* US jobs data due this week

* South Korea central bank to buy gold from local producers

* Brent futures jumped more than 20% last month

(Updates for U.S morning open)

By Sukanya Mitra

Aug 3 (Reuters) - Gold edged lower on Monday as uncertainty

over the war in the Middle East and concerns over rising

inflation lingered, with markets also watching a slew of job

reports this week to gauge the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy

path.

Spot gold fell 0.3% to $4,029.84 per ounce by 10:12

a.m EDT (1412 GMT), while U.S gold futures for August

delivery dropped 0.5% to $4,029.00.

"Gold has been stuck in a trading range for more than a

month now roughly between $4000-$4200. Providing support is the

fact that the market could be expecting a resurgence in

inflation, especially in July when fresh data will likely

reverse much of June's decline," Marex analyst Edward Meir said.

Three Fed officials who dissented at last week's policy

meeting in favour of a rate hike said on Friday that delaying

higher borrowing costs could keep inflation above the Fed's 2%

target. New York Fed President John Williams said the central

bank was ready to raise rates if inflation pressures did not

ease.

Brent futures jumped more than 20% last month after

fighting between the U.S. and Iran resumed and attacks on

several tankers around Oman heightened security concerns.

Higher energy prices reinforce expectations that the Fed

will keep interest rates higher for longer to combat inflation,

weighing on non-yielding gold.

Iran said on Monday there were no talks under way with the

U.S. and no plans for any meetings, contradicting President

Donald Trump who had cited talks he said would take place as

justification for calling off attacks.

Market participants will be closely watching a series of U.S

jobs reports this week, including the ADP employement report and

the nonfarm payrolls data.

Elsewhere, South Korea's central bank will buy gold from

local producers to diversify its sources of supply and increase

its holdings of the precious metal, it said on Monday.

Among other metals, spot silver fell 0.8% to $57.18

per ounce, platinum slid 1.6% to $1,616.42 and palladium

dropped 1.8% to $1,251.16.