Gold was steady in quiet, post-holiday trading, after mixed jobless claims data in the US did little to alter bets on the outlook for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.
Bullion was near $2,633 an ounce, after rising 0.6% on Thursday, following a report that showed recurring applications for US unemployment benefits rose to the highest in more than three years — suggesting that it’s taking longer for out-of-work people to find a job. Initial claims, however, ticked down.