Gold prices held steady on Friday as investors stood on the sidelines ahead of a key US payrolls report due later in the day, after recent data sent mixed signals about the status of the world's largest economy. Spot gold edged up 0.3 percent to $1,829.21 an ounce by 0634 GMT, little changed from a week earlier. US gold inched up 0.2 percent to $1,832.30, headed for a weekly gain of 1.9 percent.