Gold snaps 3-day winning streak as U.S. dollar, yields firm

Feb 3 (Reuters) – Gold prices eased on Thursday as the U.S. dollar and Treasury yields strengthened a day after dismal private payrolls data sent bullion prices to one-week highs.

Spot gold was down 0.3% at $1,801.78 an ounce, as of 1212 GMT, after hitting its highest since Jan. 27 at $1,810.86 in the previous session. U.S. gold futures fell 0.4% to $1,802.70.

Benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury yields were slightly up, while the dollar index firmed against its rivals, making bullion expensive for buyers holding other currencies.

Investors now await Friday’s closely watched non-farm payroll figures after ADP data on Wednesday showed U.S. private payrolls unexpectedly fell last month. read more

“Tomorrow’s payroll data would be important to get the confirmation on weakening labour market, which is a key factor for the Fed to go slow on its rate hike plans,” said Soni Kumari, a commodities strategist at ANZ.

“We see inflation numbers and geopolitical tension to guide gold prices in the near-term.”

The U.S. Federal Reserve officials have signalled they will start raising interest rates next month to fight high inflation.

The Bank of England raised interest rates to 0.5% on Thursday and nearly half of its policymakers wanted a bigger increase to contain rampant price pressures. read more

European Central Bank policy decision is due 1245 GMT. read more

Gold is considered a hedge against inflation, but interest rate rises would make non-yielding bullion less attractive.

“The magnetic attraction to the $1,800 level has persisted for almost a year now, and gold’s struggling to breakout of its range,” independent analyst Ross Norman said.

Gold seems to be well supported by good physical buying but is unable to sustain any upside momentum, Norman added.

In other metals, silver declined 1.1% to $22.37 an ounce, platinum fell 1.1% to $1,021.27 and palladium was little changed at $2,368.37.

Reporting by Seher Dareen and Swati Verma in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Brijesh Patel; Editing by Vinay Dwivedi

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.