Gold edged higher for a second session on Thursday as worries over Europe and Egypt prompted safe-haven buying, but the mood remained cautious ahead of US jobs data that could determine the outlook for the Federal Reserve's stimulus measures. Bullion has gained nearly 2 percent so far this week after posting its biggest quarterly loss on record, helped as well by short covering and bargain hunting.
Spot gold rose 0.2 percent to $1,253.04 an ounce by 0647 GMT, after gaining almost 1 percent on Wednesday. Comex gold rose over $1 to $1,253.10. Gold has fallen sharply since Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said last month the US economy was recovering strongly enough for the central bank to begin pulling back on its stimulus in the next few months, and possibly end the programme in mid-2014. The metal fell to nearly a three-year low of $1,180.71 last week and is down 25 percent for the year.