June 13 (Reuters) - Gold prices climbed on Friday and

were poised for a weekly gain, as Middle East tensions boosted

demand for safe-haven assets, while a weaker dollar and

expectations of imminent interest rate cuts by the Federal

Reserve also supported bullion.

FUNDAMENTALS

* Spot gold was up 0.8% at $3,412.29 an ounce, as of

0028 GMT. Bullion has gained 3.1% so far this week.

* U.S. gold futures gained 1.2% to $3,384.40.

* Gold prices rose as investors turned to safe-haven assets

following reports that Israel has begun carrying out strikes on

Iran. Two U.S. officials said on Thursday that the United States

had no involvement in the operation.

* U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that U.S.

personnel were being moved out of the region as it could be a

"dangerous place" and that the United States would not allow

Iran to have a nuclear weapon.

* The U.S. dollar index fell to its lowest level in

more than three years, making dollar-priced gold more affordable

for overseas buyers.

* Signaling a cooling labor market and subdued inflation

pressures, the number of Americans filing new applications for

unemployment benefits held at an eight-month high last week,

while slowing domestic demand helped to restrain producer prices

in May.

* The data was released a day after the Labor Department

reported a moderate rise in consumer prices in May.

* Traders are now expecting a 55-basis-point rate cut by the

year-end, starting in September rather than October as

previously anticipated.

* Meanwhile, The International Monetary Fund said on

Thursday that its next global growth forecast in July will take

into account both positive and negative trade developments but

declined to predict a tariff-driven GDP downgrade similar to

that released by the World Bank this week.

* Elsewhere, spot silver was up 0.3% at $36.25 per

ounce, platinum rose 0.2% to $1,297.72, while palladium

gained 0.6% to $1,062.35. All three metals were headed

for weekly gain.

DATA/EVENTS (GMT)

0600 Germany HICP Final YY May

0645 France CPI YY NSA May

0645 France CPI MM NSA May

0900 EU Total Trade Balance SA April