Gold hits record high, nears $3,600/oz as weak US jobs data fuels rate-cut bets

By Ashitha Shivaprasad (Reuters) - Gold's powerful rally took on fresh legs on Friday, with prices hitting a record high and getting closer to $3,600 per ounce, as weak U.S. jobs data further raised expectations for a bullion-supportive Federal Reserve rate cuts. Spot gold was up 1.1% at $3,583.71 per ounce, as of 1514 GMT, having hit a record $3,597.66 earlier. The metal is now on track for its