WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Gold prices were subdued on Friday and equities rebounded after the U.S. and China scheduled fresh trade talks next week and a private survey showed growth in the Chinese service sector accelerated to a six-month high in December, helping ease global growth worries.
Spot gold slid 0.1 percent to $1,290.48 per ounce after touching as high as $1,298.42 earlier in the day, its highest level since mid-June. U.S. gold futures were down 0.2 percent at $1,292.50.
China's commerce ministry said that China and the United States would hold vice ministerial level trade talks in Beijing on Jan 7-8 in a bid to defuse trade tensions.
Chinese slowing growth is having an impact on Apple and other American companies, but sales should recover once Washington strikes a trade deal with Beijing, a senior White House adviser said.
Looking ahead, investors now eye the U.S. December jobs report, due later in the day for clues to the future direction of the world's largest economy.
U.S. employment is expected to increase by 177,000 jobs in December after rising by 155,000 jobs in November. The jobless rate is expected to hold at 3.7 percent.
Along with the jobs report, trading may be impacted by reaction to comments by Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who is due to participate in a joint discussion with former Fed Chairs Janet Yellen and Ben Bernanke.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2019 AFX News
