Gold steadied after a two-day advance as traders mulled the outlook for the Federal Reserve’s easing path ahead of key jobs figures due later this week.
Bullion traded near $2,660 an ounce, after a 0.5% gain on Wednesday as a report showed US private-sector hiring and wage growth slowed in December. The Fed will need to balance that against renewed inflation fears when deciding on cutting rates, with minutes of the central bank’s meeting last month reaffirming a more cautious approach to easing.