Oct 5 (Reuters) - Gold prices were steady around the $1,900
level on Monday, amid political uncertainty stoked by U.S.
President Donald Trump's health after he tested positive for
COVID-19 last week. 
    
    FUNDAMENTALS
    * Spot gold        was up 0.1% to $1,900.28 per ounce by
0048 GMT.    
    * U.S. gold futures        were down 0.1% at $1,906.30.
    * Doctors treating Trump for COVID-19 sent conflicting
signals about the severity of his condition on Sunday, hours
before the president surprised supporters gathered outside the
hospital with an impromptu motorcade.             
    * U.S. employment growth slowed more than expected in
September and over 300,000 Americans lost their jobs
permanently, underscoring the need for additional fiscal
stimulus to aid the economy's recovery.             
            
    * British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday that
he does not particularly wish for the Brexit transition period
to end without a new trade deal in place but believes that
Britain could live with such an outcome.             
    * The dollar index        was down 0.1% against rivals,
while U.S. stock futures rose on hopes that Trump could be
discharged from hospital later in the day.                   
    * Speculators reduced their bullish positions in COMEX gold
and increased them in silver contracts in the week to Sept. 29,
the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on
Friday.             
    * Holdings in SPDR Gold Trust      , the world's largest
gold-backed exchange-traded fund, fell 0.05% to 1,275.60 tonnes
on Friday.             
    * Silver        rose 0.8% to $23.89 per ounce, platinum
       eased 0.1% to $881.51 and palladium        was little
changed at $2,307.64. 

    DATA/EVENTS (GMT)
    0600  UK     Reserve Assets Total
    0750  France  Markit Serv, Comp PMIs
    0755  Germany Markit Services PMI
    0755  Germany Markit Comp Final PMI
    0800  EU      Markit Serv, Comp Final PMIs
    1345  US      Markit Serv, Comp Final PMIs
    1400  US      ISM N-Mfg PMI

 (Reporting by Eileen Soreng in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi
Aich)
  

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