** Shares of Australian gold miners .AXGD rise as much as 3.3% to hit an all-time high
** Gold prices hovered near record highs, supported by expectations of the U.S. Federal Reserve cutting interest rates following a softer-than-expected U.S. inflation print GOL/
** Sector leaders Northern Star Resources NST.AX and Evolution Mining EVN.AX rise 3.1% and 4.9%, respectively
** Regis Resources RRL.AX advances 5.5% to A$5.42, top gainer in the broader benchmark index .AXJO
** AXGD up 70.9% YTD, surpassing an 8% gain on the AXJO
(Reporting by Nikita Maria Jino in Bengaluru)
((Nikita.Jino@thomsonreuters.com;))