FUNDAMENTALS
- * Spot gold was up about 0.2 percent at $1,261.71 an ounce at 0038 GMT.
- * U.S. gold futures were down 0.4 percent at $1,261.50 per ounce.
- * Asian shares dipped while the dollar strengthened broadly on Friday as U.S. bond yields soared on expectations U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s policies would stoke inflation.
- The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of major currencies, was steady at 98.856.
- The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, underscoring the robustness of the labor market.
- The Republican sweep of the White House and Congress could break the current gridlock over national policy in a potential boon to the U.S. economy, St. Louis Federal Reserve bank president James Bullard said on Thursday.
- The Federal Reserve could raise interest rates more quickly if Washington used lower taxes or higher spending to boost economic growth, Richmond Fed President Jeffrey Lacker said on Thursday.
- Investors are starting to price in a slim chance that the European Central Bank will raise interest rates next year for the first time since 2011, with bets reinforced by sharply rising inflation expectations on Thursday.
Source: Reuters UK