FX.co ★ Gold Holds Steady As Dollar Dips Ahead Of Key Data

Gold held steady on Thursday as the dollar came off its recent highs ahead of the U.S. jobs report due Friday.

Spot gold edged up 0.2 percent to $1,817.26 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures were up 0.1 percent at $1,820.80.

The dollar slipped but remained elevated after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated his warning to lawmakers that the central bank may raise interest rates higher than previously anticipated.

During a second day of congressional testimony, Powell once again acknowledged that the U.S. central bank was wrong in initially thinking inflation was only the result of "transitory" factors.

U.S. Treasury yields were mixed as investors looked ahead to the release of weekly jobless claims figures later in the day, Friday's jobs data and inflation figures due next week for additional clues on the U.S. rate outlook.

Economists expect U.S. employment to jump by 203,000 jobs in February after an increase of 517,000 jobs in January. The unemployment rate is expected to hold at 3.4 percent.