Gold was broadly steady in thin trade on Friday but was headed for a weekly decline of more than 2 percent as investors were disappointed by the diminishing prospects of monetary stimulus in the United States.
Bullion touched a near three-month low of $1,611.80 this week after the minutes from a U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting showed a waning appetite for another round of bond purchases.
Spot gold has rebounded from that level to trade at $1,629.79 per ounce at 0308 a.m. EST, but is still on course for a 2.3 percent weekly decline, snapping two straight weeks of gains.
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