Gold struggles after worst month in two years

By Manolo Serapio Jr MANILA (Reuters) - Gold steadied not far above a 5-1/2-year low on Monday, struggling to scale higher at the start of the month after its deepest loss in two years in July, as expectations for a near-term hike in U.S. interest rates kept sellers nearby. Gold's rout deepened last month as the dollar strengthened after upbeat U.S. economic data and comments by the Federal Reserve signalled it was on course to raise interest rates for the first time in nine years. "Th