PRECIOUS-Gold firms; focus on US data for cues on Fed's policy path

* US non-farm payrolls report due on Friday * Gold ETFs log first inflow in four years - WGC * Gold's upward momentum may carry it higher in early 2025 - HSBC (Updates with mid-session trading) By Rahul Paswan Jan 9 (Reuters) - Gold prices hovered near a four-week peak on Thursday, while focus shifted to jobs report due on Friday for clarity on the Federal Reserve's 2025 interest rate path. Spot gold XAU= edged 0.1% higher to $2,664.30 per ounce, as of 0732 GMT. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 rose 0.4% to $2,681.80 "Prices are trading in a narrow range ... A new trigger is needed for gold to breach its resistance," said Ajay Kedia, director at Kedia Commodities in Mumbai. The bullion hit a near four-week high in the previous session after a weaker-than-expected U.S. private employment report hinted that the Fed may be less cautious about easing rates this year. GOL/ The market now awaits U.S. jobs report on Friday for more cues on the Fed's policy path. Investors are also awaiting Donald Trump to take office on Jan. 20 and his proposed tariffs and protectionist policies are expected to fuel inflation. Policymakers at the Fed's last meeting also "noted that recent higher-than-expected readings on inflation, and the effects of potential changes in trade and immigration policy, suggested that the process could take longer than previously anticipated," the minutes showed on Wednesday. Bullion is considered an inflationary hedge, but high rates reduce the non-yielding asset's allure. "We believe the bulk of the rally has been put in and that while gold's upward momentum may carry it higher in the near term and in early 2025, a combination of physical and financial market factors may tame the rally and drive gold moderately lower by the end of next year," HSBC said in a note. Elsewhere, physically-backed gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) registered their first inflow in four years, the World Gold Council said. Spot silver XAG= added 0.2% to $30.17 per ounce, platinum XPT= dropped 0.3% to $952.54 and palladium XPD= shed 0.8% to $921.37. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Spot gold price in USD per oz https://reut.rs/3WczYMX ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Rahul Paswan in Bengaluru; Editing by Sumana Nandy and Janane Venkatraman) (([email protected] ; If within U.S. +1 646 223 8780;;))