Gold Prices Hold Steady Due to Fed Caution

2024-05-03
Summary:

Gold prices stayed near $2,300 on Friday as Fed Chair Powell said a rate hike is unlikely. This dampened demand for the safe-haven asset.

Gold prices was hovering near $2,300 on Friday after Fed Chair Powell said it was unlikely that the central bank's next move will be a rate hike. The comment dampened demand for the safe-haven asset.

Gold

Bullion was on track to register a second straight weekly loss after smashing its record high last month. A strong US dollar and high Treasury yields may have been the culprit that capped the metal's rally.


The greenback's performance reflects a realization that the Fed may act later than its peers. The currency tends to rise when the largest central banks eased policy in tandem, the Bloomberg analysis shows.


Since 2017, asset managers have maintained positions betting on a weakening dollar, increasing the risk of a significant trend reversal if those bets fail. So far, the bears have been consistently incorrect.


The WGC said that global gold demand slipped 5% year-over-year in Q1, due to continued ETF outflows but central banks added 290 tons of gold on a net basis in their holdings.


India's gold demand in that period rose 8% from a year ago, but recent rallies in prices could cut its total consumption in 2024 to the lowest in four years, according to the leading organization in the industry.

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The precious metal, as stated earlier, has built solid support around $2,300 with the next major hurdle perching at $2,350. The 50 SMA could be in sigh if the upcoming US jobs report beats expectations.


Disclaimer: This material is for general information purposes only and is not intended as (and should not be considered to be) financial, investment or other advice on which reliance should be placed. No opinion given in the material constitutes a recommendation by EBC or the author that any particular investment, security, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person.

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