BUZZ-Gold ETF and miners draw bullish options activity

** Options on SPDR Gold Fund and gold mining stocks active in bullish trading as the yellow metal touched a five-week high on Thursday

** Gold (Other OTC: GDCWF - news) rose to the highest in 5 weeks as dollar eased after meeting minutes from U.S (Other OTC: UBGXF - news) . Federal Reserve suggested lesser chances of September rate hike

** GLD shares up 1.5 pct to $110.19; trading in the fund's options at three times the normal pace, according to Trade Alert data

** GLD options volume at 178,000 contracts; options flow bullish with calls outnumbering puts 2.7-to-1, towards the high end of its range this year

** Calls on fund's shares closing above $110 by mid-March the most active with 28,000 contracts traded; among near-term calls, Aug $111.50 calls busy

** Trading in options on shares of Barrick Gold Corp's U.S.-listed shares at 4 times the normal pace, according to Trade Alert

** ABX Aug $8 calls and weeklys at strike price $9, set to expire Aug 28 and Sept 11, the busiest contracts

** Trading volume in New Gold Inc (Toronto: NGD.TO - news) 's options 4X normal, and for Randgold Resources Ltd 2X normal; trading in bullish calls dominates activity (Reuters Messaging: saqib.ahmed.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)