Gold prices will continue to rise in the near term before meeting resistance around $1,800 a troy ounce, a Hong Kong-based analyst says.

She notes that newsflow remains positive for the yellow metal, especially since the Fed's pledge last month to keep interest rates low through the end of 2014.

In the next few weeks gold will remain sensitive to macroeconomic indicators from the U.S. and the euro zone, she says.

Friday's key price driver will be U.S. non-farm payrolls data, which is also expected to influence Asian trading at the start of next week.

A weaker-than-expected number could boost demand for safe-haven assets, while an upbeat reading could bring gold under pressure if risk appetite improves.