Global gold prices hit one-week low on strong dollar, Fed minutes awaited
Gold prices hit a one-week low as the dollar steadies after a recovery from last week's three-year low, while investors await the minutes of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting
Bengaluru: Gold prices fell further on Wednesday and hit a one-week low as the dollar steadied after a recovery from last week’s three-year low, while investors awaited the minutes of the US Federal Reserve’s last policy meeting for clues on the pace of interest rate hikes this year.
Spot gold had slipped by 0.2% to $1,326.37 an ounce by 9:23 IST and was down for a fourth straight session. Earlier in the day, prices touched the lowest since 14 February at $1,325.31 an ounce.
US gold futures were down 0.2% at $1,328.5 per ounce.
The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, was up 0.1% at 89.828, after hitting a one-week high of 89.857. It hit a three-year low of 88.253 on 16 February.
“Gold is tracking the movement in dollar. The absence of Chinese buyers from the market is further pressurising the yellow metal’s prices," said Ronald Leung, chief dealer at Lee Cheong Gold Dealers in Hong Kong.
Investors are looking forward to the minutes of the Fed’s 30-31 January policy meeting for any signs of a hawkish tone.
“A quicker and steeper slope of interest rate normalisation offers the most prominent near-term threat to gold prices as this outcome will send the US dollar surging," said Stephen Innes, APAC trading head at OANDA.
Spot gold may drop to $1,316 per ounce as it has broken a support at $1,335, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao.
Treasury yields rose overnight with the benchmark 10-year yield crawling back to near a four-year peak as investors made room for this week’s $258 billion deluge of new government debt.
Treasury yields have risen in the wake of increased government borrowing. The US Treasury Department has issued more debt in anticipation of a higher deficit from last year’s major tax overhaul and a budget deal that will increase federal spending over the next two years.
Higher yields on bonds make gold a less attractive investment because it pays no interest.
Meanwhile, holdings at the SPDR Gold Trust, the world’s largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, rose 0.39% to 827.79 tonnes on Tuesday from 824.54 tonnes on Friday. Among other precious metals, silver slipped 0.4% to $16.39 an ounce, palladium declined 0.2% to $1,031.50, and platinum dipped 0.3% to $996.90. Reuters
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