Gold slips after 1% gain; ETFs at 4-year low

Gold edged down on Thursday, after rising more than 1 percent in the previous session, as speculators booked profits and investors cut their holdings on bullion exchange-traded funds to their lowest since early 2009.

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FUNDAMENTALS

* Spot gold fell USD 2.78 an ounce to USD 1,469.41 by 0045 GMT, with gains in equities also weighing on prices. Gold hit an intraday high around USD 1,476 on Wednesday on physical buying and a drop in the dollar against the euro.

* US gold was at USD 1,468.90 an ounce, down USD 4.80.

* SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, said its holdings fell 0.60 percent to 1,051.47 tonnes on Wednesday from 1057.79 tonnes on Tuesday.

* The US Mint will limit dealers' purchases of its "America the Beautiful" five-ounce silver bullion coins when they go on sale next week, reflecting soaring physical demand after a sharp selloff in precious metals.