- Gold price attracts fresh buyers on Thursday following the previous day’s US CPI-inspired downfall.
- Geopolitical risks benefit the safe-haven XAU/USD amid a modest USD pullback from the YTD peak.
- Reduced bets for an early interest rate cut by the Fed might cap gains amid overbought conditions.
Gold price (XAU/USD) witnessed some selling on Wednesday and retreated from the all-time peak touched the previous day in reaction to hotter US consumer inflation figures, which tempered hopes for an imminent rate cut by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The precious metal, however, stalls the intraday slide near the $2,319 region and regains some positive traction during the Asian session on Thursday amid a generally weaker tone around the equity markets.
Expectations that the Fed will keep interest rates higher for longer, along with concerns over the worsening Middle East crisis, weigh on investors’ sentiment and benefit the safe-haven Gold price. Meanwhile, a modest pullback in the US Treasury bond yields prompts some US Dollar (USD) profit-taking and turns out to be another factor lending support to the non-yielding yellow metal. Traders now look to the US PPI print and Fedspeak for short-term opportunities.
Daily Digest Market Movers: Gold price attracts haven flows amid persistent geopolitical risks, despite hawkish Fed expectations
- The US Dollar strengthened across the board amid a surge in the US Treasury bond yields in response to a robust inflation report and exerted downward pressure on the Gold price on Wednesday.
- The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) climbed 3.5% on a year-on-year basis and 0.4% compared with the previous month, surpassing expectations.
- Excluding volatile food and energy components, the core CPI accelerated to the 3.8% YoY rate, also beating estimates and stoking worries that the Federal Reserve may keep rates higher for longer.
- The minutes from the March FOMC meeting revealed that policymakers wouldn’t be cutting rates until they gained greater confidence that inflation was on a steady path back to the 2% annual target.
- The markets were quick to react and pushed back the expected timing of a first interest rate cut by the Fed to September from June and the number of 25 basis points cuts this year to under two.
- The yield on the rate-sensitive two-year US government bond and the benchmark 10-year Treasury note spiked to their highest level since November last year, pushing the USD to a fresh YTD peak.
- Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have yielded no agreement, which, along with a possible Iranian retaliation over a suspected Israeli strike on its embassy in Syria, weigh on investors’ sentiment.
Technical Analysis: Gold price might face resistance near the all-time peak, around $2,365 area amid overbought RSI on the daily chart
From a technical perspective, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) on the daily chart is flashing extremely overbought conditions and warrants some caution before placing fresh bullish bets around the Gold price. Hence, any subsequent move-up is likely to face stiff resistance around the $2,365-2,366 area, or the record high touched earlier this week. Some follow-through buying, however, should pave the way for a further near-term appreciation towards the $2,400 round figure mark.
On the flip side, the overnight swing low, around the $2,319 area, now seems to protect the immediate downside ahead of the weekly trough, around the $2,302 region. A convincing break below the latter might prompt some technical selling and drag the Gold price further towards the $2,267-2,265 horizontal support, which should now act as a key pivotal point for short-term traders.
Insight into Gold FAQs
Central Banks and Gold Reserves
Central banks are the biggest Gold holders as they tend to diversify their reserves and buy Gold to improve the perceived strength of the economy and the currency. Emerging economies like China, India, and Turkey are quickly increasing their Gold reserves, showcasing a trend towards bolstering trust in their solvency.
Gold as a Safe-Haven Asset
Gold is widely considered a safe-haven asset, particularly during turbulent times. It serves as a hedge against inflation, depreciating currencies, and geopolitical instability. The price of Gold can quickly escalate in response to fears of deep recession or uncertainty, making it an attractive investment option.
Impact of US Dollar and Interest Rates
Gold has an inverse correlation with the US Dollar and US Treasuries, which are major reserve and safe-haven assets. A weaker Dollar tends to push Gold prices up, allowing investors to diversify their assets during market fluctuations. Additionally, Gold tends to rise with lower interest rates and vice versa, making it susceptible to changes in the cost of money.
