Gold (XAU/USD) gains ground above $3,850 on Friday, trading around $3,875 during the American session, up nearly 0.50% on the day. The metal has recovered from an intraday low near $3,838, finding fresh bids as the US Dollar (USD) eases following Thursday’s modest rebound. Moreover, growing expectations that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will cut interest rates later this month provide an additional tailwind for the metal. Looking ahead, with the September Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report delayed due to the political gridlock in Washington, market attention turned to the US ISM Services Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), which underscored signs of cooling momentum. Technical analysis: XAU/USD steadies near 21-SMA; dip-buying interest persistsXAU/USD steadies after Thursday’s volatile swings with dip-buyers emerging on pullbacks.