[Market Weighs Rate Cut Expectations and Fed Chair Successor, Spot Gold Holds Steady] IGM analyst Roderick Pillai stated that spot gold fluctuated around $4,150 during early Asian trading on Thursday, slightly below the more-than-one-week high of $4,173.42 reached on Wednesday. Following the release of the Federal Reserve's Beige Book, the market continues to bet on a rate cut by the Fed in December, as the Beige Book did not dampen expectations for short-term easing policies. Supporting factors for gold prices include political pressure on the Federal Reserve. Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, remains a leading candidate to succeed Chair Powell. He is seen as a key advocate of President Trump's dovish monetary policy stance.