Gold approaches record high with focus on US inflation data
Gold edged up to near a record, as investors awaited key inflation data that could prompt the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates next month.
Bullion reached as high as $2 478.61 an ounce – within roughly $5 of its record set last month – with traders looking to the Consumer Price Index data later Wednesday for more clues on the Fed’s rate path. Lower rates are traditionally seen as bullish for non-interest bearing gold.
The US Producer Price Index report published Tuesday fell short of economists’ expectations and indicated inflationary pressures were moderating, reinforcing expectations of a rate cut. Fed Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said he’s looking for “a little more data” before supporting a reduction in rates, while reiterating he’ll likely be ready to cut “by the end of the year.”
The Fed “has the benefit of a second set of numbers in the first half of September, so the August numbers will set the scene, but will not be pivotal,” said Rhona O’Connell, an analyst at StoneX.
Beyond the inflation figures, there are strong tailwinds for gold, which “continues to be supported amid the ongoing geopolitical uncertainties and expectations of interest-rate cuts from the US Fed,” said Ewa Manthey, a commodities strategist at ING Bank NV. “Yesterday’s data reinforced the view that the Fed will be able to cut soon.”
Gold is up about 20% this year amid mounting optimism on monetary easing and large purchases by central banks. It’s also seen support from increased haven demand from geopolitical risks, including tensions in the Middle East and Russia’s conflict with Ukraine.
Spot gold rose 0.3% to $2 473.25 by 10:51 a.m. in London. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index edged down. Silver was little changed, while platinum and palladium rose.
Comments
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation