* Spot gold not far from 5-1/2-year low, down 7 pct in July
* Strong U.S. nonfarm payrolls may pressure gold further
(Updates prices, adds comment)
By Clara Denina
LONDON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Gold edged lower on Monday, after
falling by the most in two years in July, as the dollar steadied
and investors monitored U.S. economic indicators for clues on
the timing of a hike in U.S. interest rates.
Spot gold XAU= was down 0.3 percent at $1,091.90 an ounce
by 1347 GMT. The metal hit a low of $1,077 on July 24, its
weakest in 5-1/2 years.
It lost almost 7 percent in July, its steepest monthly drop
since June 2013, and fell for a sixth straight week last week,
its longest retreat since 1999.
U.S. gold for December delivery GCcv1 was down 0.4 percent
at $1,091.20 an ounce.
Gold's rout deepened last month as the dollar strengthened
after comments by the Federal Reserve signalled it was on course
to raise interest rates for the first time in nine years.
"The dollar is back on the ascendant today, weighing on all
commodity prices," Mitsubishi Corp analyst Jonathan Butler said.
"U.S. economic data is the main focus right now, culminating
with the nonfarm payrolls number later this week."
The dollar was up 0.1 percent against a basket of leading
currencies, cutting some gains after data showing U.S. consumer
spending in June recorded its smallest gain in four months.
Separately, the pace of growth in the U.S. manufacturing sector
slowed in July. ID:nN9N0YO02M
Investors have been keeping a sharp eye on economic data as
this could influence the timing of the first rate increase in
nearly a decade.
The U.S. Federal Reserve has said it will hike rates only
when it sees a sustained recovery in the economy. Nonfarm
payrolls on Friday will be closely watched.
A rate hike, which could come as early as September, would
put further pressure on non-interest yielding gold and increase
the opportunity cost of holding it.
Hedge funds and money managers kept their first bearish
stance in COMEX gold in at least a decade during the week ended
July 28, suggesting the recent mass exodus from bullion was more
than a knee-jerk reaction. ID:nL1N10B265
Holdings in SPDR Gold Trust GLD , the world's largest
gold-backed exchange-traded fund, dropped to the lowest since
September 2008 at 21.63 million ounces on Friday. GOL/ETF
Billionaire hedge fund manager John Paulson, one of the
world's most influential gold investors, said on Friday that the
metal is now at an appropriate price level.
Paulson holds a 10 million share stake, now worth about $1
billion, in the SPDR Gold Trust fund. ID:nL5N10B4VC
Spot silver XAG= eased 0.5 percent to $14.69 an ounce.
Spot platinum XPT= dropped 1.1 percent to $970.99 an ounce,
after posting the biggest monthly fall in ten months at 8.7
percent in July. Palladium XPD= gained 1.7 percent to $619.25
an ounce.