Gold prices on track for weekly gain; US data on tap

Gold prices remained stable on Friday during early Asian hours, poised for their strongest week since mid-November, as investors awaited U.S. jobs data to gauge how aggressively the Federal Reserve might cut interest rates this year.

FUNDAMENTALS

* Spot gold was unchanged at $2,670.16 per ounce, as of 0044 GMT. Bullion has gained more than 1% so far this week.


* U.S. gold futures edged 0.1% higher to $2,694.50.

* Investors will closely watch the key government payrolls report scheduled for release at 08:30 a.m. ET. According to a Reuters survey, non-farm payrolls are expected to have increased by 160,000 jobs in December, following a jump of 227,000 in November.

* The bullion strengthened to a nearly four-week high in the previous session, supported by safe-haven demand, while investors weighed how U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's policies would impact the economy and inflation.

* Trump will return to office on Jan. 20 and his proposed tariffs and protectionist policies are expected to fuel inflation.

* Kansas City Federal Reserve President Jeff Schmid signalled on Thursday a reluctance to cut interest rates again as the U.S. central bank comes into the new year facing a resilient economy and inflation that remains above its 2% target.

* Bullion is used as a hedge against inflation, although higher interest rates reduce the appeal of holding non-yielding bullion.

* Top consumer China's consumer inflation slowed in December, while producer price deflation persisted, as Beijing ramped up policy support to bolster a faltering economy.

* Spot silver shed 0.1% to $30.12 per ounce, platinum dropped 0.1% to $957.98 and palladium added nearly 1% to $934.28. All three metals were headed for a weekly gain.

DATA/EVENTS (GMT) 0400 China Overall Comprehensive Risk Q1 0400 Japan Overall Comprehensive Risk Q1 1330 US Non-Farm Payrolls Dec 1330 US Unemployment Rate Dec 1330 US Average Earnings YY Dec 1500 US U Mich Sentiment Prelim Jan