ADP employment numbers, Fed39;s Dec meeting minutes due on Wed
U.S. nonfarm payrolls report due on Friday
Softness in U.S. data could open door for gains analyst
China added gold to its reserves for a second straight month

Jan 8 Reuters Gold prices edged up on Wednesday, as focus shifted to a key U.S. jobs report due later this week that could influence the Federal Reserve39;s rate path.

Spot gold rose 0.1 at 2,653.04 per ounce, as of 0844 GMT. U.S. gold futures remained unchanged at 2,666.70.

For now gold is stuck in a 39;startofyear39; chopfest as we await full liquidity to return and a fresh catalyst to arrive and Friday39;s nonfarm payroll report is a top contender, said Matt Simpson, a senior analyst at City Index.

Keeping gains in check, the U.S. dollar stood tall on Wednesday after strong U.S. data drove a spike in yields and pared some bets on Federal Reserve rate cuts.

U.S. job openings rose to 8.098 million in November, surpassing forecasts and up from 7.839 million recorded in October.

Markets are currently pricing in the probability of just one Fed rate cut in 2025, down from two in December, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

The market now awaits the U.S. nonfarm payrolls report on Friday for more clues on the Fed39;s policy path. ADP employment numbers and the minutes from the Fed39;s December meeting, due later in the day, are also on investors39; radar.

Any softness in the U.S. macro data this week could open the door for gains if…