Gold rises as dollar weakens ahead of U.S. Fed meeting,
Gold Spikes To New records As Dollar, Bond Yields Dive
Gold inches higher as dollar loses ground ahead of Fed meeting
Gold prices edged higher on Tuesday as the dollar pulled back from multiweek highs ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s two-day monetary policy meeting.
Spot gold was up 0.2% at $1,341.38 as of 0344 GMT.
US gold futures also rose 0.2% to $1,345.20 an ounce.
“The overall sentiment in the gold markets is positive. There are expectations that the Fed will cut interest rates, which has weakened the dollar and remains a main driver for prices,” said Helen Lau, analyst, Argonaut Securities.
The dollar index against basket of major currencies was down 0.1% on Tuesday, making bullion cheaper for investors holding other currencies.
The dollar was somewhat weakened by the New York Fed’s business index showing a record decline in June to its weakest level in more than two and a half years.
At the current price rate, some fluctuations in gold prices are predicted as there are still some mixed views on the rate cut and some investors are cautious ahead of the Fed’s decision, Lau said.
The Fed’s two-day policy meeting starting later on Tuesday is the next major focus after markets have priced in more than two 25 basis-point rate cuts by year-end. That marks a sharp contrast to the Fed’s official forecast in March, which showed policymakers deemed the next move would be a hike.
The expectations of an interest cut have been steadily growing amid the raging US-China trade war, signs of the US economy losing momentum and pressure by President Trump to ease policy.
All these factors encouraged bullion’s appeal, with the precious metal gaining nearly 6% since touching its 2019 low of $1,265.85 in early May.
The US central bank is suspected to leave borrowing costs unchanged this time but probably lay the foundation for a rate cut later in 2019.
“We think that the Fed will not raise rates in June and with regards to policy wording, we could see a slightly less accommodative tone than what the market is expecting,” INTL FCStone analyst Edward Meir said in a note. “In which case the dollar could firm up somewhat further and perhaps pressure gold lower into its trading range.”
On the technical front, spot gold may break a support at $1,337 per ounce and fall to the next support at $1,324, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao.
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