NEW YORK -- U.S. gold futures fell to a fresh three-month low early Friday as the dollar hit a new high against the euro after U.S. data showed stronger-than-expected jobs creation in December.

At 8:58 a.m. EST (1336 GMT), February gold at the COMEX division of the New York Mercantile Exchange was down $11.20 or 1.8 percent at $615.00 an ounce, last seen on Oct. 31.

Gold had showed a loss of just more than $3.00 before the U.S. Labor Department said 167,000 nonfarm payroll jobs were created in December, well above the median forecast of 100,000 and so-called whispered numbers that leaned even lower. October and November jobs growth were revised upward.

A stronger greenback lessens the allure of gold, which is denominated in U.S. dollars, to holders of other currencies.

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