Spot gold was down 0.4% to $3 345.86 an ounce as of 8:28 a.m. in Singapore. Gold eased after a three-day gain, before pivotal US jobs data due later Thursday that may shape the outlook for the Federal Reserve’s monetary easing path.

Gold prices edged lower on Wednesday as investors awaited U.S. payroll data and assessed Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's cautious stance on rate cuts, although a weaker dollar helped limit losses for greenback-priced bullion.

Gold prices held firm in Asian trading on Thursday following a three-day rally, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the key U.S. non-farm payroll report, which could offer fresh signals on the Federal