Aug 7 (Reuters) - Gold scaled a new all-time peak on Friday and was set for its ninth straight weekly gain, as demand was boosted by a softer dollar, falling U.S. Treasury yields and worries over the global economic fallout from rising COVID-19 cases.
FUNDAMENTALS
* Spot gold XAU= was up 0.3% at $2,068.32 per ounce by 0035 GMT, having hit a record high of $2,072.50 in early Asian trade. Bullion is up more than 4.7% so far this week.
* U.S. gold futures GCv1 rose 0.5% to $2,078.70.
* The dollar index .DXY held close to a more than two-year low and was heading for its seventh consecutive weekly decline. A weaker greenback makes gold less expensive for holders of other currencies. USD/
* Benchmark 10-year Treasury yields fell to their lowest levels in five months, reducing the opportunity cost of holding non-interest bearing gold. US/
* Coronavirus cases continue to surge in the United States and stood at more than 18.94 million globally. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the U.S. economy needs an "additional boost" to cope with the fallout from the pandemic, as Republicans and Democrats remained far apart about what to include in another wave of coronavirus stimulus. The number of Americans seeking jobless benefits fell last week, but a staggering 31.3 million people were receiving unemployment checks in mid-July, suggesting the labor market was stalling. Investors' focus will be on the U.S. nonfarm payroll data due later in the day.
* Asia shares were poised to open higher on Friday, tracking global equity markets' overnight gains. MKTS/GLOB
* Silver XAG= jumped 2.6% to $29.68 per ounce, while platinum XPT= dropped 0.9% to $988.76 and palladium XPD= climbed 0.5% to $2,232.40.
DATA/EVENTS (GMT) 1230 US
Non-Farm Payrolls
July 1230 US
Unemployment Rate
July 1900 US
Federal Reserve issues Consumer Instalment Credit for June