WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Gold edged higher on Wednesday as focus shifted to the European Central Bank's policy decision on Thursday and the monthly U.S. payroll data due on Friday.
Spot gold rose 0.3 percent to $2,332.93 per ounce while U.S. gold futures were up 0.2 percent at $2,352.35.
The dollar bounced off two-month lows while Treasury yields rose after a four-day slide on soft U.S. economic data.
U.S. reports on private sector employment and service sector activity may garner some attention later in the day.
The U.S. Labour Department is scheduled to release its more closely watched monthly jobs report on Friday, which could have a significant impact on the outlook for the economy and interest rates.
Economists currently expect the report to show employment jumped by 190,000 jobs in May after an increase of 175,000 jobs in April. The unemployment rate is expected to hold at 3.9 percent.
Expectations for a September rate reduction now stand around 65 percent, versus below 50 percent last week, according to the CME's FedWatch tool.
Meanwhile, traders expect a hawkish interest-rate cut from the European Central Bank when it meets on Thursday.
Later today, most economists expect the Bank of Canada to cut its main interest rate for the first time in four years.
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