Gold steadied after the biggest gain in about a week, as traders assessed the outlook for US interest rates following private-sector jobs data.
Bullion held just above $3,970 an ounce, after rising 1.2% on Wednesday. Figures from ADP Research showed private-sector payrolls rose 42,000 after two months of decline. While tempering concerns of a faster deterioration, the modest increase is consistent with a general softening in labor demand.