Gold prices hovered around $4,180 per ounce on Thursday, remaining at a three-week high, supported by an uncertain US economic outlook and rising investor confidence in additional Federal Reserve easing. The government shutdown is set to end after the House approved a temporary funding measure, awaiting President Trump’s signature. However, the White House warned that October’s official jobs and inflation reports may be delayed, key indicators used to gauge the health of the US economy. Meanwhile, private labor reports indicate that US firms have been cutting jobs in recent weeks, pointing to continued weakness in the labor market and fueling expectations of further interest rate cuts. Traders are currently assigning roughly a 65% probability of a 25 bps reduction next month. Gold has gained nearly 5% this week, partly on growing expectations that the Fed has more room to cut rates.