Spot gold may test support at $1,801/oz - technicals U.S. 10-yr yield rises to strongest level since April 2021 Stronger non-farm payroll numbers could push gold lower -analyst Jan 6 (Reuters) - Gold prices slipped on Thursday as U.S. Treasury yields edged higher after minutes of the Federal Reserve"s December meeting signalled quicker interest rate hikes to tame broadening inflationary risks. Spot gold was down 0.5% at $1,801.08 per ounce, as of 0739 GMT. U.S. gold futures dropped 1.3% to $1,802.30. "What the market has to be concerned with the end goal is how much the Fed is going to surprise going forward," said Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management. "If it surprises with one more rate hike, that would be really negative for gold." Fed officials said the "very tight" U.S. labour market might warrant raising rates sooner than expected, as well as reducing the bank"s overall asset holdings to control inflation. read more Some investors view gold as a hedge against higher inflation, but the metal is highly sensitive to rising U.S. interest rates, which increase the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion. Benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury yields rose to their strongest level since April 2021, increasing the opportunity cost of holding gold. The ADP National Employment report showed private U.S. payrolls surged last month by more than double what economists polled by Reuters had forecast, raising expectations for the non-farm payrolls numbers due on Friday. read more "If we"ve a strong payroll print, gold will definitely go lower," Innes said. Spot gold may test a support at $1,801 per ounce, following its failure to break a resistance at $1,830, according to Reuters" technical analyst Wang Tao. "With the emergence of the new virus, growth is likely to take a hit so after second quarter of 2022 gold should do well," said Kunal Shah, head of research at Nirmal Bang Commodities. Spot silver slipped 1.2% to $22.51 an ounce, platinum dropped 1.2% to $970.55 and palladium shed 0.6% to $1,854.18.