Sept 1 (Reuters) - Gold prices held steady on Wednesday as investors awaited a key U.S. jobs report for clues on when the Federal Reserve might start reducing its pandemic-era stimulus measures.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold was steady at $1,813.93 per ounce by 0109 GMT.
* U.S. gold futures were down 0.2% to $1,815.10.
* The dollar index clawed 0.1% higher, having hit a more than three-week low on Tuesday.
* Friday's U.S. nonfarm payrolls data is expected to help shape the Fed's stance on monetary policy.
* Gold is considered a hedge against inflation and currency debasement, which can be caused by massive stimulus measures.
* U.S. consumer confidence fell to a six-month low in August as worries about soaring COVID-19 infections and higher inflation dimmed the outlook for the economy.
* Euro zone inflation surged to a 10-year high this month with further rises still likely to come, challenging the European Central Bank's benign view on price growth and its commitment to look past what it deems a transient increase.
* ECB policymaker Robert Holzmann called for reducing the central bank's emergency bond purchases as soon as next quarter, adding he expected a discussion on the matter next week.
* SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, said its holdings fell 0.2% to 1,000.26 tonnes on Tuesday, its lowest level since April 2020.
* Silver was flat at $23.88 per ounce, while platinum rose 0.3% to $1,015.49. Palladium climbed 0.5% to $2,479.06.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT) 0145 China Caixin Mfg PMI Final Aug 0600 UK Nationwide house price MM, YY Aug 0750 France Markit Mfg PMI Aug 0755 Germany Markit/BME Mfg PMI Aug 0800 EU Markit Mfg Final PMI Aug 0830 UK Markit/CIPS Mfg PMI Final Aug 0900 EU Unemployment Rate July 1345 US Markit Mfg PMI Final Aug 1400 US ISM Manufacturing PMI Aug (Reporting by Eileen Soreng in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
