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Gold prices were little changed on Friday after three consecutive sessions of gains.
Prices slipped from four-month highs as traders booked some profits ahead of the U.S. monthly employment report for November, due out later in the day.
Spot gold slipped 0.1 percent to $1,801.53 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures were little changed at $1,814.7.
Economists expect U.S. employment to jump by 200,000 jobs in November after an increase of 261,000 jobs in October. The jobless rate is expected to hold at 3.7 percent.
A cool-off in employment figures would be a welcome sign for Federal Reserve officials who have more work to do in tightening policy.
The dollar held firm but was pinned down near 16-week lows against a basket of currencies after a slew of data released overnight painted a mixed picture of the world’s largest economy.
While U.S. manufacturing activity shrank for the first time in 2-1/2 years in November, consumers’ incomes and expenditures increased in October and first-time unemployment benefits declined during Thanksgiving week, separate reports showed.
A measure of inflation that is closely monitored by the Federal Reserve eased but remained at an elevated level in October.
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