Gold prices held steady above the $4,200 mark on Thursday, buoyed by weak private payrolls data that reinforced expectations of a U.S. interest rate cut at the U.S. Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting next week.

FUNDAMENTALS

Spot gold held its ground at $4,207.56 per ounce, as of 0104 GMT. * U.S. gold futures for December delivery were up 0.1% at $4,237.50 per ounce.

U.S. private payrolls fell by 32,000 jobs in November, Wednesday's ADP employment report showed, missing economists' expectations for a 10,000-job increase.

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CME's FedWatch tool now shows an 89% chance that the U.S. central bank will cut rates next week, while major brokerages also forecast an interest rate cut at the December 9-10 policy meeting.

Investors are still waiting on the delayed September Pe

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