Gold falls about 3%

Gold fell about 3 percent on Friday after a stronger-than-expected US jobs report reinforced expectations that ‌the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates higher for longer amid inflation concerns fuelled by the war in the Middle East.

Spot gold was down 2.96 percent at $4,341.52 per ounce at 1:44 p.m. EDT (1744 GMT), after falling ​to its lowest level since March 24 earlier in the session. Bullion was down ​about 4.3 percent this week.

US gold futures for August delivery settled 3.1 percent lower at $4,365.3.

Nonfarm ⁠payrolls increased by 172,000 jobs in May after rising by an upwardly revised 179,000 ​in April, the US Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said in its report. A Reuters ​poll had forecast a gain of 85,000 jobs after a previously reported rise of 115,000 in April.

“We’ve got payrolls that came in fairly significantly over what was expected,” said Bart Melek, global head of commodity strategy ​at TD Securities.

“In light of the fact that we continue to have the war in ​Iran and very large energy prices and inflationary pressures, it makes it quite unlikely that the Fed is ‌in ⁠any mood whatsoever to lower rates. The implication for gold here is that the cost of carry is getting quite high.”

US Treasury yields jumped after the release of the jobs data, increasing the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion.

The price of Brent crude oil was on track ​for a weekly gain. ​Bullion has fallen more ⁠than 17 percent since the US-backed war with Iran began in late February. The conflict has led to a surge in oil prices and stoked fears of ​inflation and higher interest rates.

Although gold is seen as an inflation hedge, ​higher rates tend ⁠to weigh on the metal. Markets are currently pricing about a 72 percent chance of a Fed rate hike in December, according to CME Group’s FedWatch tool, compared to about 50 percent before the jobs data.

Gold demand ⁠was ​subdued in India this week, while premiums in China ​eased.