullion coins and bars next year, it said in a statement on Thursday, in partnership with the World Platinum Investment Council. For the top stories on metals and other news, click TOP/MTL or GOL
DATA AHEAD (GMT)
0745 France
Business climate
December
1000 Euro zone
Eurostat trade
October
1330 U.S.
Building permits
November
1330 U.S.
Housing starts
November