Jan 15 (Reuters) - Gold rose on Friday as U.S. President-elect Joe Biden unveiled a massive stimulus plan, while U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's commitment to keep monetary policy dovish further boosted the metal's appeal. * With the U.S. economy still far from its inflation and employment goals it is too early for the Federal Reserve to discuss changing its monthly bond purchases, Powell said on Thursday. * The number of Americans filing first-time applications for unemployment benefits surged last week, confirming a weakening in labor market conditions with a worsening COVID-19 pandemic.