PRECIOUS-Firmer dollar, equities push gold to near 1-week low

* Palladium jumps 3.7%
* U.S. weekly initial jobless data due at 1230 GMT
* European shares hit more than 1-month peak
* Interactive graphic tracking global spread of the
coronavirus:
open https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser

(Recasts, adds comments, updates prices)
By Eileen Soreng
Sept 3 (Reuters) - Gold prices dipped to a near one-week low
on Thursday, weighed down by a stronger dollar and as growing
hopes of an economic recovery bolstered risk appetite.
Spot gold XAU= was down 0.4% to $1,934.16 per ounce at
0930 GMT, having earlier fallen to $1,926.99.
U.S. gold futures GCv1 dipped 0.2% to $1,940.30.
"Gold is turning its eye more strongly to the USD
relationship and the rally of the dollar has clearly taken a
little bit of the shine away from gold," said independent
analyst Ross Norman.
The dollar index =USD rose for a third straight session
against its rivals, making gold expensive for holders of other
currencies. USD/
Meanwhile, European shares hit an over one-month high. .EU
Bolstering bets for a recovery from a pandemic-induced
economic slump, an industry survey showed recovery in China's
service sector activity extended into a fourth straight month in
August. But underlying themes, like rising virus cases in the United
States, low-to-negative government bond yields, unprecedented
monetary and fiscal stimulus, remain intact and this continues
to limit gold's losses, said FXTM analyst Lukman Otunuga.
"In the near term, gold may remain in a wide range with
support around $1,910 and resistance around $1,985."
Investors now await the initial weekly U.S. jobless claims
report due later in the day, as well as U.S. payroll figures on
Friday, for cues on the health of the world's largest economy.
The Federal Reserve, in its "Beige Book" report, highlighted
that U.S. business activity and employment ticked up through
late-August, but economic growth was generally sluggish as
COVID-19 hotspots hampered reopening. Gold has gained about 28% so far this year, helped by
ultra-loose monetary policy adopted by major central banks to
combat the economic damage caused by the pandemic.
Elsewhere, silver XAG= dropped 1.5% to $27.09 per ounce,
while platinum XPT= rose 0.3% to $908.30.
Palladium XPD= gained 3.4% to $2,323.22, having hit its
highest since July 28.