Oct 2 (Reuters) – Gold eased on Thursday from the record high hit the day before, pressured by profit-taking and a slight uptick in the dollar, although expectations of further U.S. rate cuts and political uncertainty lent some support to prices. FUNDAMENTALS * Spot gold was down 0.2% at $3,858.50 per ounce, as of 0118 GMT, after hitting an all-time high of $3,895.09 on Wednesday. * U.S. gold futures for December delivery fell 0.4% to $3,883.60. * The dollar index was up 0.1% against its rivals, making gold more expensive for other currency holders. * Data showed that U.S. private payrolls fell by 32,000 jobs in September after a downwardly revised 3,000 decline in August. * The U.S. government has shut down much of its operations, potentially putting thousands of federal jobs at risk, aft

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