Gold edged up slightly on Wednesday after suffering its biggest fall in seven weeks, with global equities rallying on easing political uncertainty in Britain, which is set to get a new prime minister.

Asian shares came within reach of testing their 2016 peak on Wednesday as prospects of solid US growth and accommodative economic policy in major countries whet investors'risk appetite damaged by uncertainty from Brexit.

Theresa May, who will take over as Britain's prime minister on Wednesday, has said she plans to set up a new government department to lead the process of withdrawing the country from the European Union.

Spot, US gold

Spot gold edged up 0.4 per cent to $1,336.90 per ounce by 0404 GMT. It fell 1.7 per cent on Tuesday in its biggest one-day drop since May 24, touching a near two-week low of $1,329.75.

US gold inched up 0.2 percent to $1,338 an ounce, after falling 1.6 percent in the previous session.

"There was some selling in early trade, which seemed to be a bit of weak longs that were getting stopped on the break of the $1,330 level. Since then we have just been grounding back up," said a Sydney-based trader, who did not want to be named.

"In the medium to longer term, the market will be pushed high, but I would not be surprised if there is further longer liquidation and maybe a push towards $1,300 in the next few sessions.”

Spot gold may drop to $1,308 per ounce, as it has pierced below a support at $1,334, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao.

Whenever there is some short-term pressure, a range of $1,330 could be a very good entry point for people who have been bullish, but hesitant of chasing the prices, said Mark To, head of research at Hong Kong's Wing Fung Financial Group.

Despite better-than-expected US non-farm payroll data, the Federal Reserve should be in no rush to raise interest rates, two senior Fed officials said.

Lower rates tend to boost gold prices because they cut the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion while weighing on the US dollar, in which it is priced.

SPDR Gold Trust

Holdings of SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, fell 1.63 per cent to 965.22 tonnes on Tuesday, its biggest one-day decline since December 2, 2015 Silver was up 0.8 percent at $20.29 an ounce.

Platinum, which fell for the first time in two weeks in the previous session, rose 0.5 per cent to $1,091 an ounce, while palladium was up 1.1 per cent at $631.22.

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