NEW YORK, May 15 (Reuters) - New York gold futures ended
higher on Friday after data showed that U.S. core inflation
rose more than expected in April, bolstering the status of gold
as a hedge against inflation.

 However, when food and energy are included, U.S. consumer
prices were unchanged in April from March. [ID:nN15177430]

 GOLD

 * Gold for June delivery GCM9 settled up $2.90 at $931.30
an ounce on the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile
Exchange.

 * A narrow range from $924.10 to $934.80.

 * Gold futures largely ignored news that China should boost
its gold holdings to 3 percent of its total foreign exchange
reserves within five years, compared with 1.6 percent now,
according to the China Gold Association. [ID:nSHA125225]

 * Late April, China revealed that it had secretly raised
its gold reserves by three-quarters since 2003, increasing its
holdings to 1,054 tonnes and confirming years of speculation it
had been buying.

 * June futures strengthened after data showed that U.S.
core prices, which exclude food and energy items, rose a
faster-than-expected 0.3 percent in April, even though headline
inflation figure was flat.

 * Buying in the gold market based on worries of higher
inflation has been a steady factor in the last several months -
analysts.

 * Market sentiment improved after AngloGold Ashanti, the
world's No. 3 producer, said it promised to cut its hedge book
by up to an additional 150,000 ounces in this quarter.
[ID:nLF11]

 * As more signals of recovery in economic conditions
emerge, bullion prices are likely to slide because of less
appetite to hoard gold - Pradeep Unni, trader at Richcomm
Global Services.

 * Gold/oil ratio at 16.41, higher than the 16.02 of its
previous session.

 * COMEX estimated final volume at 110,979 lots.

 * Spot gold <XAU=> traded at $930.70 an ounce at 3:45 p.m.
EDT (1945 GMT), up 0.6 percent from its late Thursday quote in
New York.

 * London gold fix <XAUFIX=> $929.50 an ounce.

 SILVER

 * COMEX July silver SIN9 ended down 3.00 cents at $14.01
an ounce in quiet trade, tracking gold's strength.

 * Ranged from $13.86 to $14.19.

 * COMEX estimated final volume at 15,622 lots.

 * Spot silver <XAG=> was at $13.99 an ounce, down 0.1
percent from its previous finish.

 * London silver fix <XAGFIX=> at $13.920 an ounce.