- Gold price loses momentum to around $2,735 in Monday’s early Asian session.
- Geopolitical risks and uncertainty around US presidential elections boost the yellow metal.
- Bets for a smaller Fed rate cut weigh on the USD-denominated Gold price.
Gold price (XAU/USD) edges lower to near $2,735, snapping the two-day winning streak during the early Asian session on Monday. However, the downside of the precious metal might be limited amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions and uncertainties surrounding the US presidential election.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Saturday’s attack on Iran severely damaged Tehran’s defenses. Meanwhile, Iranian officials vowed an “appropriate response” Sunday, while saying they do not seek a wider war, per CNN. The geopolitical risks and uncertainty around the upcoming US presidential election could provide some support to traditional safe-haven assets like Gold.
The purchases of Gold reserves among central banks and increasing demand from investors have lifted the price of yellow metal. The World Gold Council suggested that the central banks worldwide purchased more than 1,000 tonnes of gold during each of the last two years, and China ranks atop the list of nations seeking to bolster their gold reserves.
On the other hand, a slower pace of rate reductions from the US Federal Reserve (Fed) amid the stronger US economic data undermines the yellow metal. According to the CME FedWatch tool, traders are now pricing in nearly 97.7% that the Fed will cut rates by 25 basis points (bps) in November.
(This story was corrected on October 28 at 07:05 GMT to say the Gold price (XAU/USD) edges lower to near $2,735, snapping the two-day winning streak, not losing streak)
Gold FAQs
Gold has played a key role in human’s history as it has been widely used as a store of value and medium of exchange. Currently, apart from its shine and usage for jewelry, the precious metal is widely seen as a safe-haven asset, meaning that it is considered a good investment during turbulent times. Gold is also widely seen as a hedge against inflation and against depreciating currencies as it doesn’t rely on any specific issuer or government.
Central banks are the biggest Gold holders. In their aim to support their currencies in turbulent times, central banks tend to diversify their reserves and buy Gold to improve the perceived strength of the economy and the currency. High Gold reserves can be a source of trust for a country’s solvency. Central banks added 1,136 tonnes of Gold worth around $70 billion to their reserves in 2022, according to data from the World Gold Council. This is the highest yearly purchase since records began. Central banks from emerging economies such as China, India and Turkey are quickly increasing their Gold reserves.
Gold has an inverse correlation with the US Dollar and US Treasuries, which are both major reserve and safe-haven assets. When the Dollar depreciates, Gold tends to rise, enabling investors and central banks to diversify their assets in turbulent times. Gold is also inversely correlated with risk assets. A rally in the stock market tends to weaken Gold price, while sell-offs in riskier markets tend to favor the precious metal.
The price can move due to a wide range of factors. Geopolitical instability or fears of a deep recession can quickly make Gold price escalate due to its safe-haven status. As a yield-less asset, Gold tends to rise with lower interest rates, while higher cost of money usually weighs down on the yellow metal. Still, most moves depend on how the US Dollar (USD) behaves as the asset is priced in dollars (XAU/USD). A strong Dollar tends to keep the price of Gold controlled, whereas a weaker Dollar is likely to push Gold prices up.
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