** Australian gold stocks .AXGD rise as much as 2.2% after shedding more than 5% in the previous week

** Gold prices rose more than 1% on Friday on safe-haven demand amid U.S. tariff updates GOL/

** Bullion producer Vault Minerals VAU.AX top percentage gainer on the benchmark, climbing more than 3.9%

** Regis Resources RRL.AX follows with a 2.3% rise

** Australia's top independent gold producer, Northern Star Resources NST.AX, up 1.6%

** YTD, AXGD up 32.8%, benchmark S&P/ASX 200 .AXJO up 5%

(Reporting by Nichiket Sunil in Bengaluru)

((Nichiket.Sunil@thomsonreuters.com;))