* Spot gold was 0.2% higher at $1,870.63 per ounce, as of 0046 GMT, after hitting its lowest since Jan. 6 in the previous session. U.S. gold futures rose 0.2% to $1,882.50.
* The dollar index eased 0.1%, making gold a more attractive bet for customers holding other currencies.
* Fed funds futures traders now see rates rising above 5% in May after data on Friday showed U.S. job growth accelerated sharply last month, which raised expectations that the Fed might keep interest rates higher for longer.
* Gold is sensitive to high interest rates, which lift the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion.
* U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Monday she
saw a path for avoiding a U.S. recession, with inflation coming
down significantly and the economy remaining strong, given the
strength of the U.S. labour market.
* SPDR Gold Trust , the world's largest gold-backed
exchange-traded fund, said its holdings fell 0.25% to 917.92
tonnes on Monday from 920.24 tonnes on Friday.
* Spot silver rose 0.1% to $22.28 per ounce, platinum edged 0.2% lower to $969.96 and palladium was
little changed at $1,597.78.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
0030 Australia Trade Balance G&S (A$) Dec
0330 Australia RBA Cash Rate Feb
0700 Germany Industrial Output Dec
0700 UK Halifax House Prices Jan
0745 France Reserve Assets Total Jan
1330 US International Trade $ Dec
1700 Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell participates in
interview hosted by the Economic Club of Washington
(Reporting by Kavya Guduru in Bengaluru; editing by Uttaresh.V)
