Gold prices were steady on Thursday as investors awaited Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's speech at the Jackson Hole symposium on Friday for signals on the central bank's policy direction.

This week's set-piece event is the Jackson Hole central-bank gathering in Wyoming, slated for Thursday through Saturday. Investors will tune into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's speech for any hints on whether the central bank might kick off interest-rate cuts in September.

By Elizabeth Howcroft PARIS (Reuters) -European stock markets fell slightly in early trading on Thursday, hovering just below recent highs, as traders avoided making big moves and waited for the Federal Reserve's three-day annual Jackson Hole symposium.

Gold edged down as investors awaited the Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole gathering for clues on the path for US interest rates.