Gold Heads for First Weekly Drop in Four Weeks ahead of US Jobs Data

FILE PHOTO: Gold bars are pictured at the plant of gold and silver refiner and bar manufacturer Argor-Heraeus in Mendrisio, Switzerland, July 13, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse//File Photo

Gold was on track for its first weekly fall in four weeks after the dollar firmed, although prices held steady on Friday as markets looked ahead to key US jobs data to gauge the chance of a rate cut by the Federal Reserve as early as March.
Spot gold edged 0.1% higher to $2,030.32 per ounce by 0750 GMT. Bullion, however, has fallen nearly 2% for the week so far. US gold futures were steady at $2,047.10.
Bullion scaled an all-time peak of $2,135.40 on Monday on elevated bets for a rate cut by the Fed, before dropping more than $100 on uncertainty over the cut's timing, Reuters reported.
The dollar index was on track to snap a three-week losing streak, making greenback-priced gold more expensive for other currency holders.
Gold remains well-supported above $2,006 per ounce level, but stronger-than-expected payrolls data could put this support level in jeopardy, said Kelvin Wong, senior market analyst for Asia Pacific at OANDA.
Data this week suggested that the US labor market was gradually losing momentum as higher borrowing costs curb demand in the broader economy.
The US non-farm payrolls report for November is due at 1330 GMT, which should show that employers added 180,000 jobs last month.
Markets are pricing in a 60% chance of a US rate cut as soon as March, CME's FedWatch Tool showed, but a Reuters poll saw rates unchanged until at least July.
Lower interest rates tend to support non-interest-bearing bullion.
"Outlook remains very bright for gold. Expect prices to remain in the range of $2,005 and on the upside it can test $2,080 in the near-term," said Kunal Shah, head of research at Nirmal Bang Commodities in Mumbai.
Spot silver rose 0.1% to $23.81 per ounce, while platinum gained 0.9% to $915.19 and palladium inched 0.6% higher to $975.20 per ounce.